How did the King of Brobdingnag receive Gulliver?
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
How did the King of Brobdingnag receive Gulliver?
In “Gulliver’s Travels” (1726), the King of Brobdingnag meets Gulliver with surprise and care. At first, he thinks Gulliver is a toy or a machine. But later, he sees that Gulliver is a real man. The king talks to him, listens to him, and judges his ideas. Their talks show two very different ways of thinking.
First Meeting Surprise: When the queen brings Gulliver to the king, he cannot believe his eyes. At first, he thinks Gulliver is made of clockwork. Later, he understands that Gulliver is a tiny, living human. He becomes curious about him and wants to learn more. This shows that the king is not rude or cruel. He tries to understand Gulliver with care and respect.
Talks about England: The king asks Gulliver about his country. Gulliver proudly tells him about England’s government, wars, and science. The king listens carefully. But he is shocked by the violence in English history. He asks many deep questions. In the end, he says that English people sound like:
“The most pernicious life race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth.”
The king finds their world full of pride, cruelty, and foolish ideas.
Gunpowder Rejected: Gulliver offers the king the idea of gunpowder. He thinks it is a great gift. But the king is horrified. He says that such a deadly thing should never be used. He refuses the offer with strong words. He describes this in the following manner:
“Heap of conspiracy, rebellion, murder, massacres, reveloution and banishment.”
In short, the King of Brobdingnag receives Gulliver kindly, but with wisdom and care. He listens but also judges what Gulliver says. In the end, the king’s strong ideas help Gulliver see the faults of his own country. Through this meeting, Swift shows us a better way to think about power, peace, and pride.