Miall -- Engl 112: Analysis of passages from Gulliver's Travels

Engl 112:H1. October 30th 2008

Analysis of passages from Gulliver's Travels

Student's comments (selected and edited). Page numbers are from Norton.

Analysis

As satire; moral norm

Council unsure what to do with Gulliver: concerned not for him, but for harm he might do -- his diet might cause a famine; if they starved him his carcass might cause a plague. (987)
Political bodies that make decisions based on expediency and their own interests, rather than on moral grounds

Lilliputians' rope dancing; the higher they go the higher their position in court; Gulliver finds this cute, little opinion on its harmful aspects. (991)
Choosing candidates for political office according to an irrelevant ideal.

Cf. Presidential running mate chosen undemocratically.

Gulliver's terms and conditions: to include daily allowance of meat and drink sufficient for 1728 Lilliptians in return for demands for his assistance. (994-5) Makes Gulliver a tool, a possession, rather than an autonomous, sentient being; they propose to keep him alive for their purposes; suggests slavery

description of Emperor, "pleasant as the spring," etc. (994) Inflated attributes; implies powers in excess of mortal beings (let alone Gulliver)

Gulliver on the split between Blefescu and Lilliput. The "breaking of the egg" made out to be a very serious event, much to the amusement and disbelief of Gulliver. This occurs just before Gulliver is asked (ordered?) to take the Blefescuan fleet. Schism reflects the split between the catholic and protestant church in Europe of the period. (997) Satire on the small event that led to a great break between the nations. Is such an event any different from what happened in 18th C Europe? -- or the current evangelical christians compared with the moderates?

Plan to blind Gulliver or to starve him, and leave his skeleton as a monument for posterity. (1011) Compares to trophies of war and the glorification of brutality. Note: Gulliver reporting what another has told him (shifts point of view).

Gulliver attempts to convince the King of England's grandeur; King is horrified by the description; Gulliver tries to defend himself and his country, but secretly realizes the truth. (1030-31) Swift uses the character of the King to point out English follies: the King's critique gave way to enlightening the reader to the corruption and folly of the English government; cf. critique of colonization in Heart of Darkness.

Defamiliarization of the common ritual of shaving; is looked at from a completely different point of view; Gulliver reacts by fashioning shavings into a comb. (1041) A lot of importance placed on an insignificant event as shaving; blown out of proportion.

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Document prepared November 2nd 2008

Analysis	As satire; moral norm
Council unsure what to do with Gulliver: concerned not for him, but for harm he might do -- his diet might cause a famine; if they starved him his carcass might cause a plague. (987)	Political bodies that make decisions based on expediency and their own interests, rather than on moral grounds
Lilliputians' rope dancing; the higher they go the higher their position in court; Gulliver finds this cute, little opinion on its harmful aspects. (991)	Choosing candidates for political office according to an irrelevant ideal. Cf. Presidential running mate chosen undemocratically.
Gulliver's terms and conditions: to include daily allowance of meat and drink sufficient for 1728 Lilliptians in return for demands for his assistance. (994-5)	Makes Gulliver a tool, a possession, rather than an autonomous, sentient being; they propose to keep him alive for their purposes; suggests slavery
description of Emperor, "pleasant as the spring," etc. (994)	Inflated attributes; implies powers in excess of mortal beings (let alone Gulliver)
Gulliver on the split between Blefescu and Lilliput. The "breaking of the egg" made out to be a very serious event, much to the amusement and disbelief of Gulliver. This occurs just before Gulliver is asked (ordered?) to take the Blefescuan fleet. Schism reflects the split between the catholic and protestant church in Europe of the period. (997)	Satire on the small event that led to a great break between the nations. Is such an event any different from what happened in 18th C Europe? -- or the current evangelical christians compared with the moderates?
Plan to blind Gulliver or to starve him, and leave his skeleton as a monument for posterity. (1011)	Compares to trophies of war and the glorification of brutality. Note: Gulliver reporting what another has told him (shifts point of view).
Gulliver attempts to convince the King of England's grandeur; King is horrified by the description; Gulliver tries to defend himself and his country, but secretly realizes the truth. (1030-31)	Swift uses the character of the King to point out English follies: the King's critique gave way to enlightening the reader to the corruption and folly of the English government; cf. critique of colonization in Heart of Darkness.
Defamiliarization of the common ritual of shaving; is looked at from a completely different point of view; Gulliver reacts by fashioning shavings into a comb. (1041)	A lot of importance placed on an insignificant event as shaving; blown out of proportion.