Jonathan Swift
(30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745),
born in Dublin, is one of the most well known satirist, essayist, and political pamphleteer of the eighteenth century England. He studied at Kilkenny College and graduated from the Trinity College, Dublin.He began his career by working as a diplomat and writer to William Temple at Moor Park. From 1696 to 1699, Swift came up with his two major works, A Tale of a Tub and The Battle of the Books. He also wrote several essays, poetry and pamphlets.Published in 1726, Gulliver’s Travels is a satire.
In this book, Swift satirises politics and human nature of the people in the English society in the eighteenth century. His work is a classic and still remains the most widely discussed work of his times.At its first reading, Gulliver’s Travels may seem to be a simple travelogue amalgamated with fantastical events, but itis an acute satire on the lust of power of the English to acquire unknown lands. Set in the 1700s, it attacks the politics, religion, morality and human nature of the English.
It presents a parody of travel tales and satirises human nature and colonialism with its witty use of slapstick and humour.In the novel, Gulliver is a learned surgeon who gives an account of his travelling experiences in the course of his four voyages. In Lilliput, he meets miniature beings who are politically active; in Brobdingnag, he meets the boorish giants in front of whom he himself feels a Lilliputian; then,
he visits Laputians who are too deeply engrossed in science and mathematics; and finally, he meets the Houyhnhnms who seem to be the most virtuous race of rational beings on the earth. Swift uses these imaginary places and their inhabitants to highlight the shortcomings of his own country.
Reading this book is like enjoying a roller coaster ride that not only excites the youngsters with its adventures but also interests the adults with its camouflaged insight into the defects of the eighteenth century England.Lemuel Gulliver, a learned surgeon, decides to go for sea voyages to the remote islands of the world, as he is keen to explore the world.During his first voyage,
Gulliver is shipwrecked because of a storm but manages to swim safely to Lilliput.
While sleeping, Gulliver is held captive by about six inches tall inhabitants of the island. Dueto his large size, Gulliver is initially perceived to be a threat. Later on, he is considered to be a harmless creature but agreat expense on the kingdom.
After getting a brief summary of their historical events, Gulliver decides to assist them in their battle against their rival state, Blefuscu. He stops the battle by bringing the enemy fleets to the kingdom. For this, he is honoured with the title of a ‘Nardac’ by the king. Flimnap and Skyresh Bolgolam,officials of the court, envy his success and conspire against him. They bring out four articles of impeachment against him.
iTheseare extinguishing the fire at the queen’s palace in a disgraceful manner, refusing to obey the king’s order to enslave the Blefuscudians, maintaining good behaviourwith the delegates of the enemy and planning a visit to Blefuscu, their enemy. Therefore, an order is passed to blind him before starving him to death. Fortunately, Gulliver is warned against the charges beforehand and he escapes to Blefuscu. The emperor of Blefuscu welcomes him warmly. In Blefuscu, he finds a broken boat, which he repairs, and sails back to England.Within two months of his return, Gulliver departs for another voyage. During the voyage, their ship gets drifted by a storm. Some of the crew members get down at the shore of a deserted island to find drinking water. Unfortunately, Gulliver is left alone on this island of giants. In Brobdingnag, he is taken to a farmer homeand is left in the care of his nine years old daughter, Glumdalclitch. The farmer earns a good fortune by making him perform at various places. Consequently, Gulliver’s health starts deteriorating and the farmer sells him to the queen. Though the king andthe queen treat him with respect and fondness, Gulliver faces several misfortunes threatening his life. One day, his box apartment, in which he was carried by Glumdalclitch, is picked by an eagle and dropped into the sea. Finally, he is rescued by an English ship.Again, his thirst of seeing the world takes Gulliver on a new voyage. In this voyage, his sloop is attacked by the pirates. Gulliveris punished by being left in the sea in a small boat with scanty provisions. He reaches a group of islands. On fifth day, he reaches an island where he finds a land mass floating in the air. He is pulled up to the island by chains. He finds the inhabitants busy in their own thoughts and interested in only mathematics and music. Hence, he decides to visit Balnibarbi, where he is hospitably received by Lord Munodi. Gulliver observes that Lord Munodi’s estate is greener and more systematically built than the other part of the country as it follows the ancient methods of agriculture and construction.Further, he visits the ‘academyof projectors’ in Lagado where the scientists are busy in their researches and the teachers are involved in speculative learning. Then, he visits Glubdubbdrib where he gets a chance to communicate with the world’s great philosophers and tyrants who died several years ago. Finally,he travels to Luggnagg. The king makes arrangements for his departure to Japan from where he boards a ship back to England.In his final voyage, Gulliver takes up the post of the captain of the ship.
As most of his crewmen die because of sea sickness, he hires men from various islands who turnout to be rogues. Consequently, they leave Gulliver on a marooned island. On this island, Gulliver finds a race horses, called Houyhnhnms, governing the island with intelligence. They are being served by a race of wild human-like creatures called Yahoos.
