Swift's principal object of satire in Gulliver's travels

1.  Name : Makwana Daksha D.
 Semester : 1
 Course : M.A. (English)
 Subject : Neo- classical Literature
 Topic : Swift’s principal object of satire in
Gulliver’s Travels
 Roll no : 4
 Enrollment no :2069108420180034
 Submitted to : Smt. S.B. Gardi department of
English Mkbu
 makwanadaksha9 @gmail.com

2. Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift (1667- 1745 ) was an
Anglo -Irish satirist , essayist and
political pamphleteer.
Swift is remembered for works such as
1) A Tale of a Tub (1704)
2) A modest proposal (1729)
3) Gulliver’s Travels (1726)
4) The battle of the books (1704)
Swift was a notable for his satires .” A
Modest proposal “ proposes to solve
the devastating poverty in Ireland by
selling poor children as food for wealthy
families.
“ A Tale of a Tub “ is a prose parody
divided in two sections .It was long
regarded as a satire on religion ..

3. Gulliver’s travels
Swift well- known for his satiric
work :“Gulliver’s Travels “
• Swift wrote Gulliver’s travels at a
time when Europe was the world’s
dominant power . Gulliver’s travels
satire on Human nature as well as
political allegory.
• Gulliver’s Travels contains symbolic
references to actual people and
events in eighteenth century
England .
• As a political allegory of European
civilization ,swift presents the
aspects of war and the European
propensity for destruction, the
existing political situation that swift
is satirizing.

5.  The voyages to Lilliput and Brobdingnag focus on the flaws in
human society, with particular reference to English society.
 Lilliput’s hostility towards the battle with Blefuscu satire on
war between England and france. Political life of Lilliput is the
political life of England. People were too small ,learn their
language and bound by the agreement to protect Lilliput from
invasion by the people of Blefuscu.
 Swift satirizes fighting between two nations , absurdity of
Lilliputian’s tradition or in European ones. Physicality of
Gulliver and Lilliputians reflects the importance of physical
power. Gulliver can crash them simply by walking carelessly.
 People of this island were with arrogance and ignorance.
Swift criticies the arrogance of European imperialists .

6.  The voyage of Brobdingnag is satire on the moral nature of
man.The author satirize England, Human’s inhumanity to
fellow beings ,the human sense of self –importance while
attempting to praise them.
 In this island Gulliver forced to perform shows for public
amusement.They make him enslave by to perform tricks for
visitors.
 This enslavement emphasizes the fundamental humanity of
Brobdingnagians and Europeans.
 Swift attacks political issues and humanity of Brobdindnag
and England.
 While discussing with king he satirizes the immorality and
vices of England.

7. Voyage of laputa
• Gulliver’s third voyage on
Laputa, the floating island and
people of his own size. There
power is not physical and in
technology.
• This floating island represents
the distance between the
government and the people it
governs.
• They believed in science and
experiments, not concerned
with practicality.
• Swift’s attack on science
,learning and reliance on
theory; promoted for no
reason and time is wasted.

8. Voyage to Houyhnhnms
• Gulliver meets the
Houyhnhnms ,Physically
strong and virtuous being
.they have no concept of lie
,speak clearly and act justly
with simple laws. But not
human being.
• Yahoos ,human like
creatures .Gulliver describes
the yahoos as ‘Animals’ not
merely animals but naturally
vicious . Gulliver express
disgust for human.
• Swift satire that human ‘s
nature not different from
those of the yahoos.

9.  Swift hoped to’ vex ‘ his readers by offering them new insights
into the jumps of politics and into the social follies of humans
and pettiness of human nature.
 The whole novel is like a mirror by which human flows are
reflected.
 Every satirist is at heart a reformist ,Swift very successfully
satirizes on political situation ,physical awakwardness
,intellectual follacies and moral shortcomings through the four
voyages of Gulliver in different island and land of horses.