Neo – classical Literature,

Name: Savani Manisha R,

Paper:  (102) Neo – classical Literature,

Topic: satirical exposure of fictional illusion,

Roll no: 15

M.A: 2

Year -2012-13

                               Submitted To,

Dr, Dilip Barad.

English department,

M.K Bhavnagar University

‘’Gulliver’s Travels ‘’ is a great work of social satire.

                              Swift‘s age was an age of smug complacency. Corruption was rampant and the people were still satisfied. Thus Jonathan Swift tears the veil of smug complacency off which had blinded the to realities. In ‘’ Gulliver‘s Travels’’ there is a satire on politics’ human physiognomy, intellect manners and morality.

             Satire in the first voyage of Lilliput:

                 

           Swift satirizes on politics and political tactics practiced in England through Lilliputians, the, the dwarf’s of six inches height. He satirizes the manner in which political offices were awarded by English king in his time. Flimnap, the treasurer, represents Sir Robert Walpole who was the prime minister of England, Dancing on tight ropes symbolizes Walpole’ skill in parliamentary tactics and political intrigues . The ancient temple, in which Gulliver is housed in Lilliput ‘refers to Westminster Hall in which Charles I was condemned to death. The three fine silk threads awarded as prizes to his favorites. The Lilliputians were highly superstitious.

                ‘’They bury their dead with their head directly downwards because they hold an opinion that after eleven thousand moons they are all to rise again’’

                                 Gulliver’s account of the annoyance of the Empress of Lilliput on extinguishing fire in her apartment is Swift’s satirical way of describing Queen Anne ‘s annoyance with him on writing’’ A Tale of  a Tub ‘’  Swift ‘s satire becomes  amusing when Gulliver speaks of the conflict between the Big Indians and the Little Indians. In this account Swift is ridiculing the conflicts between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants. High Heel and Low Heel represent Whig and Tory – two political parties in England

    Satire in the second voyage of Brobdingnag:

                                There is a general satire on human body human talents and human limitations. Gulliver gives us his reaction to the coarseness and ugliness of human body. When Gulliver gives an account , to the king of Brobdingnag,  of the life in his own country, the trade , the wars , the conflicts in religion, the political parties, the king remarks that the history of Gulliver ‘s country seems to be series of conspiracies, rebellions, murders , revolutions and banishment etc..King condemns the fatal use of gunpowder and the books written on the act of governing. King mocks at th3e human race of which Gulliver is the agent.

‘’The most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the truth’’

                      

                     Swift here ridicules human pride and pretension. The sight is, indeed, horrible and disgusting. Among the beggars is a woman with a cancer in her breast.

‘ I t stood prominent six feet, and could not be less than sixteen in circumference … spots and pimples that nothing could appear more nauseous.’’

                             There is man with a huge tumor in his neck; author beggar has wooden legs but the most hateful sight is that of the lice crawling on their clothes. This d3escription reinforces swift views of the ugliness and foulness of the human body.

In the third voyage to Luputa:

                      There is a satire on human intellect, human mind and on science, philosophy and mathematics. However, his satire is not very bitter. We are greatly amused by the useless experiments and researches, which are going on at the academy of projectors in Lagado. Here scientists wants to extract sunbeams out of cucumbers ,to convert human excrement into its original food , to build house from the roof downward to the foundation, to obtain silk from cobwebs and to produce books on various subjects by the use of machine without having to exert one’s brain.

‘’Their heads were inclined either to the right or to left , one of their eyes turned inward , and the other directly up to Zenith.’

’

                 Swift amuses us by making a fun of the people whose sole interests are music and geometry.

‘’They made a lot of theories but practically nil.’’

                                Swift here ridicules scientists, academics, planers, intellectual, in fact, all people who proceed only according to theory which are useless when they come to actual practice. He satirizes historian and literary critics though Gulliver‘s interviews with the ghosts of famous dead. The point satire vies that historian often distorts facts and literary critics often misinterpret great authors like Homer and Aristotle.

In the forth voyage:

                        There is a bitter poignant satire on human moral shortcomings. Voyage contains some of the most corrosive and offensive satire on mankind. The description of the Yahoos given to us by Gulliver is regrettable.

‘’ Yet I confess I never say any sensitive being so detestable on all accounts: and the more I came near them, the more hateful they grew.’’

By contrast, the Houyhnhnm's are nobleman benevolent horses who are governed by resonant lead an ordered life. It is indeed a bitter criticism on the human race to be compared by the Houyhnhnms. The satire deepens when Gulliver gives an account, to the master Houyhnhnms.The satire deepens when Gulliver gives an account to the master Houyhnhnms. The satire deepens when Gulliver gives Houyhnhnms of the events in his country. He tells him that war in Europe countries was sometimes due to the ambition of the kings and sometimes due to the corruption of the ministers. He speaks of the numerous deadly weapons employed by European nations for destructive purposes. Many people in his country ruin themselves by drinking, gambling and debauchery and many are guilty of murders theft, robbery, forgery and rape. The master speaks of the master the Houyhnhnms are excellent beings.

‘’Here was neither physician to destroy my body not lawyer to ruin my fortune : no informer to my words and action .. here were no backbiters , pickpockets, highway men, house- breakers… politicians, wits murders ,robbers, no cheating shop keeper or mechanics, no pride vanity or affection.’’

                              Thus, Gulliver’s travels as full of satirical novel by Jonathan swift. The satire is the symbolic significance of novel and swift do the satire in England society.