gulkliever travels aman

7/27/2019 Gulkliever Travels Aman

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Class IX

GULLIVERS TRAVELS - Vol. I for Term I

Part I & II A Voyage to Lilliput & A Voyage to Brobdingnag

Gulliver's Travels was unique in its day; it was not written to woo or entertain. It was an indictment, and it was most

popular among those who were indicted that is, politicians, scientists, philosophers, and Englishmen in general. Swiftwas roasting people, and they were eager for the banquet.

Gulliver's Travels is an adventure story (in reality, a misadventure story) involving several voyages of Lemuel Gulliver, aship's surgeon, who, because of a series of mishaps enroute to recognized ports, ends up, instead, on several unknownislands living with people and animals of unusual sizes, behaviours, and philosophies. However, after each adventure, he issomehow able to return to his home in England where he recovers from these unusual experiences and then sets outagain on a new voyage.

THEMES IN GULLIVERS TRAVELS

Refer to page number 10 and 11 in Volume 1 of your book ( Gullivers Travels , Crossbill Publishing Co.). Study the contentunder the headings- The Abuse of Power, The Absurdity of Pride and Knowledge Versus Wisdom.

SYMBOLISM, SATIRE AND ALLUSION

A symbol is something that stands for something else. The thing about Gulliver's Travels is everything stands forsomething else there's practically nothing in the whole book that isn't a symbol because it is written for the purpose of critiquing contemporary philosophies and customs. Nearly every person in this book stands either for a historical figure orfor an idea. Even in dialogue, men like the Brobdingnagian King are mouthpieces for different perspectives on morality

and governance.

Satire is a literary genre in which human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule. Although satire is usuallymeant to be funny, its purpose is often irony or sarcasm, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, religion, andcommunities themselves, into improvement. In Gulliver's Travels, satire is shown through narration, setting, character,and plot. Jonathan Swift uses utopia and dystopia as elements of setting, and he uses a flat character, miser and tyrant

type of character, moral touchstone, and grotesque to illustrate the character element of his satirical novel.

An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference to, or representation of, people, places, events, literary work,myths, or works of art, either directly or by implication. Gullivers Travels contains a large number of allusions tocontemporary political personalities and events. Many figures which seem to be imaginary to us were based on realpersons. A short list of allusions is given below-

Lilliput and Lilliputians symbolise England, its politics and political tactics. The Liliputian king represents the king of England, George I. Flimmap, the treasurer represents Sir Robert Walpole who was the Prime Minister of England. Rope dancing symbolises the skill of English politicians in parliamentary tactics and political intrigues. The ancient temple , in which Gulliver is housed refers to Westminister Hall in which Charles I was condemned to

death. The three fine silk threads awarded as prizes to the winner refers to the various distinctions conferred by the

English King on his favourites. The annoyance of the Empress of Liliput on extinguishing fire in her apartment by urinating is swift satirical way

of describing Queen Annes annoyance with him on writing A Tale of a Tub. High heel (Tramecksans) and low heel (Slamecksans) represents Wig and Tory two political parties in England. Through the Big Endians and the Little Endians Swift is ridiculing the conflict between the Roman Catholics and

Protestants.


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Blefuscu stands for France. The accusations that Lilliput makes against its neighboring island across the channel,that they are sheltering Big-Endian exiles and plotting against Lilliput, is a reference to the French harboringCatholic exiles.

CHARACTERS 1. LEMUEL GULLIVER

Gulliver is the son of a middle-class family in Nottinghamshire, England. He has studied medicine and has also served as an

apprentice under a master surgeon, Mr. James Bates . Gulliver is a normal, cheerful man with an optimistic outlookupon life. He is adventurous. He undertakes voyage after voyage in spite facing many dangers. It shows that he is a

man of hope. Even dangers cannot make him sit idle and enjoy life.

Gulliver is ardent lover of his country and people. He feels much offended with the remarks of the king of

Brobdingnag. He takes pride in his country and its achievements.

Gulliver is a quick learner. It is clear from the fact that it takes him only a few days to pick up a foreign language. Hewas an expert in making most of the situation. Though some conditions imposed on him are not honourable yet hedoes not grumble as he desired his freedom.

