Gulliver’s Travels

By Jonathan Swift

“Gulliver’s Travels” is a satirical novel written by Jonathan Swift. The novel uses various literary devices such as irony, satire, allegory, and parody to criticize social and political issues. The story follows Lemuel Gulliver’s adventures to four different imaginary lands, where he encounters various characters and situations that expose the absurdity of human nature and society.

Themes 📚

1. The folly of human pride and ambition
2. The dangers of radical ideology and dogmatic thinking
3. The relationship between power, knowledge, and truth
4. The limitations of human reason and perception
5. The corruption of society and politics
6. The absurdity of cultural norms and conventions
7. The importance of personal experience and individual perspective
8. The influence of environment and upbringing on an individual’s character and behavior
9. The nature of human morality and the ethics of civilization
10. The potential for human beings to change and evolve through their experiences.

Use of Literary Devices ✍🏽

1. Satire: The author uses satire to criticize various aspects of human society and behavior, including politics, religion, and morality.
2. Irony: Swift uses irony to create a humorous effect and to comment on the absurdity of certain situations.
3. Parody: The novel includes parodies of various literary genres, such as travel narratives and utopian fiction.
4. Allegory: Gulliver’s Travels can be read as an allegory for various political and social issues, such as colonialism and the corrupting influence of power.
5. Symbolism: The novel includes various symbols, such as the Houyhnhnms and Yahoos, which represent different aspects of human society and behavior.
6. Imagery: Swift uses vivid imagery to create a sense of place and to convey the physical and emotional experiences of his characters.
7. Foreshadowing: The author uses foreshadowing to hint at events that will occur later in the story.
8. Allusion: The novel includes numerous allusions to classical literature and mythology, as well as to contemporary political and social issues.
9. Hyperbole: Swift uses hyperbole to exaggerate certain aspects of human behavior and society for comedic effect.
10. Personification: The author uses personification to give human qualities to non-human objects or animals, such as the talking horses in the land of the Houyhnhnms.

Examples of Literary Devices 📋

Literary Device 1: Satire

Example	Explanation
Gulliver’s treatment of the Lilliputians	The satire in this section targets the pettiness and absurdity of European politics, as the Lilliputians’ political conflicts mirror those of England in the early 18th century.
The Yahoos	The satire in this section targets human nature and the shortcomings of society, as the Yahoos represent the worst aspects of humanity.
The Laputans	The satire in this section targets science and intellectualism, as the Laputans’ obsession with abstract ideas renders them impractical and foolish.

Literary Device 2: Irony

Example	Explanation
Gulliver’s disgust at the Yahoos	The irony in this section is that Gulliver is just as repulsive to the Yahoos as they are to him, but he cannot see it because of his own prejudices.
Gulliver’s admiration of the Houyhnhnms	The irony in this section is that Gulliver’s ideal society, based on reason and rationality, is actually a society of horses, while the humans (Yahoos) are seen as inferior.
Gulliver’s self-righteousness	The irony throughout the book is that Gulliver constantly criticizes the societies he encounters, but he is blind to his own faults and shortcomings.

Literary Device 3: Imagery

Example	Explanation
The Lilliputians’ weapons	The vivid description of the tiny weapons used by the Lilliputians creates a memorable and striking image.
The flying island of Laputa	The image of a floating island held up by magnets is fantastical and vivid.
The Brobdingnagian landscape	The detailed descriptions of the giant plants and animals in this section create a sense of wonder and awe.

Literary Device 4: Hyperbole

Example	Explanation
The Lilliputians’ laws	The exaggeration of the Lilliputians’ laws, such as the requirement to break eggs on the small end rather than the big end, creates a sense of absurdity and humor.
The size difference between Gulliver and the Brobdingnagians	The hyperbolic difference in size between Gulliver and the giants he encounters emphasizes the alienness of their society.
The Houyhnhnms’ rationality	The Houyhnhnms’ total lack of emotion and complete devotion to reason is hyperbolic and creates a sense of unease.

Literary Device 5: Personification

Example	Explanation
The Yahoos	The personification of the Yahoos as human-like creatures emphasizes their animalistic nature and the idea that humans have primitive, savage qualities.
The Laputans’ island	The personification of the floating island as a living thing emphasizes its fantastical nature and the sense that anything is possible in this world.
The Houyhnhnms’ society	The personification of the Houyhnhnms’ society as completely rational and devoid of emotion emphasizes the extreme nature of their society.

Literary Device 6: Parody

Example	Explanation
Gulliver’s descriptions of the Lilliputian court	The parody in this section targets the pomp and circumstance of European courts, as the Lilliputians’ rituals and traditions are depicted as ridiculous and trivial.
The academic debates of the Laputans	The parody in this section targets the excesses of intellectualism, as the Laputans’ debates are convoluted and nonsensical.
The rules of the Houyhnhnms	The parody in this section targets the strictures of society, as the Houyhnhnms’ rules and customs are depicted as rigid and inflexible.

Literary Device 7: Allegory

Example	Explanation
The Lilliputian and Blefuscu conflict	This allegory represents the political struggles between England and France in the early 18th century, with the Lilliputians standing in for England and Blefuscu for France.
The Yahoos and Houyhnhnms	This allegory represents the conflict between reason and instinct in human nature, with the Houyhnhnms standing in for reason and the Yahoos for instinct.
Gulliver’s journey itself	This allegory represents the journey of self-discovery and enlightenment, as Gulliver travels to new worlds and learns about himself and the world around him.

Literary Device 8: Symbolism

Example	Explanation
The Luggnaggian king’s purse	This symbol represents the fleeting nature of power and wealth, as the king’s purse is never empty but also never full.
The Lilliputian emperor’s crown	This symbol represents the triviality of status and power, as the emperor’s crown is made of paper and is thus easily destroyed.
The floating island of Laputa	This symbol represents the detachment of the intellect from reality, as the island is literally disconnected from the world below.

Literary Device 9: Irony

Example	Explanation
Gulliver’s admiration of the Lilliputians’ political system	The irony in this section is that Gulliver praises the Lilliputians’ system of government even though it is just as corrupt and petty as the English system.
Gulliver’s disgust at the Yahoos	The irony in this section is that Gulliver is just as repulsive to the Yahoos as they are to him, but he cannot see it because of his own prejudices.
Gulliver’s desire to stay with the Houyhnhnms	The irony in this section is that Gulliver’s ideal society is one in which he is not a part, as he is not a horse and cannot live with the Houyhnhnms.

Literary Device 10: Imagery

Example	Explanation
The Lilliputians’ clothes	The detailed descriptions of the Lilliputians’ clothing, made from silk and gold thread, create a vivid image of their courtly attire.
The Brobdingnagian insects	The vivid descriptions of giant insects, such as fleas the size of sheep, create a sense of awe and wonder.
The Houyhnhnms’ society	The detailed descriptions of the Houyhnhnms’ rational and ordered society create a vivid image

FAQs 💭