Compare and contrast the King of Lilliput and the King of Brobdingnag.
“Gulliver’s Travels” (1726) is a famous book by Jonathan Swift (1667-1745). In the earlier parts of this text, Swift tells the stories of Gulliver in two lands. One is Lilliput, and the other is Brobdingnag. The kings of these two lands are very different. One is proud, cruel, and selfish. The other is kind, fair, and wise. Through them, Swift shows two sides of power. He uses this to criticise the bad sides of English politics and to praise good rulers.
Pride Vs Humility: The King of Lilliput is proud. He is only six inches tall, but his pride is huge. He thinks he is very great and wants to rule the whole world. He orders Gulliver to attack Blefuscu just to show his power. He desires to make it a province of Lilliput and become the “Sole Monarch of the whole world.”
an style="font-weight: 400;">But the King of Brobdingnag is very humble. He listens to Gulliver and treats him with respect. Though he is a giant, he is not proud. He acts like a father to his people and rules with kindness.
Corruption Vs Morality: The Lilliputian king is full of corruption. He chooses his officers based on silly games like rope-dancing. He does not care about honesty or skill. If the Emperor disfavours anyone, they can not join the government body as an official. This is evident in the following quote:
“The disbelief in a Divine Providence renders a man in-capable of holding any public station.”
But the king of Brobdingnag is moral. He hates lies, war, and greedy leaders. When Gulliver tells him about English politics, he feels disgusted. He calls Englishmen “a life race of little vermin.” He wants his land to be honest and kind. He believes in truth and good values.
Tyranny Vs Justice: The King of Lilliput is a tyrant. He controls everything and gives no freedom. People must follow his order, or they are punished. He listens to liars like Skyresh Bolgolam and throws Gulliver out of the land. But the Brobdingnaggian king is just. He does not hurt others without reason. He listens before judging. He shows mercy and wisdom. He is not led by greedy ministers. His rule is fair, and his people love him.
War Vs Peace: The King of Lilliput loves war. He declares war over small reasons like how to break an egg. He wants to conquer Blefuscu and rule it. Thousands (11000) die in this silly fight. Six wars at different times occurred, as the issue violated their religious doctrine, which states:
“That all true Believers shall break their eggs at the convenient end.”
But the King of Brobdingnag loves peace. He never wants war unless it is needed. He thinks war is cruel. When Gulliver tells him about guns and battles, he gets angry. He wants to keep his people safe and happy. His land is calm and without fighting.
In “Gulliver’s Travels,” Jonathan Swift shows two kinds of rulers. The King of Lilliput is proud, cruel, and selfish. The King of Brobdingnag is kind, fair, and wise. These two kings are very different. One shows bad politics, and the other shows good leadership. Through them, Swift criticises the real leaders of his time. He wants people to learn from the king of Brobdingnag. A true ruler must love peace, hate lies, and care for the people.
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