Gulliver’s Travels : Themes
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.
Themes
Adventure and Curiosity: Gulliver is always eager to travel, explore, and discover new lands. His curiosity leads him to visit strange places like Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Laputa, and the land of the Houyhnhnms. Each place is different and full of surprises and dangers. The story shows that adventure and curiosity can lead to learning and growth, but they can also bring trouble and risks.
Human Nature and Society: The book is a study of human behavior, both good and bad. In every land, Gulliver sees different versions of humans and society. Some are very small and proud (Lilliputians), some are very big but simple (Brobdingnagians), some are too lost in science (Laputans), and some act like animals (Yahoos). Swift uses these strange lands to point out the problems in real human society- like pride, greed, selfishness, and stupidity.
Power and Politics: Power is abused in many forms throughout the book. In Lilliput, leaders fight over silly things, like which end of the egg to break or the height of shoes. The floating island of Laputa rules over others by force. The book shows that political leaders often make foolish or cruel decisions and care more about themselves than their people. Swift mocks (makes fun of) the rulers and the way governments work.
Reason vs. Passion: Throughout his travels, Gulliver meets societies ruled by strong emotions (like the Yahoos) and by pure reason (like the Houyhnhnms). Swift asks which is better: to be driven by feelings or to live only by logic. In the end, Gulliver admires the peaceful and wise horses, who live by reason, but he also becomes sad and lonely, forgetting how to live as a human.
Corruption and Hypocrisy: Swift shows that governments, science, laws, and even people’s daily lives can be full of corruption and hypocrisy. Judges are not always fair, wars are often started for silly reasons, and scientists waste time on useless inventions. Gulliver sees that people often pretend to be good or wise but are actually selfish or foolish.