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I know that this will refer probably to the history of England. What does Swift exactly criticise in each part? Posted by mamba86 on Feb 23, 2009. |
Gulliver's Travels Group
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The four books are divided into different travel adventures, and you're right--Swift does attack different aspects of English life in each one. For instance, in The Land of Lilliput (land of the little people), the comical examples include, but are not limited to, the High Heels and Low Heels performing for jobs at court (the English nobility do the same thing); which end of an egg to break when eating it--an argument over trifles (much like English government officials); and of course, who can forget the princess' distaste for Gulliver's saliva-covered kisses and his ability to put out fires by urinating on them, soaking everything and everyone in his path (plays on the English vanity and self-importance). In Brobingnag (land of the giants), Gulliver tries to impress his host with gunpowder. The King responds with "your people are the among the most odious vermin ever to crawl upon the earth!" Swift is attacking the sense of entitlement and excessive pride the English have. Also the English are too quick to declare war and act with violence. The third journey is to many places, the floating island among them. Here, the King's advisors beat him with floppy nerf-like hammers. Swift is attacking ridiculous scientific experiments. With the Houghyhumns, Swift attacks the lack of reason and truth in English society. They are more like the Yahoos who act on instinct and want only food and sex. Posted by amy-lepore on Feb 23, 2009. |

