This is a critical essay on Gulliver’s Travels - Jonathan Swift’s best-known work. Swift turns the genre of a “traveler’s tale” into a biting satire on contemporary life. Despite this savage aspect to the book, it has always appealed to all sorts of readers, including (in abridged versions) young children. As well as being a satire, it is also an exciting story, funny and terrifically inventive (Gulliver’s Travels, 1997). By this reasons, analyzing the novel’s narrative structure, characterization of its main protagonist and language and style of its author may be enlightening to the readers of how and why it was made and of what was the author’s intent.
The narrative structure of the novel starts on its exposition of the main character. Lemuel Gulliver, the main character and author, gives some account of himself and his family, his first inducements to travel (Gulliver’s Travels’ 1997). He summarizes the story of his life. “My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire: I was the third of five sons. He sent me to Emanuel College in Cambridge at fourteen years old, where I resided three years, and applied myself close to my studies; but the charge of maintaining me, although I had a very scanty allowance, being too great for a narrow fortune, I was bound apprentice to Mr. James Bates, an eminent surgeon in London, with whom I continued four years. My father now and then sending me small sums of money, I laid them out in learning navigation, and other parts of the mathematics, useful to those who intend to travel, as I always believed it would be, some time or other, my fortune to do. When I left Mr. Bates, I went down to my father: where, by the assistance of him and my uncle John, and some other relations, I got forty pounds, and a promise of thirty pounds a year to maintain me at Leyden: there I studied physic two years and seven months, knowing it would be useful in long voyages[1]” (Part 1, Chapter 1, page 1) and so on.
He is shipwrecked, and swims for his life, gets safe on the shore in the country of Lilliput, is made a prisoner, and carried up the country (Gulliver’s Travels, 1997). “On the 5th of November, which was the beginning of summer in those parts, the weather being very hazy, the seamen spied a rock within half a cable’s length of the ship; but the wind was so strong, that we were driven directly upon it, and immediately split. Six of the crew, of whom I was one, having let down the boat into the sea, made a shift to get clear of the ship and the rock. We rowed, by my computation, about three leagues, till we were able to work no longer, being already spent with labour while we were in the ship. We therefore trusted ourselves to the mercy of the waves, and in about half an hour the boat was overset by a sudden flurry from the north[2].” (Chapter 1, page 5) this citation says that their ship was wrecked. ”For my own part, I swam as fortune directed me, and was pushed forward by wind and tide. I often let my legs drop, and could feel no bottom; but when I was almost gone, and able to struggle no longer, I found myself within my depth; and by this time the storm was much abated. The declivity was so small, that I walked near a mile before I got to the shore, which I conjectured was about eight o’clock in the evening.” (Part 1, Chapter 1, Page 5-6) this citation elaborates how he swam and gets to the shore of the country of Lilliput. “I lay down on the grass, which was very short and soft, where I slept sounder than ever I remembered to have done in my life, and, as I reckoned, about nine hours; for when I awaked, it was just day-light. I attempted to rise, but was not able to stir: for, as I happened to lie on my back, I found my arms and legs were strongly fastened on each side to the ground; and my hair, which was long and thick, tied down in the same manner. I likewise felt several slender ligatures across my body, from my arm-pits to my thighs. I could only look upwards; the sun began to grow hot, and the light offended my eyes. I heard a confused noise about me; but in the posture I lay, could see nothing except the sky. In a little time I felt something alive moving on my left leg, which advancing gently forward over my breast, came almost up to my chin; when, bending my eyes downwards as much as I could, I perceived it to be a human creature not six inches high, with a bow and arrow in his hands, and a quiver at his back. In the mean time, I felt at least forty more of the same kind (as I conjectured) following the first. I was in the utmost astonishment, and roared so loud, that they all ran back in a fright; and some of them, as I was afterwards told, were hurt with the falls they got by leaping from my sides upon the ground. However, they soon returned, and one of them, who ventured so far as to get a full sight of my face, lifting up his hands and eyes by way of admiration, cried out in a shrill but distinct voice, _Hekinah degul_: the others repeated the same words several times, but then I knew not what they meant.” (Part 1,Chapter 1, Page 6-7) This time, the citation proves that Gulliver was imprisoned by the Lilliputians.
