Swift As a Misanthrope

Swift is undoubtedly the greatest satirist f English literature. He secured for him the title of “prince of
satire”. He has been lauded and charged at different ages. Horrace Walpole says

“Swift was a wild beast who worried and baited all mankind almost, because his intolerable arrogance,
vanity, pride, and ambition were disappointed”.

Swifts is a fertile writer and his book Gulliver’s travel earned for him a work of ‘a mad man’, ‘a fruit of
misanthropy and indignation’, a piece of sheer pessimism’

We cannot deny that his book is occasionally loaded with certain pieces of evidence of misanthropy and
pessimism but it does not mean that this book is thoroughly and openly an expression of misanthropy
and pessimism. In order to unfold its different layers, we discuss these elements of pessimist and
misanthrope in brief.

Firstly, the portrayal of Brobdingnagians society a gigantic misanthropic view

“The most pernicious race of little odious vermin that Nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of
the Earth”.

Secondly, religious and political differences are witnessed among different races in the land of Lilliput. It
is exposed by means of big-endians and small-endians, the low heels and the high-heel.

Thirdly, the human body is depicted in the most abdominal ways in Brobdingnag. The giants, the maids,
and their physiques are really presented in a contemptuous way.

The human craze for the advancement of science and new inventions is satirized in the 3rd voyage. Some
insane scientists are doing fruitless efforts. The extraction of sunlight from cucumber, the retrieving of
calories, and nutrition from the excrement are totally futile efforts.

Swift’s accused misanthropy reached its peak in the fourth voyage when he happens to meet
philosophical natured Houyhnhnms, horses. There, he is invaded by a pack of Yahoos. yahoos are similar
to human beings and their treatment of Gulliver is totally hateful.

“Upon the whole earth, I never beheld in all my travels, so disagreeable an animal, nor one against which
I naturally conceived so strong an antipathy”

All the above mentions instances are quoted to prove the misanthropic and pessimistic nature of Swift.
Although he points out the dark aspects of humanity, it does not mean that he abhors mankind. In his
letter to Alexander Pope, he said,

“I have ever hated all Nations professions and Communities and all my love is towards
individuals. . .Upon this great foundation of misanthropy the whole building of my travels is erected”

Certainly, Swift is not a typical Optimist. He does not consider science as a victory for mankind. Swift
lands us on an imaginary flying island of scientists and musicians. People are absorbed thoroughly in
achieving some the valueless. All the time they are busy meditating on something and working on
useless projects. This description does not mean that he is discouraging science or scientists. He is
actually targeting the ones busy in directionless efforts.

.“Their heads were all reclined either to the right, or the left; one of their eyes turned inward, and the
other directly up to the zenith.”

Experiments were going on “to extract sunbeams out of cucumbers, to convert human excrement into
its original food, to build houses from the roof downwards to the foundation, to obtain silk from
cobwebs”

Summing up. We can conclude that Gulliver cannot be recognized with Swift. Gulliver is totally an
isolated and independent character. He is only a tool in the hands of Swift to entertain his noble
intentions. Although his portrayal is pessimistic and misanthropic, his target is not thoroughly
pessimistic. A deep study of this book can enlist Swift in optimistic authors. He has successfully shown
that no one is great or small; it is only a way to look at things. On creature can be idealized in certain
characteristics but a true ideal world exists nowhere. Swift’s depiction may or may not be pessimistic but
purpose or intentions are really optimistic.

Gulliver closes his travels on this note:

“When I behold a lump of deformity, and diseases both in body and mind, smitten with pride, it
immediately breaks all the measures of my patience.”