 SUMMARY

“Gulliver’s Travels,” written by Jonathan Swift and first published in 1726, is a classic work of satirical
literature that takes readers on a series of imaginative journeys through strange and fantastical lands.
The novel follows the adventures of Lemuel Gulliver, a ship’s surgeon, as he embarks on four distinct
voyages, each with its own unique set of challenges and social commentary.In the first voyage, Gulliver
finds himself washed ashore in Lilliput, a land inhabited by tiny people who are no more than six inches
tall. Gulliver becomes a giant among them, and this size difference serves as a vehicle for Swift to satirize
the political and social issues of his time. The Lilliputians engage in petty disputes and ridiculous rituals,
such as their ongoing war over which end of a boiled egg should be cracked first. Through this absurdity,
Swift criticizes the trivial nature of political conflicts and the pompousness of rulers.Gulliver’s second
voyage takes him to Brobdingnag, a land inhabited by giants who are twelve times his size. Here, Swift
explores the flaws of human nature when viewed from a different perspective. Gulliver is now the
diminutive one, and he experiences the repulsive aspects of human existence up close, including their
bodily imperfections and corrupt behavior. This voyage serves as a critique of human vanity and moral
shortcomings.In his third voyage, Gulliver encounters the floating island of Laputa, as well as the lands of
Balnibarbi and Lagado. These places are inhabited by misguided scientists and intellectuals who are
disconnected from practical life. Laputa, in particular, is a place where inhabitants are so engrossed in
abstract thinking and theoretical knowledge that they are oblivious to the real world. Swift uses this
section to satirize the pursuit of useless knowledge and the disconnect between intellectuals and the
needs of society.Gulliver’s final voyage takes him to the land of the Houyhnhnms, rational and intelligent
horses, and the Yahoos, brutish and irrational humans. Swift employs this stark contrast to criticize the
flaws of humanity. The Houyhnhnms live in a peaceful and orderly society based on reason and
benevolence, while the Yahoos represent the worst aspects of human nature, characterized by violence,
greed, and depravity. Gulliver’s inability to communicate with the Houyhnhnms, and his eventual
rejection by them, highlights Swift’s belief in the inherent depravity of mankind.Throughout “Gulliver’s
Travels,” Swift employs satire as a powerful tool to critique the society, politics, science, and human
nature of 18th-century England. By placing Gulliver in these fantastical worlds and highlighting the
absurdities and flaws of each, Swift invites readers to reflect on their own society and human behavior.
The novel continues to be a thought-provoking and relevant work, reminding us to examine the follies
and vices of our own world through the lens of satire and imagination.