The events that happened in the exposition led to its rising action - Gulliver is now exposed with other societies which eventually lead up to his rejection of human society in the fourth voyage. His first voyage was in the country of Lilliput. After the incident when their ship was wrecked and he swam and reached exhaustingly the shore then awakes on daylight, he was imprisoned by the Lilliputians – inhabitants of Lilliput. The Lilliputians are tiny race of people. “In a little time I felt something alive moving on my left leg, which advancing gently forward over my breast, came almost up to my chin; when, bending my eyes downwards as much as I could, I perceived it to be a human creature not six inches high, with a bow and arrow in his hands, and a quiver at his back (Part 1, Chapter 1, Page 6).” They are physically and morally smaller than Gulliver. They are pompous, self-centered, hypocrite, and unexpectedly dangerous and cruel in spite of their small size. Here is another citation as Gulliver narrates his first encounter with them: “At length, struggling to get loose, I had the fortune to break the strings, and wrench out the pegs that fastened my left arm to the ground; for, by lifting it up to my face, I discovered the methods they had taken to bind me, and at the same time with a violent pull, which gave me excessive pain, I a little loosened the strings that tied down my hair on the left side, so that I was just able to turn my head about two inches. But the creatures ran off a second time, before I could seize them; whereupon there was a great shout in a very shrill accent, and after it ceased I heard one of them cry aloud _Tolgo phonac_; when in an instant I felt above a hundred arrows discharged on my left hand, which, pricked me like so many needles; and besides, they shot another flight into the air, as we do bombs in Europe, whereof many, I suppose, fell on my body, (though I felt them not), and some on my face, which I immediately covered with my left hand. When this shower of arrows was over, I fell a groaning with grief and pain; and then striving again to get loose, they discharged another volley larger than the first, and some of them attempted with spears to stick me in the sides; but by good luck I had on a buff jerkin, which they could not pierce[3] (Part 1, Chapter 1, Page 7).” Though they are presumed bad people, they are somehow generous and hospitable when they fed and treated Gulliver orderly. “However he made other signs to let me understand that I should have meat and drink enough, and very good treatment (Part 1, Chapter 1, Page 11).” and “Upon this, the Hurgo and his train withdrew with much civility and cheerful countenances (Part 1, Chapter 1, Page 11).” The Emperor of Lilliput, attended by several of the nobility, comes to see the author in his confinement. The emperor’s person and habit described. Learned men appointed to teach the author their language. He gains favour by his mild disposition. His pockets are searched, and his sword and pistols taken from him (Part 1, Chapter 2). Gulliver also helped the Lilliputians to defend their country from the invaders, the Blesfuscian from the Empire of Blesfuscu (Part 1, Chapter 5). He received an award for his greatness: “This great prince received me at my landing with all possible encomiums, and created me a Nardac upon the spot, which is the highest title of honour among them (Part 1, Chapter 5, page 46).”
Gulliver learned the custom on how Lilliput operates as a country. “I shall say but little at present of their learning, which, for many ages, has flourished in all its branches among them: but their manner of writing is very peculiar, being neither from the left to the right, like the Europeans, nor from the right to the left, like the Arabians, nor from up to down, like the Chinese, but aslant, from one corner of the paper to the other, like ladies in England. They bury their dead with their heads directly downward, because they hold an opinion, that in eleven thousand moons they are all to rise again; in which period the earth (which they conceive to be flat) will turn upside down, and by this means they shall, at their resurrection, be found ready standing on their feet. The learned among them confess the absurdity of this doctrine; but the practice still continues, in compliance to the vulgar[4]. (Part 1, Chapter 6; page 52)” “They look upon fraud as a greater crime than theft, and therefore seldom fail to punish it with death; for they allege, that care and vigilance, with a very common understanding, may preserve a man’s goods from thieves, but honesty has no defence against superior cunning; and, since it is necessary that there should be a perpetual intercourse of buying and selling, and dealing upon credit, where fraud is permitted and connived at, or has no law to punish it, the honest dealer is always undone, and the knave gets the advantage (Part 1, Chapter 6, page 53).”
