Satire in Gulliver’s Travel Or Gulliver’s Travels as a Satiric Masterpiece Or Swift as a Satirist

Satire in Gulliver’s Travel

Or

 Gulliver’s Travels as a Satiric Masterpiece

               Or

Swift as a Satirist

Gulliver’s Travels” is one of the best knows works of “Jonathan Swift”. This book is vastly seen as a ‘Child book’, a ‘Travelogue’, a ‘Novel’ and a ‘Fantasy’ depicting voyage. But, the real value of the book is in the satire that we find in this book. In order to feel the intensity of satire found in “Gulliver’s Travel”, let us first have a true understanding of the term ‘satire’. Dryden claimed that “The true end of the satire is the amendment of the vices.” Defoe thinks it is “reformation”. The satirist is a man who takes responsibility to ensure and ridicule the follies and vices of the society. Thus satire is a kind of protest against the corruption of the society.

Swift wrote “Gulliver’s Travels” ‘to vex the world rather than divert it.’ To achieve his satirical intentions, Swift has given a number of contrasts. In Lilliput Gulliver is a giant, while is Brobdingnag, his himself is a dwarf. In part one of the book, we find comic as well as serious, personal as well as impersonal satire. There are elements of comic satire in Part one, where a lot of effort is spent to make Gulliver drink and eat. Gulliver’s action of capturing fifty enemy ships, burial of dead with heads downward and the manner of writing are all comic. But the bitter satire in the first book mainly is to satirize the British system of selecting rulers and lack of democracy. In Lilliput, important office is usually filled by the applicant who can jump the highest and decorations are awarded to the best leaper and creeper. It is clearly to bring out the way of governing in Swift’s time. The offices and favours were granted to favourities rather than awarding to the best and deserving ones. Similarly, the conflict between the Big-Endean’s and the Little-Endians and the High-heelers, is a bitter comment on religious anarchy and opposition for the sake of opposition. Moreover, leg pulling and conspiracies of in the politics are also highlighted through the tricks against Gulliver. In the Brobdingnage, the role of Gulliver changes and now he himself becomes a Lilliput here. The opening chapters of this book are filled with humour and laugh. The tricks played by a dwarf on Gulliver really create fun and laughter. Most of the criticism occurs in chapter 6 and 7 of this part. Gulliver describes European civilization to Brobdingnage king, including England’s political legal institutions. He explains in detail how the system works and also narrates some of the personal habits of the ruling class. From this detail the king is able deduce that every society and political power is corrupt in Gulliver’s country. The king declared most of the people of Gulliver’s country as disgusting vermin. The satire there is more direct and bitter.

 The main focus of social criticism in the voyage to Laputa is on intellectual. Swift satirizes people like scholars, philosophers and scientists who indulge in theoretical works only and ignore practical aspects of life. Here, different experiments are shown by Swift to highlight the useless pursuits of these classes of people. Swift satirizes the method of investigation, where plotters decide first who is to be accused and prepare evidence against him then. Satire on rest of the humanity is also found in this part, when Swift mocks the idea of immortality. There, the immortal creatures are presented as utterly miserable and ugly.

Swift’s satire reaches its climax and becomes the most bitter in the last voyage. The final chapters seem to prove that the human race is really ugly and that the man has very low position in the chain of being. In the final book, Gulliver meets Houyhnhnms, the horses, who posses reason and appear to him to be perfect creatures. An extreme contrast to these animals is Yahoos, who are very much like human beings but are leading a life like beasts. This book seems to argue that reason is the only quality which can elevate man to his ultimate potential. But ironically, this quality is possessed by Houyhnhnms, where as Yahoos are bestial. This voyage contains Swift’s clear attack on human pride. In fact, human race is cut into two parts: the Houyhnhnms possess reason and benevolence and selfish appetites and brutish awareness is left for the Yahoos.

To sum up, we may say that “Gulliver’s Travels” is an excellent specimen of Swift’s satire. Some critics try to find faults in the final solution of the problem. But, it should again be mentioned that it is not Swift’s solution. In fact, like a true satirist, Swift leaves conclusion to the judicious reader. As we travel with Gulliver through the voyages, Swift peels away our false appearances layer by layer. In short, in “Gulliver’s Travels” Swift continues to “vex the world rather than divert it”.