Who Do People Represent in Gulliver’s Travels?
Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels is a classic work of English literature, written in the early 18th century. The novel follows the adventures of Lemuel Gulliver, a ship’s surgeon who suddenly finds himself transported to a variety of strange and exotic lands. Throughout the novel, Gulliver meets and interacts with many different creatures, ranging from the tiny Lilliputians to the giant Brobdingnagians. The characters of Gulliver’s Travels are often seen as metaphors for different aspects of human society, and there is much debate about who the characters in the novel are meant to represent.
Lilliputians and Brobdingnagians
The Lilliputians and Brobdingnagians are two of the most famous characters in the novel, and they are often seen as metaphors for different aspects of human society. The Lilliputians, who are tiny people living in the land of Lilliput, are seen to represent small-minded people who are obsessed with petty details and minor disputes. By contrast, the giant Brobdingnagians, who live in the land of Brobdingnag, represent those people in society who are wise and insightful.
King of Luggnagg
The King of Luggnagg is another character who is often seen as a metaphor for a certain type of human society. The King is portrayed as a cruel and oppressive ruler, and his actions are seen as a representation of tyranny and oppression. The King is also seen as a representation of the power of the ruling classes and their ability to manipulate and control the masses.
Gulliver's Family
Gulliver’s family is also seen as a metaphor for different aspects of human society. Gulliver’s wife, in particular, is often seen as a representation of those people in society who are content to live in the safe and comfortable world of the middle-class. Gulliver’s children, meanwhile, are seen to represent those members of society who are eager to break free from the confines of the middle-class and explore the world beyond.
The Houyhnhnms
The Houyhnhnms are a race of intelligent horses who inhabit the land of the Houyhnhnms. The Houyhnhnms are often seen as a metaphor for those members of society who are wise and virtuous, and who strive to live their lives according to a set of high moral principles. The character of the Houyhnhnm Master is seen as a representation of the ideal wise and virtuous leader.
Conclusion
The characters of Gulliver’s Travels are often seen as metaphors for different aspects of human society. The Lilliputians and Brobdingnagians are seen as metaphors for small-minded people and wise and insightful people, respectively. The King of Luggnagg is seen as a representation of tyranny and oppression. Gulliver’s family is seen as a metaphor for the middle-class, while the Houyhnhnms are seen as a representation of those who are wise and virtuous.