He was accused of high treason and got himself escaped to Blesfuscu. “When I was just preparing to pay my attendance on the emperor of Blefuscu, a considerable person at court (to whom I had been very serviceable, at a time when he lay under the highest displeasure of his imperial majesty) came to my house very privately at night, in a close chair, and, without sending his name, desired admittance. The chairmen were dismissed; I put the chair, with his lordship in it, into my coat-pocket: and, giving orders to a trusty servant, to say I was indisposed and gone to sleep, I fastened the door of my house, placed the chair on the table, according to my usual custom, and sat down by it. After the common salutations were over, observing his lordship’s countenance full of concern, and inquiring into the reason, he desired “I would hear him with patience, in a matter that highly concerned my honour and my life.” His speech was to the following effect, for I took notes of it as soon as he left me:— “You are to know,” said he, “that several committees of council have been lately called, in the most private manner, on your account; and it is but two days since his majesty came to a full resolution. “You are very sensible that Skyresh Bolgolam” (_galbet_, or high-admiral) “has been your mortal enemy, almost ever since your arrival. His original reasons I know not; but his hatred is increased since your great success against Blefuscu, by which his glory as admiral is much obscured. This lord, in conjunction with Flimnap the high-treasurer, whose enmity against you is notorious on account of his lady, Limtoc the general, Lalcon the chamberlain, and Balmuff the grand justiciary, have prepared articles of impeachment against you, for treason and other capital crimes[5]. (Part 1, Chapter 7, page 64)” Now he escaped and was warmly accepted in the Empire of Blesfuscu. “But hurried on by the precipitancy of youth, and having his imperial majesty’s license to pay my attendance upon the emperor of Blefuscu, I took this opportunity, before the three days were elapsed, to send a letter to my friend the secretary, signifying my resolution of setting out that morning for Blefuscu, pursuant to the leave I had got; and, without waiting for an answer, I went to that side of the island where our fleet lay. I seized a large man of war, tied a cable to the prow, and, lifting up the anchors, I stripped myself, put my clothes (together with my coverlet, which I carried under my arm) into the vessel, and, drawing it after me, between wading and swimming arrived at the royal port of Blefuscu, where the people had long expected me: they lent me two guides to direct me to the capital city, which is of the same name. I held them in my hands, till I came within two hundred yards of the gate, and desired them “to signify my arrival to one of the secretaries, and let him know, I there waited his majesty’s command.” I had an answer in about an hour, “that his majesty, attended by the royal family, and great officers of the court, was coming out to receive me.” I advanced a hundred yards. The emperor and his train alighted from their horses, the empress and ladies from their coaches, and I did not perceive they were in any fright or concern. I lay on the ground to kiss his majesty’s and the empress’s hands. I told his majesty, “that I was come according to my promise, and with the license of the emperor my master, to have the honour of seeing so mighty a monarch, and to offer him any service in my power, consistent with my duty to my own prince;” not mentioning a word of my disgrace, because I had hitherto no regular information of it, and might suppose myself wholly ignorant of any such design; neither could I reasonably conceive that the emperor would discover the secret, while I was out of his power; wherein, however, it soon appeared I was deceived (Part 1, Chapter 7, Page 71-72).”
Three days later he sees a normal size boat that can carry him back to his native land. It is a bit wrecked. He asks the emperor of Blesfuscu to help him fix it. At the same time, the emperor of Lilliput sends an envoy with the articles commanding Gulliver to give up his eyesight. The emperor of Blesfuscu sends back a message that states that Gulliver will be soon leaving both their kingdoms. After about a month, the boat is ready and Gulliver sets sail. He arrives safely back in England, where he makes a good profit showing miniature animals that he carried away from Blesfuscu in his pockets. “I stored the boat with the carcases of a hundred oxen, and three hundred sheep, with bread and drink proportionable, and as much meat ready dressed as four hundred cooks could provide. I took with me six cows and two bulls alive, with as many ewes and rams, intending to carry them into my own country, and propagate the breed. And to feed them on board, I had a good bundle of hay, and a bag of corn. I would gladly have taken a dozen of the natives, but this was a thing the emperor would by no means permit; and, besides a diligent search into my pockets, his majesty engaged my honour “not to carry away any of his subjects, although with their own consent and desire.” (Part 1,Chapter 8, Page 77)”.
Gulliver’s second voyage is to Brobdingnag. Two months later, Gulliver sets forth to Cape of Good Hope and Madagascar on a ship called Adventure. The ship arrives in an unknown land. He is walking back to the boat when he sees it has already left without him. He tries to chase it but suddenly he notices a giant is also at chase on it. He stops and runs away. Now, he is shocked that all the things he can see are a hundred times bigger than him. “I found it fully cultivated; but that which first surprised me was the length of the grass, which, in those grounds that seemed to be kept for hay, was about twenty feet high[6] (Part 2, Chapter 1, Page 87).”
