Written by Jonathan Swift (1667-1745)
Jonathan Swift (1667–1745): He was an essayist, poet, political pamphleteer (first for the Whigs, then for the Tories), and Anglo-Irish satirist who became illustrious for his satirical Works.
Major works of Jonathan Swift: His well-known works are:
- A Tale of a Tub (1704) (prose and tragedy)
- An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity (1712) (satirical essay)
- Gulliver’s Travels (1726) (satirical fiction)
- A Modest Proposal (1729) (satirical essay)
Basic information about the novel:
Full title: “Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of several Ships.”
Genre: Fiction of satire based on fantasy
Type of work: Novel
Time of composition: 1712-1726
Published date: 28 October 1726
Point of view for novel: First person point of view.
Time setting: Early eighteenth century that means age of prose and reason.
Place setting: England. But in the novel Swift uses some imaginary place such as Lilliput, Brobdingnag, laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdrib.
Number of voyages/ parts: There are four parts of the Novel such as:
Part I: A Voyage to Lilliput (4 May 1699 – 13 April 1702)
Part II: A Voyage to Brobdingnag (20 June 1702 – 3 June 1706)
Part III: A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Luggnagg, Glubbdubdrib and Japan (5 August 1706 – 16 April 1710)
Part IV: A Voyage to the Land of the Houyhnhnms (7 September 1710 – 5 December 1715)
Character list:
Major characters:
Lumuel Gulliver
He is the narrator of the Novel. He is professionally a medical surgeon.
Mrs. Mary Burton Gulliver:
She is the wife of Gulliver.
Lilliputians
They are citizen or inhabitant of the island of Lilliput who are five or six inches tall.
Blefuscudians
They live on the neighboring island who are the sworn enemies of Lilliputians. When the Lilliputians condemn or convict Gulliver of treason, he flees to their island.
The Emperor
Lilliputians’ leader who is friendly towards Gulliver but when Gulliver refuses to continue war to their enemies, Blefuscudians, and puts out the fire on the Empress’s chamber by urinating or pissing on it, deflects or changes his mind to him.
Flimnap
Enemy of Gulliver at Lilliput who accuses Gulliver of sleeping with his wife.
Reldresal
Friend of Gulliver at Lilliput who helps to reduce Gulliver’s possible punishment for treason.
Brobdingnagians
Brobdingnag’s inhabitant who are giant creatures relative to Gulliver.
The Farmer
Gulliver calls the farmer who takes him to his master and who sells Gulliver to the queen during his stay in Brobdingnag.
Glumdalclitch
Gulliver calls her farmer’s daughter who takes care him during his stay in Brobdingnag and her name means “little nurse”.
The King
Brobdingnag’s King with whom Gulliver spends many time discussing political and comparing the two cultures.
Laputans
The citizen of a floating island and who wear symbols of mathematical and astronomical and also have trouble paying attention.
Houyhnhnms
A kind of horses who are presented with great compassion and virtue with whom Gulliver spends many years and becomes very sad to return to England.
Munodi
Lord of Balnibarbi.
Don Pedro
Captain of Portuguese ship who picks up Gulliver to the country of Houyhnhnms after his voyage.
Yohoos
Human of Houyhnhnms’ word. In the country of Houyhnhnms, Yohoos are disgusting creatures.
Themes of the novel “Gulliver’s Travels”:
PRC Foundation
The best way of learning and gaining
Gulliver’s Travels
Written by Jonathan Swift (1667-1745)
Jonathan Swift (1667–1745): He was an essayist, poet, political pamphleteer (first for the Whigs, then for the Tories), and Anglo-Irish satirist who became illustrious for his satirical Works.
Major works of Jonathan Swift: His well-known works are:
- A Tale of a Tub (1704) (prose and tragedy)
- An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity (1712) (satirical essay)
- Gulliver’s Travels (1726) (satirical fiction)
- A Modest Proposal (1729) (satirical essay)
Basic information about the novel:
Full title: “Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of several Ships.”
Genre: Fiction of satire based on fantasy
Type of work: Novel
Time of composition: 1712-1726
Published date: 28 October 1726
Point of view for novel: First person point of view.
Time setting: Early eighteenth century that means age of prose and reason.
Place setting: England. But in the novel Swift uses some imaginary place such as Lilliput, Brobdingnag, laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdrib.
