In Gulliver’s voyage to Lilliput, he observes the nation and becomes heavily opinionated and he realizes the nation represents a narrow-minded humankind. In the novel, Gulliver’s predominant characteristics to the Lilliputians creates irony and shows human tendencies of power by the nation “prepar[ing] Articles of Impeachment…, for Treason, and other capital Crimes” (Swift 41). Swift portrays the nation to have a higher ranking than others but not realize the inability to recognize fault and corruption. When the Imperial Majesty of Lilliput wanted to use Gulliver’s strength to bring the enemy to Lilliput, Gulliver acknowledged the Imperial Majesty’s true intentions and refused; whereas others don’t agree with his views: “This open bold Declaration of mine was so opposite to the Schemes and Politicks of his Imperial Majesty, that he could never forgive me” (Swift 29). Because the Lilliputians are so hypocritical that they believe they can change Gulliver’s beliefs and ways; this implies a sense of satire. Furthermore, the reveals how Swift demonstrated irony in the aspect that Gulliver can't be defeated. In addition, this shows how the Lilliputians humanity revolves around being narrow minded and having a human mindset so driven to power and unreasonable capabilities is their greatest default.
Throughout his voyages, Gulliver begins to develop his own opinions of the people and places he sees, so when he reaches Brobdingnag, he realizes it represent a clean mankind. For example, when Gulliver went on his voyage to Brobdingnag, he found himself telling the King about an invention used for protection and wanted to teach his people how to use it in case of an emergency but “The King was struck with Horror at the Description I had given of those terrible Engines, and the Proposal I had made” (Swift 95). Swift demonstrates that Brobdingnag has different views than Lilliput, and would need protection due to their small size, and how Brobdingnag represents the pureness of humankind. Swift reveals a clash of how much size matters and influences power in the society. When Gulliver first arrived on his voyage to Brobdingnag, he found himself in a cornfield soon to realize tall farmers were cutting the corn. As Gulliver ran, this made Gulliver reminisce about his time in Lilliput: “I could not forbear thinking of Lilliput whose Inhabitants looked upon me as the greatest Prodigy that ever appeared in the World” (Swift 56). Because of his size, Gulliver realized how the Lilliputians felt when he first arrived to Lilliput and how he once felt superior to others. Gulliver registered the roles were switched and had a better understanding of how the Lilliputians felt due to his arrival. When he got sold to lived in the palace at Brobdingnag, he came across a child and a Nurse and found himself horrified: “I must confess no Object ever disgusted me so much as the sight of her monstrous Breast” (Swift 60). Swift is revealing Gulliver to constantly be aware of his perspective by using irony. As Gulliver is put into these scenarios and realizes his effect on the Lilliputians; Gulliver self reflects and notices humans also have imperfections. Swift also implies the difference with humankind in Lilliput and Brobdingnag: “The frequent Labours I underwent every Day, made in a few Weeks a very considerable Change in my Health” (Swift 67). Gulliver was treated as a tool in both nations, but the greed of the Lilliputians overlooked the dangers they put Gulliver through; whereas the Brobdingnags didn’t let greed overcome them. Swift emphasizes on the clashing of superiority between Lilliputians and the Brobdingnagians to show how during that time period it was more about power than influence. As Gulliver heads to Laputa, he observes the nation and its academic philosophies and notices how restricted and impractical they are to their education. For example, when Gulliver visits the Laputa’s Lagado Academy, he is awed at one of many experiments to turn “reduced human Excrement to its original food” (Swift 132). Swift ridicules the Enlightenment period and shows how instable it was for the Laputans to not expand their knowledge and jeopardizing the whole nation by not focusing on bigger matters. The Laputans focus on academic education allowed them to have a blind spot for matters that occured around them: “The Women of the Island have Abundance of Vivacity; they contemn their Husbands, and are exceedingly fond of Strangers” (Swift 119). Swifts shows irony because most of the Laputan men are so self absorbed in the region of knowledge; that they lack common sense and skills that end up affecting their morals and relationships. Furthermore, for an academy to have resources and technology and end up not using it to amplify the standards of life for mankind shows Swift’s satire. Also it is ironic that in this nation, the people who are outsiders, they don’t exceed in their requirements (math and music), are the most enlightened. In addition, this shows how Swift created the Lilliputians humanity to show how the structure of the Laputa Island symbolizes the corrupt human mindset and structural beliefs.
Gulliver encounters the Houyhnhnms and notice they use their mind in situations and portray the honor in humanity and feels the most connected to them: “I entered on a firm Resolution never to return to human [k]ind, but to pass the rest of my [l]ife among these admirable Houyhnhnms” (Swift 154). Swift portrays them to all be equal in the aspect of having their own lives but being entitled to “perfect health of body, and tranquillity of mind” (Swift 209). Swift mentions how they all contribute to creating the better good in their nation and therefore aren’t associated with mankind's destructions (illness and crime). They believe their humanity doesn’t revolve around getting attached to things that entitle them of their identity and make them vulnerable to emotion. Because they find him more fitting as a Yahoo, Swift signals a deeper meaning in the Houyhnhnms when Gulliver is conflicted at his presence clashing the beliefs of the Houyhnhnms and becomes banned from their nation. Swift conveys that their humanity isn’t built on the idea of prospering from human traits and a humane society but to inspire humans with their lifestyle.
When Gulliver soon encounters the Yahoos, he realizes they seem to mirror a human and notices common traits such as: “the most restive and indocible, mischievous and malicious” (Swift 205). Swift makes them represent the evil in mankind such as violence and greed and signifies how humans have natural instincts, they can choose to identify themselves as: pure or corrupt, and since the Yahoos always choose to identify themselves as dishonorable; they are indeed not humans at all. Soon, Gulliver encounters Don Pedro de Mendez and is shocked at his humanized nature and “to find such Civilities from a Yahoo” (Swift 218). Swift shows how Gulliver’s true nature changes when he notices how Don portrays the typical human nature. When Gulliver returns to his family, he finds it difficult to adapt to life: “I could not endure my Wife or Children in my Presence” (Swift 220). For the first time, Swift shows the readers to see the manifestation of humankind through his eyes and not Gullivers.
Throughout Gulliver’s journey, the readers see him create his own opinions and question the rules of a society. Gulliver realized that each lifestyle had a shortcoming and it was eventually their weakness and by not acknowledging the bigger picture; it held them back from achieving more in their nation.
Work Cited
Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver's Travels. Vol. 3, ser. 2, Dover Publications, 1996.