Gulliver is found by a servant and gives it to his master. The master (farmer) and his servants observe him as he speaks as loudly as he can. “They all sat down in a circle about me, the better to observe my motions. I pulled off my hat, and made a low bow towards the farmer. I fell on my knees, and lifted up my hands and eyes, and spoke several words as loud as I could: I took a purse of gold out of my pocket, and humbly presented it to him (Part 2, Chapter 1, Page 90).”
He was also acquainted with the farmer’s wife and children. He was taken good care of the family. “The wife minced a bit of meat, then crumbled some bread on a trencher, and placed it before me. I made her a low bow, took out my knife and fork, and fell to eat, which gave them exceeding delight. (Part 2, Chapter 1, Page 91)” After dinner, the farmer’s wife lets Gulliver nap in her own bed. When he wakes up he finds two rats attacking him. “While I was under these circumstances, two rats crept up the curtains, and ran smelling backwards and forwards on the bed. One of them came up almost to my face, whereupon I rose in a fright, and drew out my hanger to defend myself (Part 2, Chapter 1, Page, 95-96).”
Gulliver meets the daughter of the farmer, Glumdalmitch who he calls nursemaid. She has a doll’s cradle that becomes Gulliver’s permanent bed. “Her mother and she contrived to fit up the baby’s cradle for me against night: the cradle was put into a small drawer of a cabinet, and the drawer placed upon a hanging shelf for fear of the rats (Part 2, Chapter 2, Page 98).” She becomes Gulliver’s caretaker and guardian, sewing clothes for him and teaching him the giant’s language. “She made me seven shirts, and some other linen, of as fine cloth as could be got, which indeed was coarser than sackcloth; and these she constantly washed for me with her own hands. She was likewise my school-mistress, to teach me the language: when I pointed to any thing, she told me the name of it in her own tongue, so that in a few days I was able to call for whatever I had a mind to (Part 2, Chapter 2, Page 98).”
The farmer begins to talk about Gulliver in town, and a friend of the farmer comes to see him. The friend advises the farmer to take him to the market too display him. Gulliver is taken to the town. There, he is placed on a table while Glumdalmitch sits down on a stool beside him, with thirty people at a time walking through as he performs tricks. “I took up a thimble filled with liquor, which Glumdalclitch had given me for a cup, and drank their health, I drew out my hanger, and flourished with it after the manner of fencers in England. My nurse gave me a part of a straw, which I exercised as a pike, having learnt the art in my youth (Part 2, Chapter 2, Page 102).” When they come home, he is also shown in the people who come along. Gulliver grew exhausted.
Then the three arrive in the largest city, Lorbrulgrud, and the farmer rents a room with a table for displaying Gulliver. By now, Gulliver can understand their language and speak it fairly well. “I could now speak the language tolerably well, and perfectly understood every word, that was spoken to me. Besides, I had learnt their alphabet, and could make a shift to explain a sentence here and there; for Glumdalclitch had been my instructor while we were at home, and at leisure hours during our journey (Part 2, Chapter 2, Page 104).” He is shown ten times a day and pleases the visitors greatly.
The strain of travelling and performing tricks takes its toll on Gulliver. He begins to grow very thin. “The frequent labours I underwent every day, made, in a few weeks, a very considerable change in my health: the more my master got by me, the more insatiable he grew. I had quite lost my stomach, and was almost reduced to a skeleton (Part 2, Chapter 3, Page 105).” The farmer resolves to make much money as possible before Gulliver dies. “The farmer observed it, and concluding I must soon die, resolved to make as good a hand of me as he could (Part 2, Chapter 3, Page 105).”
Meanwhile, an order comes from the queen from the court, commanding the farmer to bring Gulliver to the queen for her entertainment. “While he was thus reasoning and resolving with himself, a _sardral_, or gentleman-usher, came from court, commanding my master to carry me immediately thither for the diversion of the queen and her ladies (Part 3, Chapter 3, Page 105).”
