his voyages to Lilliput and Brobdingnag?
Or, Comment on Swift's satire on English politics in “Gulliver's Travels.”
Satire is a way of making fun of something to show its problems or foolishness. Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) wrote “Gulliver’s Travels” (1726) to show the absurdity of his time. He used Gulliver's adventures to mock English politics. He visited two lands, Lilliput and Brobdingnag. Both are different, but both show problems in real life. In Lilliput, he shows pride, lies, and silly rules. In Brobdingnag, he shows wisdom and peace. Swift uses fun and jokes to point out serious faults. So, his book is a strong political satire.
Proud but Small: The Lilliputians are tiny in size. But they think they are great. Their king wants to rule the world. He gives silly titles and takes big actions. He wants to become:
“Sole Monarch of the whole world.”
Swift uses this pride to show how English rulers acted. They were not wise but proud. They fought for power, not for people. The king of Lilliput is a copy of a real English king. Swift makes him small to laugh at his pride and foolish goals.
Silly Laws and Games: In Lilliput, jobs are not given for talent. People must dance on ropes to get high posts. The king likes only those who obey him. 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.”
These silly rules mock real politics. Swift shows how real leaders chose people not for work but for support.
Fight for Nothing: The Lilliputians fight Blefuscu over how to break eggs. Some say the small end is right. Others want to break from the big end. This small thing starts big wars. 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.”
Swift uses this to mock real wars. English people also fought over silly religious rules.
Peace and Wisdom: In Brobdingnag, Swift shows a good king. He listens to Gulliver and asks smart questions. When he hears about war and guns, he feels sad. He calls English people dirty and cruel. He says the majority of Englishmen must be:
“The most pernicious life race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth.”
Swift uses this wise king to show what real rulers should be like. He is kind, just, and calm. This is a sharp contrast to Lilliput.
Mocking English Politics: Swift mocks English politics through both lands. Lilliput shows how English kings act like fools. Brobdingnag shows how far England is from true peace. Swift uses small people to show small minds. He uses giants to show big hearts. He attacks the government, war, rules, and leaders. But he does not name anyone. This makes it safe and smart. Through Gulliver’s eyes, he says all he wants. That is why this book is a perfect political satire.
In summary, Swift was a master of satire. He used Lilliput and Brobdingnag to show the truth. Lilliput is a mirror of bad politics. Brobdingnag is a picture of good rule. He makes fun of wars, jobs, rules, and pride. But all this fun has a strong message. Swift did not just hate the system, he wanted to fix it.
Continue Reading
Subscribe to access the full content
Upgrade to Premium