Number of voyages/ parts: There are four parts of the Novel such as:
Part I: A Voyage to Lilliput (4 May 1699 – 13 April 1702)
Part II: A Voyage to Brobdingnag (20 June 1702 – 3 June 1706)
Part III: A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Luggnagg, Glubbdubdrib and Japan (5 August 1706 – 16 April 1710)
Part IV: A Voyage to the Land of the Houyhnhnms (7 September 1710 – 5 December 1715)
Character list:
Major characters:
Lumuel Gulliver
He is the narrator of the Novel. He is professionally a medical surgeon.
Mrs. Mary Burton Gulliver:
She is the wife of Gulliver.
Lilliputians
They are citizen or inhabitant of the island of Lilliput who are five or six inches tall.
Blefuscudians
They live on the neighboring island who are the sworn enemies of Lilliputians. When the Lilliputians condemn or convict Gulliver of treason, he flees to their island.
The Emperor
Lilliputians’ leader who is friendly towards Gulliver but when Gulliver refuses to continue war to their enemies, Blefuscudians, and puts out the fire on the Empress’s chamber by urinating or pissing on it, deflects or changes his mind to him.
Flimnap
Enemy of Gulliver at Lilliput who accuses Gulliver of sleeping with his wife.
Reldresal
Friend of Gulliver at Lilliput who helps to reduce Gulliver’s possible punishment for treason.
Brobdingnagians
Brobdingnag’s inhabitant who are giant creatures relative to Gulliver.
The Farmer
Gulliver calls the farmer who takes him to his master and who sells Gulliver to the queen during his stay in Brobdingnag.
Glumdalclitch
Gulliver calls her farmer’s daughter who takes care him during his stay in Brobdingnag and her name means “little nurse”.
The King
Brobdingnag’s King with whom Gulliver spends many time discussing political and comparing the two cultures.
Laputans
The citizen of a floating island and who wear symbols of mathematical and astronomical and also have trouble paying attention.
Houyhnhnms
A kind of horses who are presented with great compassion and virtue with whom Gulliver spends many years and becomes very sad to return to England.
Munodi
Lord of Balnibarbi.
Don Pedro
Captain of Portuguese ship who picks up Gulliver to the country of Houyhnhnms after his voyage.
Yohoos
Human of Houyhnhnms’ word. In the country of Houyhnhnms, Yohoos are disgusting creatures.
Themes of the novel “Gulliver’s Travels”:
PRC Foundation
The best way of learning and gaining
Gulliver’s Travels
Written by Jonathan Swift (1667-1745)
Jonathan Swift (1667–1745): He was an essayist, poet, political pamphleteer (first for the Whigs, then for the Tories), and Anglo-Irish satirist who became illustrious for his satirical Works.
Major works of Jonathan Swift: His well-known works are:
- A Tale of a Tub (1704) (prose and tragedy)
- An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity (1712) (satirical essay)
- Gulliver’s Travels (1726) (satirical fiction)
- A Modest Proposal (1729) (satirical essay)
Basic information about the novel:
Full title: “Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of several Ships.”
Genre: Fiction of satire based on fantasy
Type of work: Novel
Time of composition: 1712-1726
Published date: 28 October 1726
Point of view for novel: First person point of view.
Time setting: Early eighteenth century that means age of prose and reason.
Place setting: England. But in the novel Swift uses some imaginary place such as Lilliput, Brobdingnag, laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdrib.
Number of voyages/ parts: There are four parts of the Novel such as:
Part I: A Voyage to Lilliput (4 May 1699 – 13 April 1702)
Part II: A Voyage to Brobdingnag (20 June 1702 – 3 June 1706)
Part III: A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Luggnagg, Glubbdubdrib and Japan (5 August 1706 – 16 April 1710)
Part IV: A Voyage to the Land of the Houyhnhnms (7 September 1710 – 5 December 1715)
Character list:
Major characters:
Lumuel Gulliver
He is the narrator of the Novel. He is professionally a medical surgeon.
Mrs. Mary Burton Gulliver:
She is the wife of Gulliver.
Lilliputians
They are citizen or inhabitant of the island of Lilliput who are five or six inches tall.
Blefuscudians
They live on the neighboring island who are the sworn enemies of Lilliputians. When the Lilliputians condemn or convict Gulliver of treason, he flees to their island.
The Emperor
Lilliputians’ leader who is friendly towards Gulliver but when Gulliver refuses to continue war to their enemies, Blefuscudians, and puts out the fire on the Empress’s chamber by urinating or pissing on it, deflects or changes his mind to him.