The queen is delighted and buys Gulliver from the farmer for 1,000 gold pieces. Gulliver requests Glumdalclitch to be allowed to live in the palace as his nursemaid. The queen grows accustomed to his company, finding him very entertaining at dinner, especially when he cuts and eats his meat. “The queen became so fond of my company, that she could not dine without me. I had a table placed upon the same at which her majesty ate, just at her left elbow, and a chair to sit on (Part 2, Chapter 3, Page 111).” The king converses with Gulliver on the issues of politics, and laughs at his descriptions of the goings-on in Europe. “This prince took a pleasure in conversing with me, inquiring into the manners, religion, laws, government, and learning of Europe; wherein I gave him the best account I was able. His apprehension was so clear, and his judgment so exact, that he made very wise reflections and observations upon all I said (Part 2, Chapter 3, Page 112.”
The queen’s dwarf is insecure at Gulliver. He does some awful things to Gulliver and later be punished. “One day, at dinner, this malicious little cub was so nettled with something I had said to him, that, raising himself upon the frame of her majesty’s chair, he took me up by the middle, as I was sitting down, not thinking any harm, and let me drop into a large silver bowl of cream, and then ran away as fast as he could[7] (Part 2, Chapter 3, Page 114).”
Gulliver describes the geography of Brobdingnag and its largest temple. “The kingdom is a peninsula, terminated to the north-east by a ridge of mountains thirty miles high, which are altogether impassable, by reason of the volcanoes upon the tops: neither do the most learned know what sort of mortals inhabit beyond those mountains, or whether they be inhabited at all (Part 2, Chapter 4, Page 118).” “I was very desirous to see the chief temple, and particularly the tower belonging to it, which is reckoned the highest in the kingdom (Part 2, Chapter 4, Page 121).”
Gulliver with his nursemaid is frequently invited to the apartments of the ladies of the court. They enjoy stripping his clothes and as well as theirs. He is appalled of the strong scent of the ladies and finds their skin very ugly. “They would often strip me naked from top to toe, and lay me at full length in their bosoms; wherewith I was much disgusted because, to say the truth, a very offensive smell came from their skins; which I do not mention, or intend, to the disadvantage of those excellent ladies, for whom I have all manner of respect; but I conceive that my sense was more acute in proportion to my littleness, and that those illustrious persons were no more disagreeable to their lovers, or to each other, than people of the same quality are with us in England (Part 2, Chapter 5, Page 127).”
The queen orders a special boat for Gulliver. It is placed in a cistern, and he rows in it for his own enjoyment and for the amusement of the queen and her court. “Here I often used to row for my own diversion, as well as that of the queen and her ladies, who thought themselves well entertained with my skill and agility (Part 2, Chapter 5, Page 129).”
Another danger is when Gulliver is taken by a monkey up in a ladder, holding him like a baby and force-feeding him. “The poor girl was almost distracted: that quarter of the palace was all in an uproar; the servants ran for ladders; the monkey was seen by hundreds in the court, sitting upon the ridge of a building, holding me like a baby in one of his forepaws, and feeding me with the other, by cramming into my mouth some victuals he had squeezed out of the bag on one side of his chaps, and patting me when I would not eat; whereat many of the rabble below could not forbear laughing; neither do I think they justly ought to be blamed, for, without question, the sight was ridiculous enough to every body but myself (Part 2, Chapter 5, Page 131).”
Gulliver finds the king narrow-minded for not being open to the inventions of his world. “A strange effect of narrow principles and views! that a prince possessed of every quality which procures veneration, love, and esteem; of strong parts, great wisdom, and profound learning, endowed with admirable talents, and almost adored by his subjects, should, from a nice, unnecessary scruple, whereof in Europe we can have no conception, let slip an opportunity put into his hands that would have made him absolute master of the lives, the liberties, and the fortunes of his people! (Part 2, Chapter 7, Page 148)” He also finds that the people of Brobdingnag are poorly educated.
Gulliver want to recover his freedom. He has been in Brobdingnag for two years and wants to be among his own kind again. “I had always a strong impulse that I should some time recover my liberty, though it was impossible to conjecture by what means, or to form any project with the least hope of succeeding (Part 2, Chapter 8, Page 153).” They went to south coast. Gulliver asks to be left to sleep in his hammock out to the shore. An eagle grabs his hammock. Then, he begins to recover on the ship. He realizes that he is speaking to people of his own size. “Some of them, upon hearing me talk so wildly, thought I was mad: others laughed; for indeed it never came into my head, that I was now got among people of my own stature and strength (Part 2, Chapter 8, Page 159).” He comes home in England[8].