Gulliver stands for freedom and the dignity of man. He flatly refuses to destroy the people and resources of Blefuscu.

While doing so he does not care for his life. He faces a plot to bring about his ruin. He could have easily destroyedthe empire of Lilliput but rejects the idea, remembering the oath he made to the emperor, the favours he receivedfrom him and the title of the Nardac, the emperor conferred on him. Gulliver is kind also and his kindness saves the

denizens of Blefuscu.

Gulliver is a patriot to the backbone. At no point he reveals the faults of his country and simply paints its rosy andcosy picture. He is prudent and quite intelligent. He knows how to rise to the occasion. He sees the wisdom of theremarks of the king about his country but he never says that he is right in his observations. He gets all comforts but

that does not make him forget his family.

Gulliver is sentimental as well. While he is in the sky, he is concerned about the fate of Glumdalclitch. He remembers

her kindness.

Gulliver is a great story-teller and it is proved when the captain believes whatever he says. He is a memorablecharacter who cannot rest and give up on adventures.

2. THE LILLIPUTIANS

The Lilliputians inhabit the first island Gulliver visits. They all stand about six inches tall, with proportionally tiny buildings

and trees and horses. The Lilliputians are ruled by an Emperor who appoints his high court officials according to their skillswith rope dancing rather than their actual abilities. In other words, they're not exactly governed according to rationalprinciples. The court of Lilliput mostly seems to spend its time plotting against one another. Gulliver, unfortunately, formsone of the primary targets of these plots. His enormous size makes him both expensive and dangerous for the Emperor tokeep. So, even though he has made himself useful in Lilliput's wars against Blefuscu, Gulliver eventually has to flee the

country to avoid having his eyes put out.

Behind the disguise of his narrative, Swift is satirizing the pettiness of human nature in general and attacking the Whigs inparticular. By emphasizing the six-inch height of the Lilliputians, he graphically diminishes the stature of politicians andindeed the stature of all human nature.

3. THE LILLIPUTIAN EMPEROR

The emperor of Lilliput, Golbasto Momaren Evlame Gurdilo Shefin Mully Ully Gue was taller and had masculinefeatures with an Austrian lip and arched nose. His body and limbs were well proportioned. He was graceful to look


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and looked really majestic. He was quite young and was well settled on the throne. He had been in the saddle for

almost seven years. He wore a simple dress but looked really regal.

The Lilliputian Emperor represents the King of England at the time of the publication of Gulliver's Travels , George I. Georgewas a strongly pro-Whig king. The Emperor's vulnerability to manipulation by his ministers, Flimnap and Skyresh Bolgolam,implies that the actual King, George I, is too easily influenced by his favourites. Besides satirizing the man's government,Swift gets in a couple of quick jabs at his personal appearance: apparently George I was really unattractive. This makes

Gulliver's excessively admiring physical description of the Lilliputian Emperor kind of snippy.

The Emperor of Lilliput also loves war, and really wants to enslave the people of his neighbouring island, Blefuscu. WhenGulliver refuses to help him destroy Blefuscu's freedom, the Emperor starts to hate Gulliver. Some more qualities of theemperor can be elaborated under the following heads-

Hypocritical- doesnt practice what he preaches Undemocratic Ungrateful Susceptible to flattery

4. FLIMNAP AND SKYRESH BOLGOLAM

Flimnap is the treasurer of Lilliput; he quickly sides against Gulliver, thanks to some totally absurd rumours floating aroundcourt that Gulliver is having an affair with his wife. Flimnap joins the plots of Skyresh Bolgolam, admiral of Lilliput againstGulliver.

Like the Emperor, Flimnap and Skyresh Bolgolam both represent actual living people of Swift's period. Flimnap is RobertWalpole, the Whig leader who fell out of power in 1717 only to be saved by George I's mistress, who helped him back intopower in 1721. ( The King's pillow, which breaks Flimnap's fall during his rope dance, is probably a swipe at Walpole'sdubiously engineered return to office through the King's mistress ).

