Satirise in the First Two Voyages of Gulliver’s Travels?

What does Jonathan Swift

Satirise in the first two Voyages of Gulliver’s Travels?

It is evident that Gulliver's Travels, written by Jonathan Swift, is a misanthropic anatomy of human nature; a mockery of our society. Swift uses satire to great effect, in an attempt to display and criticise various vices of his country, strongly expressing his personal views, including his thoughts on underestimation, war and politics. He was well known for his sharp, biting wit, and his bitter criticism of all his nation’s ills. Swift used the tale of a susceptible traveller exploring strange lands to reveal some of the inane and ridiculous elements of his own country.

Gulliver’s first adventure takes him to Lilliput, a land of small bodied people who stood no more than six inches high, but had the power to seize the mighty Gulliver. During this time, Swift recognised that England was a relatively small country that had great influence on Europe and relates this phenomenon to the small stature of the Lilliputians. By comparing Lilliput to England, Swift is capable of humiliating England’s weaknesses.

For example, in describing the government of Lilliput, Swift explains that officials are selected based on how well they can play two games, Rope-Dancing and Leaping and Creeping. Swift also states that whoever performs well at these games is rewarded with a coloured silk.

By placing the politicians in rather ridiculous positions, Swift criticises English government, suggesting that no skill is needed to become a Member of Parliament, and that people in power are generally foolish and imprudent. Swift reinforces his opinion when he compares gaining the position of an MP to that of merely obtaining a coloured silk; evidently illustrating his view that the acquisition of such a title is just a worthless “prize”.

Besides satirising politics, Jonathan Swift criticises many other faults that he observed in England. The unexpected intrusion of giant Gulliver into the Lilliputians’ well-developed society reminds the European society that there is no way for Europe to be certain that a Gulliver-like giant might not arrive and conquer them at any moment. This encounter, between Gulliver and the Lilliputians would put Europe’s confidence in its power in jeopardy.

The final significant object of Jonathan Swift’s satire witnessed in Gulliver’s Voyage to Lilliput is England’s obsession for needless, avoidable wars.

Swift mentions that the Lilliputians have been at war with the Blefescan City for many years. They have been fighting over which side to break an egg. To any rational human, these arguments would be trivial. However, Swift wants to demonstrate that any conflict has the potential to become a significant threat. Just as the Lilliputians have trivial arguments, Swift relates these problems with Europe's governments. Swift allows the reader to look into the story and to conclude that these arguments are ridiculous. In the same way, outsiders may judge Europe's conflicts to be just as absurd.

Jonathan Swift’s use of satire in “A Voyage to Brobdingnag” is possibly even more obvious. However, this time it’s Gulliver who represents England. As Brobdingnag is a “perfect country”, Gulliver is severely humiliated, and made to look ignorant. In this “land of giants”, the King is evidently a fair, merciful ruler; but Gulliver seems as petty, vindictive and cruel as the