His third voyage is to the lands of Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdrib, Luggnagg and Japan. Gulliver sets again to the sea after staying only ten days in England. He is aboard on the ship named Hope-well. On the voyage, pirates attack the ship. He is punished by a Dutchman after he tells that a heathen is more merciful than in a christian. The Dutchman grows angry and punishes him out to the sea in a small boat with only four days’ worth of food. “I got down into the canoe, while the Dutchman, standing upon the deck, loaded me with all the curses and injurious terms his language could afford (Part 3, Chapter 1, Page 171-172).” Gulliver finds some islands and goes ashore on one of them. He notices something strange in the sun. it is mysteriously obscured for some time. He then sees a landmass dropping down from the sky and notice that it is crawling with people. He is baffled by this floating island and shouts out to its inhabitants. Hence, they lower the island and send down pulleys by which he is drawn up. “They made signs for me to come down from the rock, and go towards the shore, which I accordingly did; and the flying island being raised to a convenient height, the verge directly over me, a chain was let down from the lowest gallery, with a seat fastened to the bottom, to which I fixed myself, and was drawn up by pulleys (Part 3, Chapter 1, Page 175).”
The island exactly 10,000 acres of land and the people are all quite odd. “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. Their outward garments were adorned with the figures of suns, moons, and stars; interwoven with those of fiddles, flutes, harps, trumpets, guitars, harpsichords, and many other instruments of music, unknown to us in Europe (Part 3, Chapter 2, Page 176).” “The flying or floating island is exactly circular, its diameter 7837 yards, or about four miles and a half, and consequently contains ten thousand acres. It is three hundred yards thick[9] (Part 3, Chapter, 3, Page 186)
Gulliver finds out the kings method of suppressing insurrection. “If any town should engage in rebellion or mutiny, fall into violent factions, or refuse to pay the usual tribute, the king has two methods of reducing them to obedience. The first and the mildest course is, by keeping the island hovering over such a town, and the lands about it, whereby he can deprive them of the benefit of the sun and the rain, and consequently afflict the inhabitants with dearth and diseases: and if the crime deserve it, they are at the same time pelted from above with great stones, against which they have no defence but by creeping into cellars or caves, while the roofs of their houses are beaten to pieces. But if they still continue obstinate, or offer to raise insurrections, he proceeds to the last remedy, by letting the island drop directly upon their heads, which makes a universal destruction both of houses and men[10] (Part 3, Chapter 3, Page 190-191).” But these measures failed to work. The rebellious inhabitants had stored provisions of food in advance. By this, the king gives in the town’s demand.
Gulliver feels bored in Laputa since inhabitants there seem interested only in mathematics and music and are far more superior to him in their knowledge. But instead, he visits the grand academy of Lagado and meets a man engaged in a project to extract sunbeams from cucumbers. “He has been eight years upon a project for extracting sunbeams out of cucumbers, which were to be put in phials hermetically sealed, and let out to warm the air in raw inclement summers (Part 3, Chapter 5, Page 202).”
He then visits professors who are studying issues of government, then yearns to go back to England. “I saw nothing in this country that could invite me to a longer continuance, and began to think of returning home to England (Part 3, Chapter 6, Page 217).”
Gulliver leaves Lagado and travels to Maldonada in search for a ship bound for Luggnagg. He is advised to take a short trip to Glubbdubdrib, the island of magicians. “A gentleman of distinction said to me, “that since the ships bound for Luggnagg could not be ready in less than a month, it might be no disagreeable amusement for me to take a trip to the little island of Glubbdubdrib, about five leagues off to the south-west.” (Part 3, Chapter 7, Page 218).” He meets the land’s governor who has the power to call up any spirit he would like. He requests Aristotle, Hannibal, Rene Descartes and etc...
Gulliver returns to Luggnagg and the Luggnaggians tell him about certain immortal people called Struldbrugs. “One day, in much good company, I was asked by a person of quality, “whether I had seen any of their _struldbrugs_, or immortals?” I said, “I had not;” and desired he would explain to me “what he meant by such an appellation, applied to a mortal creature.” (Part 3, Chapter 10, Page 234)” He meets some of these people and finds them to be unhappy and unpleasant, and he regrets ever wishing for their estate. “I grew heartily ashamed of the pleasing visions I had formed; and thought no tyrant could invent a death into which I would not run with pleasure, from such a life (Part 3, Chapter 10, Page 243).”