As for Skyresh Bolgolam, he could be the Earl of Nottingham, the peer who opposed Swift's candidacy for bishop or Dukeof Marlborough, a major contributor to England's part in the War of the Spanish Succession. Either way, Bolgolam is awicked character. He has no particular reason to hate Gulliver, but he does, as he feels jealous of him after his victory overBlefuscu. Bolgolam's prejudices lead directly to Gulliver's death sentence from the Emperor.

5. THE BROBDINGNAGIANS

The Brobdingnagians are the epitome of moral giants. Physically huge 60 feet tall their moral stature is also gigantic.

Brobdingnag is a practical, moral utopia. Among the Brobdingnagians, there is goodwill and calm virtue. Their laws

encourage charity. Though they are physically ugly when magnified, but they are morally beautiful. We cannot reject themsimply because Gulliver describes them as physically gross.

Set against the moral background of Brobdingnag and in comparison to the Brobdingnagians, Gulliver's "ordinariness"

exposes many of its faults. Gulliver is revealed to be a very proud man and one who accepts the madness and malice of

European politics, parties, and society as natural. What's more, he even lies to conceal what is despicable about them. The

Brobdingnagian king, however, is not fooled by Gulliver. The English, he says, are " odious vermin ."

Nevertheless, the Brobdingnagians are not without their flaws. Unlike Gulliver, who always considered the Lilliputians to

be miniature men, the Brobdingnagians cannot think of Gulliver as a miniature Brobdingnagian. Even the King, who is

sincerely fond of Gulliver, cannot view him as anything except an entertaining, albeit sly little fellow, one who is not to betrusted. The maids treat Gulliver as a plaything. To them, he is a toy, not a man, so they undress in front of him without a

thought of modesty, and they titillate themselves with his naked body.


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Gulliver's own ego becomes a subject of satire in this section of the novel. The Brobdingnagian King asks Gulliver if he is aWhig or a Tory, and then laughs. The difference between Whigs and Tories matters about as much to a Brobdingnagian

as the distinction between Lilliputian high and low heels matters to Gulliver.

Brobdingnag gives Gulliver a taste of his own medicine. On the last island, he was fed and clothed by thousands of servants. Now, he receives the services of Glumdalclitch, a 9-year-old who treats him like a doll. In Lilliput, Gulliver was agiant; in Brobdingnag, Gulliver is a midget. Swift uses this difference to express a difference in morality. Gulliver was an

ordinary man compared to the amoral political midgets in Lilliput.

6.6.6.6. THE BROBDINGNAGIAN KING

The king of Brobdingnag sticks to our memory even after the whole novel is read. Compared to him the Lilliputian

emperor looks more or less a caricature.

The king of Brobdingnag admires other cultures. He is a wise thinker and a keen observer. He is always eager to learnabout others cultures and countries. On his insistence, Gulliver tells him everything about England. He probes whathe knows by having discourse with him. This shows that he has an analytical mind. His wisdom is revealed in hissearching questions. As opposed to the Lilliputian Emperor, who primarily uses Gulliver as a weapon against Blefuscu, the

Brobdingnagian King wants Gulliver to teach him English governance in case there's something worth imitating there.Upon hearing these descriptions, the Brobdingnagian King answers that he cannot understand how the English avoidbribery, corruption, influence peddling, or hypocrisy, when there are no safeguards against these sins in their governmentsystem. In fact, the King concludes, most Englishmen must be " the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that natureever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth"

He is a man not obsessed with power or greed. For him governing means common sense, reason, justice and

leniency. He is not ready to learn the art of manufacturing a destructive agent just to overawe his subjects.

The king stands for the conscience of the truly civilised people of the world. His remarks are bold enough to presentthe people of so-called civilisation in their true colours. He sees black spots behind everything white and he is right in

his observation. The king is really a memorable character. His purpose is to direct the satire of the novel at England inan even more pointed way than the Lilliput chapters did.

