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znorgaard 's review for:
Gulliver's Travels
by Jonathan Swift
Gulliver's Travels is often considered a literary response to the portrayal of non-European civilizations in Robinson Crusoe and a commentary on the human condition. Perhaps disturbingly, the commentary is still relevant today.
Jonathon Swift uses Gulliver's inadvertent adventures to explore what different civilizations might look like. Swift uses these civilizations to draw parallels to problems he sees in his own country while avoiding the direct criticism of his monarchy, church, or state. In the first few misadventures we see extensive and detailed depictions of civilizations alien but reminiscent of our own before we get a whirlwind tour through several more countries culminating in Gulliver delivering treatises on the current and historical state of Europe to his "master" in what Gulliver believes to be a near perfect country. This structure creates a somewhat unbalanced structure where the first two parts feel drawn out with a quick tour of alternatives in the third part before landing in a land fit for philosophical waxing in the fourth part.
The first country Gulliver visits is a land of tiny people in the grips of conflict over which end you should start breaking your egg from. The big-endians vs the little-endians. Swift is attempting to point out the absurdity of most conflicts which he touches upon again in the fourth part of the novel. Here, Gulliver also begins to understand the fickle nature and absolute power of monarchs. Here, we also see a transparent government where the laws are simple and easy to understand.
Next up, Gulliver visits a land of giants. Here Swift explores how even those of the smallest stature (or significance) believe themselves to be on an equal footing with kings while kings seem them as nothing but an amusement or a pest. The support of simple laws that anyone might understand is emphasized again. Swift clearly has a bone to pick with legislators, judges, and lawyers.
In part three, Gulliver takes a quick trip through a handful of interesting countries. We see a floating city gifted in mathematics and music lacking reason and common sense. A land engrossed in inventing for the future to the detriment of the present. A denunciation of the idolization of earthly immortality.
In the fourth and final part of the novel, Gulliver's misanthropy becomes fully manifest. He lives among a people ruled by ration and reason. They have no government and no concept of falsehoods. They have brute beasts called Yahoos that are fit for little beyond hard labor and constantly squabble among themselves. In the Yahoos, Gulliver sees the rudiments of humanities vices. In taking with his master he draws parallels from the apparent instincts of the Yahoos and human vices which prevent Europe from being governed by ration and reason. Gulliver presents several treatises on the present and historical state of Europe paying particular attention to the squabbles of monarchs, the irrational and unreasonable existence of war, and a convoluted legal system which rarely if ever sides with the person in the right—instead siding with the one with the deepest pockets and taking everything from the loser of the case.
Swift offers a cornucopia (there's that infamous $5 word!) of criticism on the state of Europe. These sections are interesting and concerning for their relevance today. Many of the aspects of the different countries are amusing, comical, and wonderfully satiric. Unfortunately, the pacing of the novel feels off. It's slow to get going and slow to wrap up. Swift also gets bogged down in the details of his invented countries. There's an entire page or two on how exactly a magnet is rotated to move the floating city in specific directions. Unnecessary fluff. It's worth reading for the blatant criticism of an existing system, but it doesn't feel like a quick read.
Jonathon Swift uses Gulliver's inadvertent adventures to explore what different civilizations might look like. Swift uses these civilizations to draw parallels to problems he sees in his own country while avoiding the direct criticism of his monarchy, church, or state. In the first few misadventures we see extensive and detailed depictions of civilizations alien but reminiscent of our own before we get a whirlwind tour through several more countries culminating in Gulliver delivering treatises on the current and historical state of Europe to his "master" in what Gulliver believes to be a near perfect country. This structure creates a somewhat unbalanced structure where the first two parts feel drawn out with a quick tour of alternatives in the third part before landing in a land fit for philosophical waxing in the fourth part.
The first country Gulliver visits is a land of tiny people in the grips of conflict over which end you should start breaking your egg from. The big-endians vs the little-endians. Swift is attempting to point out the absurdity of most conflicts which he touches upon again in the fourth part of the novel. Here, Gulliver also begins to understand the fickle nature and absolute power of monarchs. Here, we also see a transparent government where the laws are simple and easy to understand.
Next up, Gulliver visits a land of giants. Here Swift explores how even those of the smallest stature (or significance) believe themselves to be on an equal footing with kings while kings seem them as nothing but an amusement or a pest. The support of simple laws that anyone might understand is emphasized again. Swift clearly has a bone to pick with legislators, judges, and lawyers.
In part three, Gulliver takes a quick trip through a handful of interesting countries. We see a floating city gifted in mathematics and music lacking reason and common sense. A land engrossed in inventing for the future to the detriment of the present. A denunciation of the idolization of earthly immortality.
In the fourth and final part of the novel, Gulliver's misanthropy becomes fully manifest. He lives among a people ruled by ration and reason. They have no government and no concept of falsehoods. They have brute beasts called Yahoos that are fit for little beyond hard labor and constantly squabble among themselves. In the Yahoos, Gulliver sees the rudiments of humanities vices. In taking with his master he draws parallels from the apparent instincts of the Yahoos and human vices which prevent Europe from being governed by ration and reason. Gulliver presents several treatises on the present and historical state of Europe paying particular attention to the squabbles of monarchs, the irrational and unreasonable existence of war, and a convoluted legal system which rarely if ever sides with the person in the right—instead siding with the one with the deepest pockets and taking everything from the loser of the case.
Swift offers a cornucopia (there's that infamous $5 word!) of criticism on the state of Europe. These sections are interesting and concerning for their relevance today. Many of the aspects of the different countries are amusing, comical, and wonderfully satiric. Unfortunately, the pacing of the novel feels off. It's slow to get going and slow to wrap up. Swift also gets bogged down in the details of his invented countries. There's an entire page or two on how exactly a magnet is rotated to move the floating city in specific directions. Unnecessary fluff. It's worth reading for the blatant criticism of an existing system, but it doesn't feel like a quick read.