Gulliver is finally leaves Luggnagg, after refusing employment there. He arrives safely in Japan. From there, he returns in a Dutch ship by pretending a man from Holland; and sails to Amsterdam and then England. “I went straight to Redriff, where I arrived the same day at two in the afternoon, and found my wife and family in good health. (Part 3, Chapter 11, Page248)”
In his fourth voyage, to the country of Houyhnhnms, exists the climax when he rejects human society specifically when he shuns the generous Don Pedro as a vulgar Yahoo. He sails again. Now as a captain of a ship called Adventure. While on the voyage, his men conspire against him. Gulliver is left in an unknown shore. In a distance he sees an extremely ugly creature which he encounters and hits it with his sword. “Their heads and breasts were covered with a thick hair, some frizzled, and others lank; they had beards like goats, and a long ridge of hair down their backs, and the fore parts of their legs and feet; but the rest of their bodies was bare, so that I might see their skins, which were of a brown buff colour (Part 4, Chapter 1, Page 254).” Suddenly, a herd of that creature attacks Gulliver and attempts to defecate on him. A horse saves him from his attackers and another horse followed. The horses appear to be so intelligent.
Gulliver is led to a house and the horses give him large amount of milk to drink. The horses take great pleasure on teaching Gulliver to pronounce words of their language. He is given a place to sleep. And after three months, he can somehow understand and say the language. The Houyhnhnms is impressed. Now, he discusses with them topics that are related to the state of humanity in Europe, English Revolution, law and the justice system, different occupations, money, different kinds of food eaten in Europe and etc… Gulliver develops love for the Houyhnhnms that he no longer desires to return to humankind. “I had not yet been a year in this country before I contracted such a love and veneration for the inhabitants, that I entered on a firm resolution never to return to humankind, but to pass the rest of my life among these admirable _Houyhnhnms_, in the contemplation and practice of every virtue, where I could have no example or incitement to vice (Part 4, Chapter 7, Page 297).” He also makes new clothes for himself and settles into the life with the Houyhnhnms quite easily. He begins to think of his friends and family back home as Yahoos. “When I thought of my family, my friends, my countrymen, or the human race in general, I considered them, as they really were, _Yahoos_ in shape and disposition, perhaps a little more civilized, and qualified with the gift of speech; but making no other use of reason, than to improve and multiply those vices whereof their brethren in this country had only the share that nature allotted them[11] (Part 4, Chapter 10, Page 322).” However, he is called by his master and told that others have taken offense at his being kept in the house as a Houyhnhnhms. The master has no choice but to ask Gulliver to leave. Gulliver is grief-stricken as he has to leave[12]. He fashions a canoe and departs sadly. He makes his way to a nearby island. “My design was, if possible, to discover some small island uninhabited, yet sufficient, by my labour, to furnish me with the necessaries of life, which I would have thought a greater happiness, than to be first minister in the politest court of Europe; so horrible was the idea I conceived of returning to live in the society, and under the government of _Yahoos_. For in such a solitude as I desired, I could at least enjoy my own thoughts, and reflect with delight on the virtues of those inimitable _Houyhnhnms_, without an opportunity of degenerating into the vices and corruptions of my own species (Part 4, Chapter 11, Page 328-329).” The seamen, including Don Pedro de Mendez, discover him after landing near his hiding place. Don Pedro treats him hospitably, offering him everything he needs but Gulliver only sees him as a Yahoo and it thus repulsed him.
The denouement is his unhappy return to England accentuates his alienation and compels him to buy horses, which remind him of Houyhnhnmns to keep him company. He returns to his family which has been convinced that he is dead. For a year he cannot stand to be near them. Then he buys horses. “The first money I laid out was to buy two young stone-horses, which I keep in a good stable; and next to them, the groom is my greatest favourite, for I feel my spirits revived by the smell he contracts in the stable. My horses understand me tolerably well; I converse with them at least four hours every day. They are strangers to bridle or saddle; they live in great amity with me and friendship to each other (Part 4, Chapter 11, Page 337).”
As a conclusion, Gulliver concludes his narrative by acknowledging that the law requires him to report his findings to the government but that he can see no military advantage in attacking any of the locations he discovered. Moreover, he particularly wishes to protect the Houyhnhnms. “Having thus answered the only objection that can ever be raised against me as a traveller, I here take a final leave of all my courteous readers, and return to enjoy my own speculations in my little garden at Redriff; to apply those excellent lessons of virtue which I learned among the _Houyhnhnms_; to instruct the _Yahoos_ of my own family, is far as I shall find them docible animals; to behold my figure often in a glass, and thus, if possible, habituate myself by time to tolerate the sight of a human creature; to lament the brutality to _Houyhnhnms_ in my own country, but always treat their persons with respect, for the sake of my noble master, his family, his friends, and the whole _Houyhnhnm_ race, whom these of ours have the honour to resemble in all their lineaments, however their intellectuals came to degenerate (Part 4, Chapter 11, Page 343-344).”