7. GLUMDALCLITCH

Gulliver was carried home by the huge farmer. He had a daughter of nine years old. She was compassionate andcaring. She fixed up her dolls cradle for him to sleep and also made many clothes for him. No only this, she washedhis clothes. She was just like a little mother for him. She was always there to give him comfort, save him from any

anger and ridicule. She was his teacher as well. Whenever he pointed to anything, she named it lovingly. This way, he

picked up their language. They never parted and out of love Gulliver called her Glumdalclitch or little nurse.

The girl was emotional and sentimental. Learning about the money-minting plan of her father she laid Gulliver onher bosom and wept with shame and grief. She apprehended some mischief would happen to him.

The girl was utterly careful. When Gulliver was carried to neighbouring town, she did everything possible to make his

stay in the box comfortable. She even pretended fatigue to give some rest to Gulliver.

The girl was sentimentally attached to Gulliver and could read his move. When Gulliver requested to take in the

fresh air of the sea, she burst into a flood of tears, as if she had some idea and prediction about his great escape.

Gulliver carried her sweet memories in his heart.

PART -1 A Voyage to Lilliput

Q.1.What were the conditions imposed on Gulliver for setting him free?


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Gulliver sent many requests for his freedom and, ultimately, he was made to swear to some conditions. Theconditions were: one, Gulliver shall not leave Lilliput without prior permission. Two, he shall not enter the citywithout specific order. Three, he shall walk only on the high roads and not walk or lie down in a meadow or field of corn. Four, while walking he must take utmost care not to trample over the inhabitants, their horses and carriages.Five, for any urgent message, he shall carry the messenger and the horse, in his pocket and return them safe backhome. Six, he shall be against their enemies of the island of Blefuscu and do his best to destroy their fleet. Seven, heshall help the workers in construction work. Eight, he shall measure the exact boundary of Lilliput in two months.Last but not the least, observance of the above condition would entitle him to leave a daily allowance of meat and

drink. Gulliver swore to these articles cheerfully though some conditions were not honourable.

Q.2. Pen down enmity between the Tramecksan and Slamecksan. What was its fall out?

The cause of the enmity was the way an egg should be broken before it was eaten. It was the custom that the properway to cut an egg was to break it open at the larger end. The present emperors grandfather while doing so cut hisfinger. It was then commanded that all subjects should break their eggs open at the smaller end. The people dislikedthis arbitrary order so much that six rebellions were raised. One emperor lost his life and another, his crown. Aroundeleven thousand people suffered death rather than submit to that order. The royal family of Blefuscu encouragedthe rebels to keep pressure on the emperor of Lilliput. Many rebels fled to the kingdom of Blefuscu and took refugeover there. This created further ill-will between the two empires and the rebels grew so powerful in the court of Blefuscu that a bloody war had been carrying on for years. Blefuscu was ready to invade Lilliput.

Q.3. Blefuscu was no match for Gulliver. He prevented an invasion on Lilliput. Explain.

Blefuscu with a large fleet of ships was ready to invade Lilliput. The enemy fleet consisted of about fifty men-of-warand a great number of transport ships. Gulliver through his glass looked at the fleet of the enemy. He demanded thebars of iron and the strongest cable available. He prepared fifty hooks and headed for the coast. He walked into thewater and neared the fleet. The enemy soldiers were so frightened to see him that they jumped out of their ships.The enemy shot many arrows at him which did disturb his work. Gulliver put on his glasses to save his eyes. With allthe knots fastened he pulled the ships and enemys men-of-war behind him with great ease. The Blefuscudiansscreamed out of grief and despair. Gulliver arrived safe at the royal port of Lilliput. The emperor and his whole courtstood on the shore. Pleased with his efforts, the emperor conferred Nardac , the highest title of honour on him for

doing an impossible task for saving them.

Q.4. The empress was bent upon taking revenge. Why?

