University College Dublin, Faculty of Arts, School of English and Drama
Seminar: “Gulliver’s Travels”, 2nd April 2006

Analysis of the nature of Swift’s satire in Gulliver’s Travels -
Targets, techniques and effectiveness

by

Reni Ernst

Contents

I. Introduction... 2

II. Analysis of the nature of Swift’s satire in Gulliver’s Travels - Targets and techniques - ... 3

III. Effectiveness of Swift’s satire in Gulliver’s Travels... 9

Bibliography... 10

I. Introduction

In 1726 Jonathan Swift published Gulliver’s Travels, a book which on the surface appeared to be a travel log to chronicle the adventures of Lemuel Gulliver on his voyages to four separate countries, but primarily serves as a satire on different aspects of human society and humankind itself. Swift’s main purpose in using the satirical element in this book, as well as in most of his other works, is to “(…) vex the world rather than divert it (…)” (Swift 264) and thus to appeal to human’s ability to change situations for the better. This believe derived from Swift’s misanthropic worldview, not in the sense that he didn’t have faith in human nature and had given up on any notion of ideals, but he rather, arisen out of disappointment in humankind, believed that man nevertheless was capable of reform. Swift himself laid bare his radically negative view of human beings in a letter to his friend Alexander Pope in 1725: “I have ever hated all Nations professions and Communityes and all my love is towards individualls for instance I hate the tribe of Lawyers, but I love Councellor such a one (…) and the rest principally I hate and detest that animal called man, although I hartily love John, Peter, Thomas and so forth.” (Swift 264/ 265) Accordingly Swift’s focus lies on the individual himself to realize unjust circumstances and to change them by acting. In order to achieve changes in society or even in human beings themselves, Swift makes use of different satirical techniques, which will be closer looked at in each of the four books of Gulliver’s Travels, paying attention to Swifts targets and consequently to the effectiveness of his satire.

II. Analysis of the nature of Swift’s satire in Gulliver’s Travels - Targets and techniques -

Although the contents of the book consist of the fantastic nature of Lemuel Gulliver’s tales, Swift inserts these stories into a contrasting framework by incorporating nautical jargon, a detailed description of Gulliver’s journey at sea in a plain and simple narrative style and thus creates an appearance of realism which makes the reader stand in dubiety in what to believe is true or not.

“Sometimes Gulliver’s Travels is infuriating in its insistence on detail, especially
when Gulliver is in between countries and the circumstances of his movement are
not very interesting in themselves. (…) We know that the voyage framework is
just a convenience rather than a geographical guide – and (…) we no longer care
about Gulliver’s authenticity and veracity (…).” (Hunter 223/ 224)

This reliable framework nevertheless is necessary as to offer the reader a trustworthy base for the satire in the story, a base which the reader easily can imagine in his real life in contrast to the exotic countries Gulliver discovers. As Suarez points out, “(…) Swift’s fictions and parodies construct a network of details leading readers to the repeated exercise of their critical judgment.” (Suarez 121) Once Swift had laid the foundation with this credible framework, he could slip in his satirical remarks into the narration of Gulliver’s four voyages.
Much of Gulliver’s first voyage to Lilliput criticizes aspects of 18th century English society, particularly demonstrates court intrigue and the arbitrary inconsistency of court favor as a crucial shortcoming. This is expressed in the peculiar customs of the Lilliputians, whose ministers are appointed dependent on how high they can jump over a rope. Furthermore the nation of Lilliput has been at war with their neighbours from Blefuscu since a quarrel broke out about which end of an egg to break first.

[...]