Gulliver's Travels

"GULLIVER'S TRAVELS" a Satire

Jonathan Swift, an Anglo-Irish writer, was born in Dublin on the 30th October 1667. he was one of the greatest satirists of the universal literature. His pamphlets have a stinging sarcasm through which he accused moral-political vices or religious ones (ex. "A Tale of a Tub", "A Meditation upon a Broomstick") or pamphlets which defend the Irish cause ("The Drapiers Letters"). His fame was brought by "GULLIVER'S TRAVELS". This is a realistic parody of social dynamic, remarkable for the greatness of its metaphors, consciousness of vision and its style.

GULLIVER'S TRAVELS is a satire in four parts as the author himself called it. In the first pages of the book we are told that Gulliver began his voyages as a ship surgeon and afterwards as captain of other ships. The four parts of the book represent four voyages: A Voyage to Lilliput; A Voyage to Brobdingnag; A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdrib, Luggnagg and Japan and A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnhnms. Each of them represents a different type of society and in each of them the object of the author's irony is different.

The first trip satirises the moral and spiritual pettiness of humanity, revealing to the reader the foolish reasons for starting a war between two countries that were once good friends; the absurd rules of society. This six-inch tall people of Book I reveal themselves to be as small morally as they are physically. The revelation of their pettiness comes gradually to the reader. Gulliver's hosts gossip meanly about each other; they fight over such trivial things as which end of an egg should be broken first; and their king is angry when Gulliver refuses to help him bring a neighbour country into slavery.

In this book, number I, we encounter satire on travel books and travellers. Swift is mainly protesting against the ridiculous travellers who report absolutely everything about his trip.

Book II "A Voyage to Brobdingnag" is a satire on the wickedness and vanity of mankind. Gulliver, just recently big in a land of little people, is now little in a land of giants. Although it might be too much to say that in this way Swift prepared the reader to expect that Gulliver won't live very well in this country, judged by the moral norms of big people; but that is in fact what happens. When the judgement is made, it appears that Gulliver's race is one of "little odious vermin". Nonetheless, our hero yet has saving graces, he is still a fascinating reporter, he is fascinatingly loyal to his country; he is resourceful and well intentioned. But, when seen through the eyes of the people from Brobdingnag, he appears somewhat ridiculous.

In the second voyage, both the human pride in physical appearance is attacked through Gulliver's perspective of the Brobdingnagians; and Gulliver's own pride in himself and his country is reduced to ridiculousness as Gulliver becomes the object of comic satire. Gulliver's offer of the secret of gunpowder shows that he is a typical member of his race. This episode concludes with "the shocking demonstration of what man's inhumanity is capable of".

The trip to Laputa and the other far off countries satirises the unsociable behaviour, imaginativeness and pedantry of people. A specific target of Swift's satire in this part is the idea of immortality in out world many people regard as a goal in their lives but he shows it to us in a totally different light. In Book III, Gulliver presents people who are immortal, these are the Strulbrugs. In reference to the Strulbrugs Swift insists that, since the forces of nature bring decay, it is better to die before these forces condemn the body to an old age that grows increasingly disgusting and horrible.

The account implies gratitude that nature, which every second causes us to rot, is allowed no more time than it normally