Review of Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

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Review of Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

Gulliver's Travels is a satirical novel. It was written for two

different target groups; the first target group is a very young age

range and it is a simple but still very exciting fairy tale, the

second target group is for a lot older and more sophisticated group as

it is a comment that is satirising the life, times and background of

Jonathan Swift. An example of Swift making a comment on mankind is in

the third part of the book where pirates capture Gulliver and leave

him on some small islands which we are told rather vaguely are near to

Japan. This journey is different to a lot of his other journeys as

Gulliver is actually flying on the fling island of Laputa. The people

who inhabited the island were obsessed by: science, maths and

astronomy. These people on the island bully the country on Balnibarbi,

which is situated right underneath them, and for most the year is in

shadow of the flying island. Swift uses this to make a comment on how

badly governed Britain was whilst George the first was in reign. Swift

shows us in a series of ways how humankind's claim to be rational is

totally wrong, and he gives us plenty of examples to prove his point.

From this island Gulliver visits the country of Balnibarbi, which as

mentioned before is situated underneath Laputa; on this island

Gulliver was quite surprised to see all of the weird and wonderful

scientific experiments that were going on. We are then taken to

Luggnagg where the people, Struldburggs, are domed to ever lasting

senility, a horrible sight of physical and mental decay.

Through out the opening pages of Gulliver's Travels, Gulliver...

... middle of paper ...

... legs as far as under as I conveniently could"

whilst the army marches between them. The government debate Gulliver's

freedom and as there is only one objection, he is granted his liberty

after swearing to the eight conditions. Note the bizarre ritual

Gulliver has to go to swear his obedience to the conditions, which

were as follows. Gulliver must: not leave Lilliput without permission,

give 2 hours warning of a visit, keep to the main roads as he walks,

take care as he moves, carry messages when required, defend Lilliput

from it's enemies, help with the building by lifting heavy stones, and

finally, measure the kingdom. This chapter reflects King George's

court under the Warpole Government. The seventh sentences Gulliver to

hard labour in his leisure hours. Gulliver is allowed enough food to

support 1728 Lilliputians.

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