One day at midnight, Gulliver heard hue and cry as hundreds of people were at his door crying. Several peoplerequested him to come at once to the palace where her imperial Majestys apartment had been engulfed by a bigfire. The fire had erupted by the carelessness of a maid of honour. Gulliver rushed out. It was a moonlit night. Hehurried to the palace. He noticed people engaged in dousing the fire. But water being at some distance, the firecould not be extinguished and it was still blazing. Gulliver could save the empress with his coat but he had left itbehind in a hurry. It was clear that the palace would be reduced to ashes if nothing was done. An idea flashed acrosshis mind. He discharged himself and spread his urine over the flames dousing them. The palace was saved. But theempress did not like Gullivers act of urinating. She resolved never to use that part of the palace. Gulliver had openlyflouted the well-established norms and spoiled the sanctity of the palace. The empress got angry and she vowed totake the revenge.

Q.5. What were the articles of accusation against Gulliver for treason and other crimes?

Skyresh Bolgolam and his supporters prepared the articles of accusation against Gulliver for treason and othercrimes.Article 1 Gulliver has refused to obey the emperor when he was asked to destroy Blefuscu and all of the exiles. Like a falsetraitor, he asked to be excused from the said service.Article 2

Gulliver has helped the ambassadors although he knew them to be the servants of a prince who was recently anopen enemy to his Majesty (The Emperor of Lilliput).Article 3Gulliver is now preparing to make a voyage to the court of Blefuscu knowing very well that he is meeting an enemy.Article 4


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Gulliver has openly breached an enactment that whosoever makes water within the precints of the royal palaceshould be liable to the penalty of high treason. He has devilishly discharged his urine destroying the sanctity of thepalace.

Q.6. Narrate the diversions practised in the island of Lilliput.

The emperor of Lilliput had a mind to entertain Gulliver with diversions. One diversion was of the rope-dancersperformed on a tender white thread extended about two feet and twelve inches from the ground. This diversion was

practised by those persons who were candidates for great employments, and high favour at court. These candidatesentertained the king and the court with a dance on the rope and whoever jumped the highest without fallingsucceeded in the office. Even the chief ministers took part to prove that they had not lost their faculties. The

treasurer was to cut a caper on the straight rope. The principal secretary was also there to perform. These diversionswere often followed by fatal accidents. The danger was more when ministers were to show their dexterity. Most of them used to fall. Once Flimnap was about to break his neck. Another diversion was peculiar. The emperor held astick in his hands, both ends parallel to the horizon where candidates leapt over the stick or crept under it backwardand forward many times and the stick was advanced or depressed. Whoever proved more agile and held out thelongest leaping and creeping were given blue-coloured silk, red coloured silk and the green one respectively. These

diversions were full of risk and danger.

Q.7. Describe some funny situations based upon your reading of part -1.

A vein of humour runs through the whole of book one. Six inches human beings present a funny picture. Gulliverspresence among the tiny creatures adds more fun and makes the atmosphere funnier. Gullivers transport to themetropolis is amusing. What can be more humorous than seeing an army of pigmies feeding a mountain-man.Reading that six hundred beds of the Lilliputians are put together to make a single bed for Gulliver creates laughter.The reason of conflict between Big-Indians and Little-Endians can even make a gloomy person laugh. Similarly,conflict between the people wearing high-heeled shoes and low-heeled one is amusing. Even more amusing is theaccount of the heir to the throne, who, unable to make up his mind, wears one heel of his shoe higher than theother; resulting in a limp in his gait! Similarly, the practice of burying the dead with their heads directly downwards

and the belief that the dead persons would get up certainly amuses us. A scandal involving Gulliver and wife of Flimnap is amusing. While reading we certainly laugh at the inventive mind of the man who spreads the news of thatscandal. So, we see that not a single chapter of part 1 is devoid of mirth, fun and laughter. If we do not ponder over

this and read between the lines, fun and amusement look dominating.

Q.8. What is your reaction reading that the education of the children in Lilliput was not the responsibility of theparents?

It is a good thing that the education of the children in Lilliput was the responsibility of the state and not of the

parents. There were public nurseries in every town where the children of both sexes were brought up and educatedtill they attained the age of twenty moons. This system was a result of thinking that a child was not expected to feelany sense of obligation towards his parents for begetting him. This system must have inculcated parity amongst allthe children of the state. They must have picked up the virtues of justice, courage, modesty, religion and patriotismas these virtues were taught to each and every child without any distinction of high and low. The responsibility of thestate to impart education to children must have removed a crushing load and burden from the shoulders of theparents which they bear finding the best institutions for their childrens education. To me this system is productive

and beneficial in establishing true equality in a state.