The characterization of the main character, Lemuel Gulliver according to function he is the protagonist in the story – the story revolves around him; and he is as well the narrator of it. According to development he is round or dynamic character because his attitude towards humankind changed in the end of the story.
It is hard to deal with a kind of character like Gulliver. He is not steady; he changes in relation to the places he visits and the events that befall him as he voyages. Looking at Gulliver is a lot like looking in a mirror. The readers are by turns fascinated, attracted, disgusted, and ashamed.
Methods of characterization: by personal speech and action, he is an educated person. “He sent me to Emanuel College in Cambridge at fourteen years old, where I resided three years, and applied myself close to my studies; but the charge of maintaining me, although I had a very scanty allowance, being too great for a narrow fortune, I was bound apprentice to Mr. James Bates, an eminent surgeon in London, with whom I continued four years (Part 1, Chapter 1, Page 1).”; he is solid, decent, and responsible – this traits is shown in Chapter 2; Gulliver represents a man who under repeated attacks on his ego and self-image succumbs to pettiness and vindictiveness characteristic of the Lilliputians – this is observed in Part 2; he goes mad – this is seen on Part 4.
By character’s name. His name suggests that he is gullible. Citations of this trait of him are observed in the story. For example, in Part 1 when he misses the obvious ways in which the Lilliputians exploit him. He also seemed to make some great anthropological escapades and adventures but gives nothing in reaction of these.
The specific features of the language and style of the author, Jonathan Swift uses of satire, allegory and irony. The tense is past. Its diction is formal. The syntax is compound-complex sentences. There are some dialogues presented in the story.
Satire consists of a mocking attack against vices, stupidities, and follies, with an aim to educate, edify, improve. It is a complicated affair. When he's using Gulliver to satirize the Lilliputians, for example, Swift is satirizing Gulliver. And then Swift satirizes the reader by creating a great tension between what is and what appears to be. Swift also satirizes himself through Gulliver. Gulliver ranting that mankind is beyond improvement is Swift flagellating himself for even trying. Yet, of course, there's tension here, too, for Swift has written the book. The tension within Swift is communicated directly to us, for if he fails as a satirist, it's because we've failed as human beings. But Swift satirizes because overriding he cares, and thinks we, and his efforts, are worth it. Swift also Swift also satirizes travel books in Gulliver's Travels. It is true to its form. The novel is written in the form of a travel book. Swift chose this device because travel tends to change our perspective on the world around us. What may seem strange at the start of a trip may well seem ordinary by the end, or strange in other ways, for different reasons. As Gulliver voyages and we voyage with him, his (and our) viewpoint changes according to the place(s) in which he finds himself and the things that happen to him there. Through Gulliver, Jonathan Swift travels to four different foreign countries, each representing a corrupt part of England. Swift criticizes the corruption of these parts, and focuses on the government, society, science, religion, and man. Not only does swift criticize the customs of each country, he mocks the naive man who has the inability to figure out the double meaning of things. Gulliver, being gullible himself, believes everything he is told, which symbolizes the irony of the English system.
Allegory is one of Swift's most important satirical tools. Allegory is a device in which characters, situations, and places have a significance that goes beyond simply what they are in themselves. Allegory, like satire, is used to teach. For example, the Yahoos are an allegory for a part of man's nature.
Swift also used irony - when the intended meaning of a statement or an action is opposite to that which is presented. For example, when Gulliver says he saw no mercy in the Lilliputian decision to blind him. Gulliver was actually looking for the mercy here, and, of course, there was none to be found. It is also ironic that the Brobdingnagians appear gross, but are filled with beauty.
Indeed, Gulliver’s Travels is made by Jonathan Swift with wit and cleverness so that his readers may think twice and beyond the meaning of every incident or word. He intends to criticize as he satirizes the whole system of England as when the time was in line to the foul. He mocks his readers that is naïve and believes in all he narrates. Readers say it is a confusing story due to its deep meanings. Hence, it is remarked beautiful and interesting.
