Analysis Of Jonathan Swift s Gulliver s Travels

How Jonathan Swift constructs and uses Gulliver in ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ Jonathan Swift was an English 18th century writer who supported the Monarchy and was a Royalist. He wrote this story while in a club, called ‘The Scriblerus Club’, in which there were 2 other members; Alexander Pope and John Arbuthnot. All three believed that the society they lived in was corrupt. In this story, Swift indirectly describes the many different faults with man-kind. The story is written in a satiristic style that makes fun of the bad things in society. Swift uses Gulliver to show how corrupt and cruel the 18th century English society was. Swift constructs Gulliver’s character through his first person narrative style. His narratives reveal that he is a rather unemotional character. This is shown when he describes and recounts dangerous situations in a matter-of-fact and passive style. A clear example of this is when his ship was destroyed in a storm and all of his companions were lost or dead; ‘Twelve of our crew were dead’ and ‘we therefore trusted ourselves to the mercy of the waves’. Swift is clearly using Gulliver to represent many of the 18th century politicians who had a stiff upper-lip and were unemotional. He is used to satirise 18th Century English society’s stereotypical ‘stiff-upper lip’ approach in life, a character trait which may also be a source of humour for the reader. Swift carefully constructs Gulliver’s character through his reactions to certain situations. He presentsShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Gulliver s Travels By Jonathan Swift1470 Words   |  6 Pagescapabilities. Authors like Jonathan Swift have used their works to shine a light on the similarities between humans and animals. In Part IV of Jonathan Swift’s satirical novel, Gulliver’s Travels, Swift reverses the roles of humans (represented by Yahoos) and horses (represented by Houyhnhnms). Although Swift’s novel is completely fiction and does not prove anything it shows us that there are people out there who see the characteristics shared between human and animals. When Gulliver comes across two HouyhnhnmsRead MoreAnalysis Of Jonathan Swift s Gulliver s Travels 2033 Words   |  9 Pages​Jonathan Swift was a writer known for his use of satire: the application of humor, irony, exaggeration, and ridicule to expose and criticize. At a glance, the novel seems to be a travel log of Lemuel Gulliver’s adventures, but is primarily a work of satire. Through Gulliver’s Travels, Swift strives to satirize the eighteenth century humanity. Swift was titled a misa nthrope, a hater of humanity, his misanthropy rose from his disappointment in mankind. Swift utilizes Gulliver in satirizing the populationRead MoreAnalysis Of Jonathan Swift s Gulliver s Travels1238 Words   |  5 Pageswhat the results may entail. The main character in Jonathan Swift’s 1726 satire Gulliver’s Travels belongs to this category. Throughout the story it becomes increasingly apparent that Gulliver is destined to forever be an alien. The more Gulliver observes others, the more detached he is from man as his views of mankind and of himself become distorted. Despite his negative observations and changed views, he could be mankind’s wake-up call. Gulliver makes voyages to various locations where his physicalRead MoreAnalysis Of Gulliver s Travels By Jonathan Swift1365 Words   |  6 Pagesinfluential for art and literature. One of the Neoclassical Age’s most important traits is the imitation of the ancients. Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, is a story about the fictional character, Lemuel Gulliver, who embarks on multiple journeys. A series of mishaps leaves Gulliver stranded on various islands facing various challenges. Gulliver’s Travels is very similar to The Odyssey written by Homer in eighth century Greece. Both stories follow one character on his adventurous journeysRead MoreAnalysis Of Gulliver s Travels By Jonathan Swift1362 Words   |  6 PagesTheme Gulliver’s Travels takes place in a part mythical, part â€Å"earthly† world. Lemmuel Gulliver is a sailor that lives in London and sets sail on various adventures that take him on many twists and turns, and even a few close encounters with death. After all these experiences Gulliver still seems to make it home after an odd turn of events. In Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift uses characterization, point of view, and figurative language to show how people should be more honest and respectful whenRead MoreAnalysis Of Gulliver s Travels By Jonathan Swift1774 Words   |  8 Pageseveryone has his or her own perception, one that can change and develop dependent upon everyone’s own vision. In the novel, Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, the reader will find their perception of the themes and the characters in the book drastically different in the beginning of the story than at the end. When one first lays their hands on a copy of Gulliver’s Travels, the ideas and themes they would believe to be most obvious and important would include adventure, discovery and the developmentRead MoreAnalysis Of Gulliver s Travels By Jonathan Swift2004 Words   |  9 Pagesscorn, derision, or ridicule. Satire can be humorous, but harsh. Jonathan Swift was a master of satire. He liked to tackle very politically charged and sensitive subjects through satire. For many years, Gulliver’s Travels has been the embodiment of pure satirical genius. It has been the standard and yardstick for almost all other satirical works. Gulliver’s Travels begins with the profile of the main character, Lemuel Gulliver. Gulliver begins as a surgeon, but finds the profession ill-fitting. HeRead MoreAnalysis Of Jonathan Swift s Gulliver s Travels1439 Words   |  6 PagesJonathan Swift, well-known for his stark works of satire, uses his novel Gulliver’s Travels to mock his society and culture and in doing so, he addresses the flaws in man-kind as a whole. He always tried to give his readers a different perspective on current political and social issues through the pages and chapters of his books. The people who weren’t appalled by his views happened to appreciate his plain way of speaking on actively-discussed topics. While his writing had been relatively eminentRead MoreAnalysis Of Gulliver s Travels ( Gt ) By Jonathan Swift Essay2283 Words   |  10 Pagesexpressed differently based on the person s experiences. This is not the case when someone has everything. Freedom becomes the opposite and p eople become slaves to their own thoughts. In Gulliver’s Travels (GT) by Jonathan Swift, The Known World (TKW) by Edward P. Jones, and in Remainder by Tom McCarthy, these authors demonstrate the power of the mind to enslave someone who would be seen as free based on their size, color, status, and wealth. Swift uses Gulliver, a white and knowledgeable man, to demonstrateRead MorePolitical Analysis Of Jonathan Swift s Gulliver s Travel Essay1806 Words   |  8 Pages Political Satire in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travel Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.. -Jonathan Swift Introduction Born on November 30, 1667, Irish author, clergyman and satirist Jonathan Swift grew up fatherless. Under the care of his uncle, he received a bachelor s degree from Trinity College and then worked as a statesman s assistant. Eventually, he became dean of St. Patrick s Cathedral in Dublin. Most of his writings were published under pseudonyms. He best remembered