"Gullivers Travels"

Book Review # 117773

English > Analysis
Literature > English

"Gullivers Travels"

An examination of Jonathan Swifts statements on the nature of man and society in his story, "Gullivers Travels".

2,240 words () | 1 source | MLA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how Jonathan Swift's "Gullivers Travels" is a blatant statement of Swift's views of the society he lived in as well as the nature of man in general. His views on both are as relevant today as they were when the story was written in the early 18th century, as neither has changed in that time. Through an examination of Gulliver's different encounters with different societies, the paper looks at how Swift's use of satire, an unreliable narrator, symbolism, perspective, and anthropomorphism, effectively conveys his personal feelings of the human being and the society he lives in, as one that needs much improvement, and even evokes a sense of self hatred of his own humanity.

From the Paper:

"The story tells the tale of Lemuel Gulliver, from his point of view, and of his travels around the world encountering fictional beings that represent different aspects of man and society. He is an unreliable narrator though, as his character is often oblivious to the points and issues Swift brings into light. Gulliver is an educated man, a ship's surgeon, and is portrayed as a relatively good example of a typical British man. From the beginning of the story his disenchantment of man is obvious. He writes a letter to his cousin condemning those who have altered his writings, and expresses his disappointment that man has still not changed since his story had been published, but also states it was what he had expected from such Yahoos, who are later described. "

Sample of Sources Used:

Swift, Jonathan - "Gullivers Travels" from the Norton Anthology of English Literature, Eighth Edition, The Major Authors, Volume A - The Middle Ages Through the Restoration and the Eighteenth Century 2006, W.W.Norton and Company