Do you think Jonathan Swift is a misanthropist?
Gulliver’s Travels is a notable literary work by Jonathan Swift. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Gulliver’s Travels.
Answer
Do you think Jonathan Swift is a misanthropist? Justify your answers.
Or, “Swift was a great humanist in spite of his being a misanthropist.”—Substantiate.
Or, Consider Swift as a great humanist.
Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was a famous satirist. He wrote “Gulliver’s Travels” (1726) to show the bad sides of people. Many think he hated people. This is called misanthropy. But some say he wanted people to change. They call him a humanist. In this book, Swift laughs at people’s pride, lies, and silly fights. He shows how bad society can be. But deep inside, he hoped for better. So, Swift was a critic, not a hater of mankind.
Hate of Yahoos: Swift shows strong hate for the Yahoos. They look like humans but act like beasts. They are dirty, greedy, and wild. Gulliver feels disgusted when he sees them. He says,
“Upon the whole, I never beheld in all my Travels so disagreeable an Animal, nor one against which I naturally conceived so strong an Antipathy.”
Swift shows how people act with no reason or truth. The Yahoos love money and fight often. This makes many people think Swift hates all humans. But he may just show how low people can fall if they forget good values.
Love for the Houyhnhnms: The Houyhnhnms are clean, wise, and kind. They never lie or fight. They live by reason. Gulliver loves them more than humans. He wants to live with them forever. He even avoids humans when he returns home. This part shows Swift’s dream. He wants people to be like the Houyhnhnms. It is not hate, but hope. He shows a better way of life. So, Swift does not hate people. He wants them to improve.
Satire with a Purpose: Swift laughs at kings, courts, and war. In Lilliput, people fight over how to break an egg. Thousands (11000) die in this silly fight. Six wars at different times occurred, as the issue violated their religious doctrine, which states:
“That all true Believers shall
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