Gulliver realises that the Houyhnhnms are the most virtuous race ontheearth, whereas the humans were full of vices. Therefore, he decides to live in the company of the Houyhnhnms forever. But, Gulliver is forced to leave the Houyhnhnmland. He decides to shun human company and live the rest of his lifeon a secluded island. But, the crew of a Portuguese ship, in command of Pedro de Mendez, discovers him and takes him to Lisbon. Gulliver rejects humans as he feels disgusted by their vices and the offensive odour of their bodies. Yet, the captain treats him hospitably and makes arrangements for his return to England. Gulliver reaches back home safely but maintains distance from his family members and spends most of the time in a stable with a pair of horses whom he treatsas companions and converses well with. Only after about five years, he start comingto terms with the mankind.PART I. A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT· Gulliver gives a brief account of his early life and his studies.· At London, he works as an apprentice to Mr. Bates. Then, he goes to Leyden to study medicine.· On Mr. Bates’ recommendation, he worksas a surgeon at the Swallow.· After returning, Gulliver marries Mary Burton.· He sets sail on the Antelope from Bristol on May 4, 1699 with Captain William Prichard.·
Gulliver is shipwrecked because of a storm. He manages to swim safely to an unfamiliar island called Lilliput.· While sleeping, he is held captive by about six inch tall inhabitants of Lilliput.· Initially, he is seen as a threat by the Lilliputians. Gradually, they accept him as their ally. He helps them in their fight against Blefuscu and receives the title of ‘Nardac’ (the highest honour) for capturing the enemy fleets.· Flimnap and Skyresh Bolgolam plan a conspiracy against Gulliver. Four articles of impeachment are drawn against him.· Gulliver is secretly informed about his trial and punishments. He escapes to the island of Blefuscu.· Gulliver finds a boat floating in the sea. He repairs it and sets off to England.·
He is taken on board an English ship. He reaches England on April 13, 1702.· Gulliver earns a lot of wealth by selling the Lilliputian miniatures and shifts to a bigger house in Redriff.PART- II. A VOYAGE TO BROBDINGNAG· He sets off for his second voyage on the Adventure on June 20, 1702.· The ship encounters a storm. Some of thecrew men get down a strange island in search of water. But they escape at the sight of a giant, leaving Gulliver alone on the island called Brobdingnag.· Gulliver is seized by a giant and is carriedto his master. The master, a farmer, takes him to his home. Glumdalclitch, the farmer’s nine-year-old daughter, takes careof him.· Gulliver is made to perform in front of hisguests, in the market places and at the distant towns. The farmer earns great fortune. Slowly, Gulliver’s health starts deteriorating.· After a performance at the court, Gulliveris sold to the queen.·
Gulliver gets mistreated at the hands of the jealous dwarf who is punished for his mischief. He is also threatened by a monkey, flies and wasps.· He attempts to win the loyalty of the king and the queen by various means. The king refuses his proposal of revealing the secretof gun powder.· After various discourses with Gulliver about England, the king regards the English as a race of odious people.· Gulliver desires his liberty. An eagle lifts the box in which he lay and drops it in the sea.· Gulliver is rescued by the English crewmen. He reaches England on June 3, 1706.PART III. A VOYAGE TO LAPUTA, BALNIBARBI, LUGGNAGG, GLUBBDUBRIB, AND JAPAN · Gulliver sets sail to East Indies on August 5, 1706.· His sloop is captured by pirates. Gulliver is left alone in the sea in a small boat with scanty provisions. He goes to find refuge in a group of island.· Gulliver finds the island of Laputa, floating in the air and is taken onto it.· He finds the Laputians to be strange beings. They show interest only in the knowledge of mathematics and music.· Soon, Gulliver visits Balnibarbi where he is hospitably received by Lord Munodi.· Gulliver observes that the city, which follows new methods of agriculture and construction and, is in ruins, whereas Munodi’s estate, which still follows the ancient methods, is green and systematically built.· Gulliver leaves Lagado, the metropolis, after making many visits to the Academy ofLagado.·
He visits Glubbdubdrib where he gets a chance to converse with the dead philosophers and tyrants of the world by the magical powers of its governor.· Gulliver arrives at Luggnagg and stays at an apartment in the palace of the king.· Gulliver is told about the immortal beingsstruldbrugs. He learns about the disadvantages of immortality.· Gulliver wishes to leave. The king arranges for his journey to England with a Dutch crew.· He reaches England on April 16, 1710 and goes straight to his house in Redriff.PART IV. A VOYAGE TO THE COUNTRY OF THE HOUYHNHNMS· On September 7, 1710, Gulliver sets sail as the Captain of the Adventurer.· Many of his crew members die due to illness. He hires more crew members who conspire against him. They leave him on a deserted island, the land of the Houyhnhnms.· Gulliver is attacked by a group of abominable wild beast called Yahoos. He issaved by a Houyhnhnm, a horse, who takes him to his house. He stays with the family.· The Houyhnhnms are virtuous beings, with their actions guided by reason. After a careful examination of Gulliver’s behaviour, they consider him a rational being.· Gradually, Gulliver develops a great admiration for the Houyhnhnms and an equal disgust for his country men who are full of vices.· Gulliver has several discourses with his master Houyhnhnm. He decides to stay in the company of the Houyhnhnms forever.· Later, his master is forced to excommunicate Gulliver as he is a Yahoo.· Gulliver leaves the country. He shuns the company of human beings and decides to live in seclusion on an island.· He is found by the crew of Captain Pedro de Mendez’s ship and is taken to Lisbon.· The Captain arranges for his journey to Europe. Gulliver reaches home safely, but discards the company of his family members.· After five years, he is able to reconcile with the natural vices of human beings.
ThNks for ReaDiNG.. BY SUmIT BhADRa
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