social satire in swift's gulliver's travel/ gulliver travel as a social satire

 

social satire in swift's gulliver's travel/ gulliver travel as a social satire 

Social Satire in Swift’s Gulliver’s Travel  

Jonathan Swift was born in Dublin, Ireland, on November 30, 1667. Jonathan Swift had two sons, the second of whom was Jonathan Swift's only child. Jonathan Swift was a satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer, poet, and preacher of Anglo-Irish descent.

"Gulliver's Travels" is a brilliant piece of societal commentary. Swift's era was characterized by a sense of self-satisfaction. Even though corruption was pervasive, the people remained content. As a result, Jonathan quickly removes the shroud of smug complacency that has blinded the people to reality. There is satire on politics, human physiognomy, intellect, etiquette, and morality in "Gulliver's Travel".

 Swift satirizes politics and political practices in England through Lilliputians, the six-inch-tall dwarfs, in the first voyage to Lilliput. He mocks the English king's practice of bestowing political offices during the time. Sir Robert Walpole, the Prime Minister of England, is represented by Flimnap, the treasure. Walpole's prowess in parliamentary tactics and political intrigues is represented by his tightrope dancing. Gulliver's ancient temple, where he is housed in lilliput, is a reference to Westminster Hall, where Charles-1 was sentenced to death. The Lilliputians had a strong sense of superstition:

 When Gulliver mentions the struggle between Big Endian and Little Endian, Swift's satire becomes much more funny. Swift mocks the struggle between Roman Catholics and Protestants in this narrative. The Whig and Tory political parties in England are represented by High Heel and Low Heel.

There is a brilliant satire on the human body, talents, and limitations in the second expedition to Brobdingnag. Gulliver expresses his displeasure with the human body's coarseness and ugliness. When Gulliver gives the king of Brobdingnag an account of life in his own country the king remarks that Gulliver's country's history appears to be a series of  rebellions, murders, revolutions, and banishments, among other things. The book published on the act of governing as well as the fatal use of gunpowder,  are condemned by King. The human race is mocked by King. he refers to human beings as little odious.

 

Swift mocks human arrogance and arrogance in this passage. The scene is very horrifying and revolting. A woman with cancer in her breast is among the beggars.

One beggar has a large tumor in his neck, while another has wooden legs. The sight of lice crawling over their garments, though, is the most repulsive.

There is a satire on philosophy, science and mathematics, human thinking, human intelligence in the third expedition to Laputa. His satire is not particularly biting. The pointless tests and researches being conducted at the Lugado projector academy amuse us considerably. scientists hope to extract sunbeams from cucumbers, turn human excrement into its original food, build houses from the roof down to the foundation, harvest silk from cobwebs, and produce books on a range of subjects using machines rather than the human brain.  

Swift amuses us by making fun of those who were passionate about music and geometry.

"They made lots of theories but practically nil"

There is a satire on human flaws in the fourth expedition to Houyhnhnms. Gulliver arrives in a country controlled by animals. There are Yahoos who are uneducated, unteachable, defensive, unreceptive brutes. 

Animals And Houyhnhnms, which are better and more attractive. He is greeted with yahoos as soon as he enters the nation, and they treat him in such a horrible and obnoxious manner that he develops a dislike for them. On the other hand, his first encounter with Houyhnhnms is a pleasant one. They protect him from Yahoos by acting correctly and graciously. Horses' conduct demonstrates that they are animals with a remarkable capacity for comprehension.

 Gulliver made the mistake of unduly idealizing them since he is a man who is fed up with man's wickedness. He is blind to human depravity. He considers Yahoos to be disgusting   and despicable because they are slaves to sentimentality,  emotions and sexuality. He develops a feeling of hate and animosity for them. he expresses that he has never seen such kind of brutes.

Houyhnhnms, while in a better state than Yahoos, lack the corruption that Yahoos do, because Houyhnhnms are emotionless.

"Houyhnhnms ae free from lust and greed" As a result of their pure intellect, he mis-idealizes Houyhnhnms. He think the only way to clear the world of man's filth and pollution is to eliminate all emotions.

As a result, we can see that Gulliver's Travels is a fantastic work of art that contains societal satire. Every satire is a reformer at heart. Swift's goal is to transform society by identifying its vices and flaws. And he satirizes political maneuvering, physical discomfort, intellectual follies, and moral flaws with aplomb.