Concetti Chiave
- Jonathan Swift grew up with his uncle after his father's death and pursued education in England, eventually working as a secretary for Sir William Temple.
- Swift's career in the church was hindered by his satirical writings, which also became his hallmark, seen in works like "Gulliver's Travels" and "A Modest Proposal".
- "Gulliver's Travels" follows the journey of a ship's physician exploring four imaginary lands, each offering unique societal insights.
- The novel presents a social satire targeting English institutions, politics, and human nature, reflecting Swift's critique of society.
- Swift earned a reputation as a defender of liberty and justice, but later in life, he began to lose his memory.
Jonathan Swift & "Gulliver's Travels"
Since childhood, Swift lived with his uncle because his father died before his birth, and his mother had to live with relatives in England .
He had the chance to attend the best schools in the country, but he was forced to move to England, where he began to work as a secretary to Sir William Temple.
Swift wanted to pursue a career in the church, but his satirical writing made it impossible.
His genius for satire pervades his famous novel “ Gulliver’s Travels” and his satirical pamphlet “A Modest Proposal”.
After earning the reputation as a champion of liberty and justice, he began to lose his memory.
Gulliver’s Travels
“Gulliver’s Travels” is the story of a ship’s physician who explores imaginary foreign lands.
The book is divided in four saparate travels :
• In the first travel, Gulliver finds himself in the society of the tiny Lilliputians .
• In his second travel, he lands in the country of the gigantic Brobdingnags
(so he began to feel as unimportant as the Lilliputians have felt towards him).
• In his third travel, Gulliver reaches Laputa, an island where people are interested only in abstract speculations .
• In his last travel, he arrives in the land of Houyhnhnms, intelligent horses who rule their perfect island, attended by creatures called Yahoos (whom are a kind of human being).
When he return to England, he realises that he prefers the company of horses .
Gulliver’s Travels is a social satire on English institutions, politics and values.
In fact, Swift’s ultimate goal is to focus on the condition of man itself.
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