SWIFT:GULLIVER'S TRAVELS

1. How did Lemuel Gulliver come to Lilliput?
2. How was Gulliver taken to Mildendo, the capital city of Lilliput?

Lemuel Gulliver was the son of a land owner in England, His ambition was to travel and hence he became a doctor. As a doctor on board a ship, he travelled all over the world. Gulliver’s Travels is the strangest story of the voyages he undertook. In Part I, Gulliver tells the story of his shipwreck on the island of Lilliput.
In May, 1699, the journey started. Near the coast of Sumatra, a terrible storm arose. The ship was broken into pieces by the tidal waves. All died except six of the crew. Gulliver was one of the crew who escaped in a boat. After travelling three miles, the boat was turned over by a mountainous wave; Gulliver was the only man to swim the land. The land to which he came was a strange and lonely place. He was tired and soon he fell asleep on the grass.
When he woke up, he could not move as his legs and hair were tied down to the ground. He heard the hum of feeble voices. He was frightened and puzzled. Now he felt the movement of a large insect like being. When it came into his sight, he could see a tiny man less than six inches high. Along with the tiny man, forty little men were marching on Gulliver’s chest with bows and arrows. When he cried out, all ran away. Then all came back and climbed over his body. Gulliver could not understand their language. When he freed his left arm, loosened his hair and seized the little men, they ran away once again but hit his hand with a hundred arrows. He decided to lie still.
More and more little men came around Gulliver and built a stage about 18 inches high. An important officer climbed to the top of the stage and made a long speech. From the speech, Gulliver guessed that he had come to a country called ‘Lilliput’. After the speech, he put his finger in his mouth showing that he was hungry. He was given many baskets of meat and vegetable which were small in size. Barrels of water were brought for him. The Lilliputians danced on him with excitement. Then an official came up his chest with an order from the king of Lilliput that Gulliver should be taken to the capital city, Mildendo. The Lilliputians made Gulliver sleep with medicine mixed in water.
Five hundred carpenters and engineers built a cart to carry Gulliver to Mildendo. The cart was seven feet long and four feet wide. Nine hundred strong men lifted Gulliver on the cart with ropes. Fifteen hundred horses (each four inches high) pulled the cart. After travelling for two days, Gulliver reached Mildendo. Many people had come there to see the arrival of man-mountain (Gulliver was called so). The king had come with his family and servants. Until Gulliver was securely tied, the king was not allowed to see him. A house (once a temple) was ready for Gulliver. Though it was a big building, it was too small for Gulliver. He was just able to creep and lie down there. He was tied with ninety chains and thirty three locks.
The king who was watching from a tower came down now and had a close look at Gulliver, the man mountain. He spoke at him several times. But neither of them understood the other. Priests and lawyers tried to speak to Gulliver. Gulliver replied in the languages he knew. Nobody understood him. Some citizens foolishly shot arrows at Gulliver. The captain of the guard prevented this. As a punishment, he captured six of them and gave them to Gulliver. The crowd was afraid now. Then Gulliver took them in his right hand and put five of them in his coat pocket. With an angry face, he pretended to eat the sixth man. He took the pen knife. Everyone pitied him. Gulliver put him gently on the ground. One by one ,the other five prisoners were released. The crowd was relieved .The soldiers and the people were pleased by Gulliver’s kindness.

3. How did Gulliver make friends with the people of Lilliput?

After Gulliver was taken to Mildendo, crowds of people came to see him from every corner of the island. Villages were almost empty. The farm work was neglected. The king ordered that no one could visit Gulliver more than once. Many advisers warned the king of the danger of keeping Gulliver alive. They feared that Gulliver might destroy the kingdom with his great strength or ruin Lilliput if the people had to provide him with a large quantity of food. The advisers wanted Gulliver to starve or to be killed with poisoned arrows.
The king, pleased with Gulliver’s gentle behavior and kindness towards six prisoners decided to keep him alive. He ordered the villagers near Mildendo to bring sixty cattle, forty sheep, and a great quantity of bread and milk everyday. Six hundred servants were employed to look after Gulliver. Three hundred tailors were set to work to make a suit of clothes. (Gulliver got down on his knees so that the tailors could climb up his shoulders using ladders. Tapes were dropped to the ground and Gulliver was measured.). Clothes were made of hundreds of small pieces.
Three hundred cooks lived in huts near Gulliver’s house. He made himself a low table and a chair. His meals were served on this table. He would eat fifty or sixty dishes of their food. One day the king with his family dined with Gulliver. Every one was happy except the Treasurer (who was worried about the cost). Six of the king’s wisest teachers taught Gulliver the language of Lilliput. Very soon he learnt it. The king himself helped him in the lessons .Gulliver’s first request was to give him freedom.The king replied that before Gulliver was released, he must be sure that the latter would do no harm to Lilliputians. Then Gulliver’s pockets were checked by the officers so as to remove any weapons.Gilliver helped them to do the search. He handed over the gun to them (Before that he fired it once into the air and those around him fell to the ground in fear) His sword was also taken from him.
Gulliver was gentle with the Lilliputians in order to earn liberty. Sometimes he would let people dance on his hand. He allowed boys and girls to play ‘hide and seek’ in his hair. Now he began to talk about tight-rope dancing. Applicants for official posts had to prove their skill in this sport. Those who jumped highest on a white thread hung three feet above the ground were judged successful in the examination. Many were killed. Gulliver arranged an entertainment for the king. He made a platform by tying his handkerchief to the tops of nine trees. A small army of soldiers and horses marched about on it and gave the king much amusement. One day it had to be stopped as a horse ‘kicked’ and put a hole in the handkerchief. A written agreement was drawn up after the king was sure of Gulliver’s friendship. The king decided to set Gulliver free on condition that he should not leave the kingdom without permission, that he should not injure anybody that he was not to enter Mildendo without warning that he had to keep to the main roads and not lie down in the main fields. Gulliver agreed to deliver any express letters for the king and to help the workmen in lifting heavy stones for the royal palace. For these promises, he was untied and given freedom. Food was sent to him everyday. He was treated with kindness and consideration.

