Jonathon Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels Essay - 2951 Words

Humankind as the Balance of Rationality and Passion â€Å"A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnhnms† Jonathon Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels takes place in four parts, each of which describe Gulliver’s adventures with fantastical species of foreign nations. The search for Swift’s meaning has been a controversial one; the novel has been interpreted along a wide spectrum ranging from children’s story to a satire of human nature. The greatest debate lies within the realm of satire, and Part Four of Gulliver’s Travels, â€Å"A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnhnms,† is just one area in which critics argue for a variety of satirical meanings. Critics traditionally argue for the â€Å"hard† interpretation which posits the strictly rational nature of the†¦show more content†¦(501) There are many instances in which the Houyhnhnms are depicted in a positive light, and one such case is Gulliver’s revelation that â€Å"The Houyhnhnms have no world in their language to express anything that is evil, except what they borrow from the deformities or ill qualities of the Yahoos† (Swift 2413). In addition, Gulliver reflects upon periods where he was in the company of conversing Houyhnhnms as he expresses: Nothing passed but what was useful, expressed in the fewest and most significant words; where (as I have already said) the greatest decency was observed†¦where no person spoke without being pleased himself, and pleasing his companions; where there was no interruption, tediousness, heat, or difference of sentiments. (Swift 2414) A sense of emotional resiliency is also expressed as Gulliver describes the circumstances surrounding the death of a fellow Houyhnhnm. He writes, â€Å"They†¦are buried in the obscurest places that can be found, their friends and relations expression neither joy nor grief at their departure; nor does the dying person discover the least regret that he is leaving the world† (Swift 2413). While these are all characteristics that can be seen in a virtuousShow MoreRelatedThe Downfall And Vice As A Tale Of A Tub And The Battle Of The World Essay2058 Words   |  9 PagesThe prominence of Jonathon Swift and his work is undeniable in the Eighteenth Century. Swift’s emergence into the literary world was spurned on by writing about politics and religion with his strong opinions and wit. Other famous works by Swift include A Tale of a Tub and The Battle of the Books based on the corruptions in religion and learning at the time. Swift’s works in literature were often written to further a cause or reaction. The idea of the antagonising satirist is reiterated in a conversationRead More Comparing Platos Republic and Gullivers Travels Essay838 Words   |  4 PagesPlatos Republic and Gullivers Travels      Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Republic, Plato attempts to define the ideal state as it relates to the tripartite division of the soul. In this division, wisdom, the rational characteristic of the soul, is the most valuable and important. In the ideal state the ruling class would be the guardians, those who maintain rationality and will operate according to wisdom. 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The American HeritageRead MoreThe Shock Factor of A Modest Proposal by by Johnathan Swift 789 Words   |  3 Pagesseriously and the blatant sometimes over-the-top sarcasm occasionally used, several parts of it would cause an uproar and quite possibly a revolution if implementation were ever attempted, and there was even a hint that enforcement of it was to occur. Jonathon Swift was born on the 30th of November 1667 in Dublin, Ireland and died on the 19th of October 1745 in the same (Johnathon Swift). He father died before he was born and his mother had a hard time supporting him on her own. She ended up giving himRead MoreWhat Divided Whigs and Tories in the Reigns of William Iii and Queen Anne (1688-1714)?2936 Words   |  12 Pagessacrifice that simply had to be made to ensure future stability through Protestant dominance not just in Britain, but throughout mainland Europe[20]. Tory attitude to William’s wars are perhaps best encapsulated in Tory writer Jonathon Swift’s satirical classic â€Å"Gulliver’s Travels†: â€Å" He wondered to hear me talk of such chargeable and extensive wars; that, certainly we must be a quarrelsome people, or live among very bad neighbours†¦He asked what business we had out of our own islands, unless upon the