Gulliver's Travels. Review on Gulliver's Travels - Jonathan Swift

Gulliver's Travels is perhaps one of the most read books ever written by an author. At first glance, it appears to be a simple tale of travel to exotic lands. It is the tale of Lemuel Gulliver as he voyages to the strange lands of the Lilliput, the Brobdingnag, the kingdom of Laputa, and the land of the Houyhnhnms. I first read the book when I was in school and was fascinated by the descriptions of the six inch tall inhabitants of the Liliput Island, the giants of Brobdingag, the flying Island of Laputa and its neighbouring countries Balnibarbi, Luggnagg etc, and the land of the Houyhnhnms, where the wise horses have enslaved a kind of degenerated human species called Yahoos.

We had to read the book during our MA again and it proved to be a different kettle of fish. I enjoyed reading the details again but was amazed at the variety of settings and marveled at Swift's style, composed chiefly of satire, allegory, and irony.

If read carefully, this is one of the most complicated books you will ever come across. Swiftian satire is indeed a complicated affair. No body is spared from that. At one moment you find Swift using Gulliver to satirize the Lilliputians and not before long Gulliver himself is satirized. What is intoxicating is the fact that you as the reader are not spared as well. This is no book where you can relax and think of the follies and stupidities of the characters involved. You are forced to answer the question rising strongly from the story, ''What do you really think, beneath your nice appearance, polite ways, and evidence of intelligence?'' It is quite difficult not to fall in Swift's trap and that is where the real beauty of the book lies.

The book opens with Gulliver visiting the land of the Liliputs. Gulliver compared to the six inch tall residents of the island is a ''man - mountain''. This section of the novel (Part I) is essentially an allegory of English politics in the early eighteenth century when the Whigs and Tories were fighting bitterly for control of the country. Gulliver gets involved in the politics and the liliputs plan to use him in their war against Blefuscu (Lilliput represents England, Blefuscu, France). Gulliver becomes a hero by helping the Liliputs win the battle. Trouble is round the corner though and when he urinates onto a fire raging in the palace and thereby saves the royal chambers, he is impeached for disobeying an ordinance prohibiting public urination. This coupled with a few more incidents lands Gulliver in the bad books and he is forced to flee; first to Blefuscu and then to his native England.

The second part of the book happens in the in the land of Brobdingnag. The tables are turned this time and Gulliver himself becomes a Liliput in front of the giant Brobdingnagians. He is ridiculed for his size continuously and represents a man who loses control and succumbs to pettiness and vindictiveness characteristic of the Lilliputians facing constant humiliation on his ego and self-image.

Compared to the first two sections of the book, part 3 & 4 are rather weak. Part 3 introduces us to the flying island of Laputa and some of its colonies nearby. The people of Laputa have one eye turned inward and one eye turned up to the sky- they're thinking always of their own speculations (inward) and of lofty issues in mathematics, astronomy and music (upward). They are so obsessed with these that they have lost touch with day to day matters of life.

Part 4 and the last section sees Gulliver in the land of the Houyhnhnms. The Houyhnhnms are horses governed totally by reason and logic. They have managed to create a society which is peaceful, orderly and the only glitch are the Yahoos. The Yahoos are humans but are beastly in nature and are kept in a kennel and are cut of from the lives of the Houyhnhnms. Gulliver initially tries to identify himself with the Houyhnhnms but fails to do so. He then tries to be one of the Yahoos but fails again. He slowly loses control and becomes insane.

Swift is at his brilliant best in the first two parts of the book. Gulliver is unpredictable and appears to be a decent and responsible in the first part when he tries to avoid the war, refuses to crush the rivals of the Liliputs etc. But the reader is jolted from his approving nods at the principal character when he looks miserable and petty in part two of the book. Swift is an author who believes in different shades of grey. His allegories are never in black or white. The Liliputians are vindictive but they do possess some good qualities - they are clever. The Houyhnhnms in spite of their virtues do have some drawbacks. Swift's satire is developed to intrigue you, to ensure that you remain an independent reader, the characters are meant to stimulate you, not to lead you.

Through the book Swift tries to highlight a few themes:

Human Nature is petty at times but it can be magnanimous and just at the same time;

Man is somewhere between pettiness and magnanimity;

The sin of pride is most dangerous etc.

It raises questions like:

What are the values and limits of reason?

What is good government? Etc.

All in all, Gulliver's Travels is a book that is thought provoking even in the 21st century. I am sure most of you have already read the book but in case you haven't do read it.

Cheers.