Flimnap
Enemy of Gulliver at Lilliput who accuses Gulliver of sleeping with his wife.
Reldresal
Friend of Gulliver at Lilliput who helps to reduce Gulliver’s possible punishment for treason.
Brobdingnagians
Brobdingnag’s inhabitant who are giant creatures relative to Gulliver.
The Farmer
Gulliver calls the farmer who takes him to his master and who sells Gulliver to the queen during his stay in Brobdingnag.
Glumdalclitch
Gulliver calls her farmer’s daughter who takes care him during his stay in Brobdingnag and her name means “little nurse”.
The King
Brobdingnag’s King with whom Gulliver spends many time discussing political and comparing the two cultures.
Laputans
The citizen of a floating island and who wear symbols of mathematical and astronomical and also have trouble paying attention.
Houyhnhnms
A kind of horses who are presented with great compassion and virtue with whom Gulliver spends many years and becomes very sad to return to England.
Munodi
Lord of Balnibarbi.
Don Pedro
Captain of Portuguese ship who picks up Gulliver to the country of Houyhnhnms after his voyage.
Yohoos
Human of Houyhnhnms’ word. In the country of Houyhnhnms, Yohoos are disgusting creatures.
Themes of the novel “Gulliver’s Travels”:
PRC Foundation
The best way of learning and gaining
Gulliver’s Travels
Written by Jonathan Swift (1667-1745)
Jonathan Swift (1667–1745): He was an essayist, poet, political pamphleteer (first for the Whigs, then for the Tories), and Anglo-Irish satirist who became illustrious for his satirical Works.
Major works of Jonathan Swift: His well-known works are:
- A Tale of a Tub (1704) (prose and tragedy)
- An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity (1712) (satirical essay)
- Gulliver’s Travels (1726) (satirical fiction)
- A Modest Proposal (1729) (satirical essay)
Basic information about the novel:
Full title: “Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of several Ships.”
Genre: Fiction of satire based on fantasy
Type of work: Novel
Time of composition: 1712-1726
Published date: 28 October 1726
Point of view for novel: First person point of view.
Time setting: Early eighteenth century that means age of prose and reason.
Place setting: England. But in the novel Swift uses some imaginary place such as Lilliput, Brobdingnag, laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdrib.
Number of voyages/ parts: There are four parts of the Novel such as:
Part I: A Voyage to Lilliput (4 May 1699 – 13 April 1702)
Part II: A Voyage to Brobdingnag (20 June 1702 – 3 June 1706)
Part III: A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Luggnagg, Glubbdubdrib and Japan (5 August 1706 – 16 April 1710)
Part IV: A Voyage to the Land of the Houyhnhnms (7 September 1710 – 5 December 1715)
Character list:
Major characters:
Lumuel Gulliver
He is the narrator of the Novel. He is professionally a medical surgeon.
Mrs. Mary Burton Gulliver:
She is the wife of Gulliver.
Lilliputians
They are citizen or inhabitant of the island of Lilliput who are five or six inches tall.
Blefuscudians
They live on the neighboring island who are the sworn enemies of Lilliputians. When the Lilliputians condemn or convict Gulliver of treason, he flees to their island.
The Emperor
Lilliputians’ leader who is friendly towards Gulliver but when Gulliver refuses to continue war to their enemies, Blefuscudians, and puts out the fire on the Empress’s chamber by urinating or pissing on it, deflects or changes his mind to him.
Flimnap
Enemy of Gulliver at Lilliput who accuses Gulliver of sleeping with his wife.
Reldresal
Friend of Gulliver at Lilliput who helps to reduce Gulliver’s possible punishment for treason.
Brobdingnagians
Brobdingnag’s inhabitant who are giant creatures relative to Gulliver.
The Farmer
Gulliver calls the farmer who takes him to his master and who sells Gulliver to the queen during his stay in Brobdingnag.
Glumdalclitch
Gulliver calls her farmer’s daughter who takes care him during his stay in Brobdingnag and her name means “little nurse”.
The King
Brobdingnag’s King with whom Gulliver spends many time discussing political and comparing the two cultures.
Laputans
The citizen of a floating island and who wear symbols of mathematical and astronomical and also have trouble paying attention.
Houyhnhnms
A kind of horses who are presented with great compassion and virtue with whom Gulliver spends many years and becomes very sad to return to England.
Munodi
Lord of Balnibarbi.