PART -2 A Voyage to Brobdingnag

Q.1. In the island of Lilliput, Gulliver was at the top because of his huge size but in Brobdingnag he had to undergonumerous sufferings because of his short stature. Explain.


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It will not be wrong to say that the Lilliputians had to go with Gulliver because they were pigmies as compared to thehuge size of Gulliver. But in Brobdingnag, the situation was completely changed. Here, Gulliver had to suffer a lotbecause he was a play-thing for the giants of Brobdingnag. The farmers son lifted him high in the air. Had he

dropped him he would have died. Similarly, the tiny one year old son tried to him in his mouth and so on. The hugerats tried to harm him. The dwarf dropped him into a bowl of cream to kill him, a huge apple hit him, a hail stone hithim hard, a little dog put him in its mouth. Then a huge monkey picking him up ran to the roof. So much so the king

called him an insect , an abominable creature . Gulliver had to perform tricks to please the big sized creatures. His

short stature became an item of exhibition. The ladies floated him in a small boat like a toy just for theirentertainment. A box was Gullivers living palace. All these abnormal things happened because he was short in size.He was a Lilliputian for the huge creatures of Brobdingnag. Though he suffered because of his very short size yet it

was his size that saved his life.

Q.2. How was Gulliver made a show-piece in Brobdingnag?

Gullivers master carried him in a box to the neighbouring town. He alighted at an inn and hired a man to give noticethrough the town of a strange creature who could speak several words and perform a hundred diverting tricks. Toavoid the rush his master allowed thirty people at a time to see him. Standing on a table Gulliver used to follow the

directions of Glumdalclitch and did whatever she asked him to do. His master, for his own interest, would not allowanyone to touch him. Benches were set round the table at such a distance as put him out of everybodys reach. Allthe neighbouring gentlemen hearing of his fame came to see him at his masters own house. Gullivers masterminted a lot of money by making his show-piece. He demanded the rate of a full room whenever he showed him athome. Gulliver as a show-piece was shown in 18 large towns, besides many villages and private families. He wasshown ten times a day to the wonder and satisfaction of all the people. Though it was a hectic schedule, yet it helped

Gulliver to learn their language effortlessly.

Q.3. What was the effect of the hectic schedule of Gullivers exhibition by his master? How did he heave a sigh of relief?

Ans. The hectic schedule that Gulliver underwent everyday told upon his health. His masters greed went onincreasing. The more he got, the more he desired. There was no rest for Gulliver and he was almost reduced to askeleton. His master observed it and concluded that he would die soon. He resolved to mint the maximum amountof money out of Gulliver. When he was planning, a gentleman came from the court commanding him to bring thetiny creature immediately for the diversion of the queen and her ladies. The queen had already been told about thebeauty, behaviour and good sense of Gulliver. Her majesty and those who attended her were very much delighted tosee Gulliver perform different tricks. Gulliver fell on his knees and begged to kiss her Majestys foot. The queenoffered her little finger instead whose tip he kissed with his lip. She asked him a lot of questions and he answeredthem nicely. She asked him if he would be happy to live at court. He agreed to the queens request and the king

bought him. Finally, Gulliver heaved a sigh of relief as his ordeals had come to an end.

Q.4. Gulliver was not a coward but the queen frequently scolded him for his fearfulness. For her all the people of Gullivers country were coward. How did Gulliver prove that he was not a coward?

The queen frequently scolded Gulliver for his fearfulness and had nurtured a feeling that all the people of his countrywere cowards. The queen developed this feeling when she saw him fearing the flies. It was but natural for him tofear the flies because they were as large as pigeons and it was difficult for him to defend himself against so many of

them together. A little change came into the heart of the queen when she saw him cut the flies into pieces with hisknife. Soon Gulliver found an opportunity to demonstrate his courage.