4. How did Gulliver defeat the enemies of Lilliput?


Gulliver came to know that there was a hatred between the two political parties of Lilliput, called the High Heels and the Low Heels were in power. At present the Low Heels were in power. The king wore heels lower than those of anyone else in the country. The people of Lilliput were worried because the heir to the throne wore one high heel and one low heel giving an impression that he might favour his High Heel friends in government offices.
Lilliput was also in danger of invasion from abroad-especially from an island called ‘Blefuscu, as large and powerful as Lilliput. The Lilliputians thought that there were no other countries except their own and Blefuscu. The two countries had been at war with each other for three years.The cause of the war was ridiculous. The great grandfather of the present king of Lilliput made a law that everyone in Lilliput had to open the eggs at the smaller end. The reason was that when his son (the grandfather of the present king) cut his finger when he broke an egg at the big end. This law made the people angry. They did not want to change their habit of opening the eggs at the big end. Hence there were six rebellions in Lilliput. One king had lost his life and another his crown during rebellions.
The rebels had moved to Blefuscu. They were called ‘Big Endians’. The Big Endians were helped by the king of Blefuscu. At the time Gulliver arrived, Lilliput was weaker than Blefuscu. Blefuscu had a powerful fleet of ships. Gulliver sent a message to the king of Lilliput that he was ready to risk his life for protecting Lilliput against Blefuscu.
The island of Blefescu lies northeast of Lilliput. The strip of water is six feet deep in the middle. Gulliver examined the enemy fleet by looking across the water. Fifty warships like toy boats and a large number of ships were ready for the attack. Gulliver wanted to take immediate action as Lilliput had only a few ships. He prepared a long rope and fifty hooks. He swam across the water with the rope and hooks. The enemies were frightened when he rose out of water. He didn’t hurt anyone when they jumped over board from their ship. He fastened the hooks to the front of each warship and tied them together on the rope. Before he finished his work, the enemies shot poisoned arrows at him. Though they caused pain, Gulliver began to pull on the rope but the ships didn’t move as they were anchored. He cut the anchor ropes with his pen knife. Then he safely swam to Lilliput with the ships while the enemies shouted with helpless anger. The king of Lilliput with a great crowd of people received Gulliver with praise. He also honoured Gulliver with the highest title Nardac. Thus Gulliver defeated the enemies of Lilliput.