Don Pedro
Captain of Portuguese ship who picks up Gulliver to the country of Houyhnhnms after his voyage.
Yohoos
Human of Houyhnhnms’ word. In the country of Houyhnhnms, Yohoos are disgusting creatures.
Themes of the novel “Gulliver’s Travels”:
- The body
- Literature and language
- Satire(politic, science, mathematics astronomy)
- Morality and Ethics
- Abuse of power
Synopsis of the Novel:
The story of “Gulliver Travels” is a satirical fiction of Jonathan Swift (1667-1745). In the novel Gulliver’s adventure of four lands is the great opportunity for Gulliver to criticize England’s politics, war, science and human beings. First voyage is to Lilliput where Gulliver is giant but Lilliputians are small like five or six inches. Second journey is to Brobdingnag which is land of giants, here Gulliver is very small like Lilliputians. In the voyage the King discusses with Gulliver about politics of England. Then he travels a small floating land Laputa. In the adventure, Gulliver visits Laputa’s several places (Glubdugdribb, Balnibarbi) and satirizes mathematics, science. Last voyage is to Houyhnhnms, a kind of horses, in whom Gulliver finds out manner and virtue which is absent in human Beings.
Detailed Summary:
The story of “Gulliver’s Travels” starts with Gulliver’s earlier life, including his marriage to Mrs. Mary Burton and his work as a medical doctor. When Gulliver’s business initiates to fail, he employs a series of sailing trips.
Voyage to Lilliput is the first journey of Gulliver where Gulliver is giant but Lilliputians are small like five or six inches tall. After reaching Lilliput from the storm, Gulliver is arrested by the Lilliputians, but when Gulliver tries to break free, they begin attacking him with their bows and arrows. At last when Gulliver tells them that he doesn’t harm for them, they take him to their capital and give him to eat food and drink. The emperor accepts him, but Lilliputians worry that Gulliver could escape because how much food it takes to feed him.
When Lilliputians and Blefuscudians begin war again, Gulliver goes to Blefuscudians’ ships and fleet of ship shore off Lilliput. After this work, the Emperor gives Gulliver a title “Nardac,” the highest honor but Gulliver rejects this title because he does not want to destroy the Blefsucudians and Gulliver welcomes an embassy from Blefuscu offering peace, which the emperor has no choice but to accept.
A few day later, when Lilliputian’s –
palace is attacked by the fire; Gulliver turns off fire by urin or pissing which is very insulting for the emperor. Though Gulliver maintains laws or rules of Lilliputians, he is condemned or blamed for “making water” and other crimes. So, emperor decides that they give punishment Gulliver for this work but Gulliver’s Lilliputians friend, Reldrasel, reduces his Punishment and helps him to flee from Lilliput.
Second voyage is to Brobdingnag where Gulliver is small but Brobdingnagians are giant. In this land Gulliver is found by a farmer who puts him in case and carries him to his home. The farmer displays Gulliver to the marketplace to perform for patrons. His performance empresses the Queen who buys him from the farmer and introduces Gulliver to life at court where the king discusses with Gulliver about politics, criticizing England’s government and violent past, then humiliating him by concluding that the English are beneath the Brobdingnagians.
Gulliver’s third voyage is to Laputa which is small floating island that is full of strange people. In the island Gulliver mentions Laputans who are symbols of fake mathematical and astronomical advancement and also have trouble paying attention. Then Gulliver visits the barren land Balnibarbi, where he discovers that scientists always work without any experience. The next visit of Gulliver is Glubdubdrib, where he knots or meets a government who has the ability to bring back to death. Then Gulliver goes to Japan and comes back to his family happily.
Five months later, Gulliver goes to Houyhnhnms, a kind of horses who are presented with great compassion and virtue, whose rational, clean and simple society is contradicted or objected with the filthiness and brutality of the Yahoos, beasts in human shape. With Houyhnhnms, Gulliver spends several years and observes their behavior and fells very happy. In this reason, he never wants to leave them. In the returning time to England, Gulliver realizes loath or disinterest about other humans and even his own family.
The motif of the novel:
- Excrement
- Foreign language
- Clothing
Moral lessons of the novel:
- Unnecessary conflict must be avoided by establishing peace.
- Nobody is superior that is why Gulliver is at the same big and small or Lilliput.
- Geographical advantage for domination does not mean power or eligibility.
- Even animals are organized because of their friendly nature.