One day when Gulliver was eating a piece of sweet-cake, about twenty wasps, louder than two dozen bag-pipersstarted humming around him. He was afraid of their stings. He stood up and used his knife to kill four of the

monsters and the rest flew away. He took out their stings which were an inch and half long each and as sharp asneedles. The demonstration of his courage made the queen admire him greatly.


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Q.5. Discussion between the king of Brobdingnag and Gulliver is interesting but there is hidden satire in it. Explain.

The discussion between the king and Gulliver, covered many departments of the political, religious and social-life of

England. Gulliver told the king about the English parliament, the members of which were selected on the basis of intellectual ability and moral integrity. He acquainted him with the English court of justice, management of the

treasury, the valour and achievements of the forces by sea and land, sports and pastimes. He finished with a brief historical account of affairs and events in England of the last hundred years. The king heard everything with great

attention. He put forward many doubts, queries and objections because he was a man of excellent understanding.He wondered to hear Gulliver talk of extensive wars and opined that people must be quarrelsome. He could notdigest the idea of mercenary standing army in the middle of peace and among free people. For him English historywas a heap of conspiracies, rebellions, murders, massacres, revolutions, punishments, the product of avarice, lust,

hypocrisy, madness and ambition. For the king, the bulk of English people was the most harmful race of strange-looking vermin that Nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth . In reality, Gulliver did endorse hisreactions as he knew what the reality was. Gulliver wants us to catch the true meaning. Whatever he said had black

shades. The kings reactions were also justified to a great extent.

Q.6. The kings doubts reflect a bold picture of the so-called civilized world. Explain.

After listening to Gullivers account of his country in detail the king was filled with many doubts. He wanted to know

what methods were used to cultivate the minds and the bodies of young English nobility; what qualities wereneeded to be new lords; what were the practices in electing the members of the parliament; what role moneyplayed in elections; what citizens paid to get justice; how a country could become bankrupt any second like a privatefirm or an individual; what was for the army in times of peace. Gulliver tried to pacify him. The king thoughtignorance, idleness and vice was the proper qualifications to be elected; laws were to help the law-breakers;corruption ruled all the institutions. He further told him that priests were not prompted by piety or learning; soldierswere not honoured for valour but for something else and judges attached to no importance to integrity. These

reactions must have stunned Gulliver as he knew that whatever the king told had much truth in it.

Q.7. The farmer, the dwarf and the farmers friend are a running commentary on human nature. Explain.

The farmer was kind, thoughtful and sensible in the beginning. He asked everybody in his house to treat Gullivernicely and even rebuked his son for hitting Gulliver. But there came a sudden change in his nature and he became

extremely greedy. He turned Gulliver into a money-minting machine. He started inflicting injuries to him. FindingGulliver of no use he was ready to part with him. He became inhuman and did not care for him who made him rich.He readily sold him off to the queen. He proved that money was a great head-turner and could turn a human into an

inhuman entity.

The dwarf could not tolerate the closeness of the queen to Gulliver. Earlier, he was the pet of the queen. He felt

jealous of Gulliver and left no chance slip to torture him. So much so, that he pushed him into a large bowl of creamto die. Once he thrust his body into a bone from which the marrow had been taken. The dwarf shows that jealously

can turn a man into a cruel creature.

An egoist cannot tolerate being laughed at. His anger makes him full of spite and he gets pleasure out of hurtingothers. Gulliver had made fun of the farmers friend and laughed at him. In order to take the revenge, he advised the

farmer to mint money out of Gulliver.

So we see provocations can change human nature from positive to negative.

Note on the title

Today, we call this novel Gulliver's Travels , by Jonathan Swift. When it was first published,it was called Travels Into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts by Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, then a Captain of Several Ships . And thisbook was explosive a clear attack on both the king of England, George I, and on the Whig government. Even though it


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became a huge bestseller, there was no way Jonathan Swift could attach his name to the novel's first edition. After all, hedidn't want to be arrested! So, the 1726 edition of Gulliver's Travels is anonymous and claims to be written by its maincharacter, "Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, then a Captain of Several Ships." Now, of course, we just call it Gulliver'sTravels for short with no mention of Lemuel Gulliver's supposed authorship except in the lengthy official title.

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