5. How did the enemies of Gulliver plan to destroy him?

After Gulliver defeated the enemies of Lilliput, the king of Lilliput wanted to make Blefuscu into a colony of Lilliput. He wanted Gulliver to capture the rest of the Blefuscu ships. As Gulliver did not like to carry on the quarrel between the two countries, the king became angry with him. When Gulliver asked the king to allow him to visit the king of Blefuscu, the king began to suspect him.
One night a friendly officer went to Gulliver’s house and informed him that the Treasurer in the kingdom to Lilliput had accused Gulliver of disloyalty to Lilliput. The officer also told Gulliver that the latter was going to be put to death. The Treasurer and his friends advised the king to burn Gulliver alive or to kill him with poisoned arrows. The king intended to put Gulliver’s eyes out and to starve him slowly to death. After listening to plan of the king of Lilliputian from the friendly officer, Gulliver decided to run away. He was not ready to wait patiently for punishment.
Gulliver wrote a letter to the king that he wanted to be away for a few days and would come back soon. He pretended ignorance regarding the plan of the king to kill him. Taking one of the warships with him, Gulliver swam across the ocean and reached Blefuscu.
When Gulliver reached the island of Blefuscu, all the little people there ran about in all directions like ants out of fear. Gulliver left the ship with all his possessions in the water and sought the help of guides to go to the capital city of Blefuscu, all. He showed the people that he had come as a friend by his behaviour. With the help of two little guides Gulliver reached the town and met the king of Blefusco. He did not tell him the hatred of the king of Lilliput. He lay down on the ground and kissed the king’s hand to show his friendship. The king of Blefusco received Gulliver with kindness and ordered his servants to make him comfortable. Gulliver stayed on the island of Blefescu for a few days and planned for his escape to his own country.
6. How did Gulliver escape from his enemies and returned to his own country?
Though Gulliver came to the island of Blefuscu and enjoyed a comfortable stay, he did not feel safe. He wanted to return to his own country and his family. It was difficult for him to build a big boat in Blefuscu for his sea voyage. One day he saw a big boat floating upside down on the water. He sought the help of the king of Blefuscu to bring to land. The king lent him ten of his biggest ships and three thousand sailors under the command of an Admiral. With their help, Gulliver brought the boat to the land. He made some oars from the biggest trees and rowed the boat. The people of Blefuscu wondered at the size of the boat.
Now Gulliver needed much help to make the boat ready for the journey- sails, food and drinks. Before he got the help from the king of Blefuscu, the king of Lilliput had sent a message that Gulliver should be sent back to Lilliput for punishment. He added that Gulliver had to be bound head and foot. The king of Blefuscu secretly asked Gulliver to enter his service. As Gulliver did not like the service of kings, he replied that he had to return to his country. This reply was acceptable to the king of Blefuscu and he wrote to the king of Lilliput that it was very difficult to bind Gulliver head and foot. He also told the Lilliputian king that Gulliver was ready to sail away in the newly found boat to his country.
Without waiting for an answer, the king of Blefuscu gave Gulliver all that he needed. Sails and masts were ready. Gulliver made the ropes himself. He packed the boat with the meat of one hundred cattle and three hundred sheep, six live cows, two bulls and sheep were added to the stores of Gulliver. The king forbade Gulliver to take any of the little people with him. He gave him as a present fifty purses, each containing two hundred gold coins and a life size of painting of himself. Gulliver said good bye to all and sailed away, leaving behind the strange countries of Lilliput and Blefuscu. There was good wind behind him and in three days he was able to see a ship bound for England. The captain of the ship welcomed Gulliver with kindness and thus Gulliver reached his country.
Satire and Allegory in Gulliver’s Travels
‘Gulliver’s Travels’ was one of the last works of Swift to be published during his exile in Ireland (1726). While in London, Swift along with Pope others formed ‘Scriblerus Club’ and planned a satire on the vices of mankind in the form of the ‘Memories of Martin Scriblerus’. He was to contribute an account of Martin’s voyages into the unknown parts of the world, Parts of ‘Memories of Scriblerus’ published by Pope bear close resemblance to Gulliver’s voyages. ‘Gulliver’s Travels’- atleast its first two books is so entrancing like fairy tales. But there is much more in it than a fairy tale. Critics have unfolded a political allegory in it.
In Part I, Lilliput is England after the Treaty of Utrecht. The people are reduced in stature with their vices magnified. Blefuscu is France. The Emperor is George I and his ministers are the corrupt Whig statesmen. Gulliver is Bolingbroke who has done so much for his country and yet suffers because of the ingratitude of the king and his ministers. The queen is Queen Anne. Flimnap, the prime minister of Lilliput – a fine rope dancer -represents Walpole, a slippery opportunist who could so easily change his policies.Skyresh Bolgolam, the naval chief, represents Nottingham,England’s First Lord of Admiralty. (The Lilliputian emperor fancying himself to be the terror of the universe satirises the absurd ambitions of kings in general. In his boundless ambition, he wants Gulliver, after he had destroyed the navy of Blefuscu, to crush the country completely. When Gulliver refuses to do that, the Emperor wants to put out his eyes and starve him to death.
Gulliver does a timely service to the Queen by putting out the fire in her place by urinating over it. Instead of being grateful to Gulliver, she becomes very angry with him. So also, Swift had done a great service to his Queen by writing ‘A Tale of a Tub’ condemning Roman Catholics and Dissenters. But instead of thanking Swift, Queen Anne became so angry with him as to bar him once and for all from becoming a Bishop.
Among the Lilliputians, there are two parties distinguished by High Heels and Low Heels (corresponding to the Tories and the Whigs respectively). There are the Big-Endians and the Little-Endians corresponding to Roman Catholics and the Protestants. The Emperor of Lilliput favouring the Low Heels and the Little Endians refers to George I favouring the Whigs and the Protestants. The thousands of High Heels and Big Endians taking refuge in Blefescu is a satire on the Tories and Roman Catholics being exiled to France. The award of green, red and blue ribbons by the emperor of Lilliput to courtiers who cut the highest capers is a satire on George I’s presentation of various orders to his favourites. The impeachment of Gulliver in Lilliput is a satire on the impeachment of Bolingbroke, Oxford and Ormond.
In Part II, Swift’s satire is more general. Satire was the predominant motive in all writings of Swift. Even in this apparent fairy tale, it can be seen looming so large. Much of the satire in it ,however, is impersonal and directed against human nature. It has not offended much as Swift once wrote.
No individual could resent, where thousands equally were meant. In a way it was good that Swift generalized his satire. For personal satire is short lived, perishable like Pope’s Dunciad But the butts of Swift’s satire in ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ –man’s pride, ambition, treachery and ingratitude are changeless, and that explains the perennial interest of the book.