top of page
Rachel

Critical Review of Gulliver’s Travels

The book, Gulliver’s Travels, written by Jonathan Swift three hundred years ago, talks about the traveler Lemuel Gulliver voyages to many different lands and islands from England, with different people and different institutions. He passed Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Laputa, Balnibarbi, Luggnagg, Glubbdubdrib, Japan and the land of the Houyhnhnms. It satirizes human nature and society. He finally meets the race he yearns for, but is cast out, and from then on his hatred of mankind and no longer associates with them.


In a country, the lord (king) is the core, the person who can ascend to the throne and have the power of the king, also has the duty as a ruler, is to lead the people and the development of the country. In Gulliver’s travels we see different king's lead different countries and peoples. A country would be better with a wise and enlightened king, but it would also be poor with a king who does all kinds of evil. In the land of the Houyhnhnms, the king is wise and intelligent, so the people there are also industrious, brave, kind, friendly, just and honest, and that makes Gulliver come to both admire and emulate the Houyhnhnms and their way of life, and hates Yahoo (man). In this story Gulliver faced many kings and they led different countries. That shows how important a ruler is, a fallen king will lead the country to ruin, but an enlightened king will make the country brilliant.


Lying is humen’s instinct. Don't even need to teach, every human naturally lies to hide our crimes, or for our own good to cheat someone else. Sometimes the lie could protect us from other people’s blame, sometimes could hide the truth, but most lies could harm a person. Every person lies, but not every creature. In the land of the Houyhnhnms, the horses are honest, they respect the truth. Why does Gulliver hate humans? Because humans are lies. Lying is instinct, however the Houyhnhnms can keep honest, so that's the reason Gulliver pays high respect to them and wants to join their household. Lying is a terrible thing, and could make people have a bad impression of you. We should always tell the truth and respect them.


There’s always a kind of people, they have their family, wife and children, they don’t lack money, they can have their life rich and noble, everyday entertainment, but they just can’t be able to stay at home. Gulliver is really similar to Robinson Crusoe, he doesn’t want to stay at home and wants to go outside, voyage to many other lands. The adventure he takes is very important to himself, but what he is doing is very irresponsible as a member of a family. He has his wife, his kids to take care of, his heart is never at home, but to the outside-world. Finally he came back home from the land of the Houyhnhnms, and never communicated with “Yahoo” again. Instead, he spent a lot of time talking to the horse. So I think, these adventures really can’t improve family infection.


Swift wrote this book to satirize British society at that time, and satirize human nature. Lilliputians fight with each other because of some little things, and it is a satire of the two factions in Britain at that time. And the author uses Laputa to satirize the scientist at that time, with no real ability. But the land of the Houyhnhnms is bright, the people there are wise, and finally Guliver develops an aversion to humans and wants to live with them shows the author longing for a better society.

4 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page