Gulliver's Travels: An Impassive Account of Incredible Adventures - Essay Sample

Introduction

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift is a narration that explores the story of Lemuel Gulliver an English man who is trained as a surgeon. He is practical-minded and when his business falls short he decides to take a trip to the seas. The narration is given impassively and first-person. From the way, the story is given it is difficult to know to tell any indication of emotions or self-reflection. Gulliver gives an account of the happenings that befall him while he travels in his adventures. The narrator's escapades begin when he sets out to Lilliput but the ship he is travelling in is wrecked and he wakes up to find himself trapped at the shore of the sea and he is surrounded by Tiny people who hold him hostage because they are protective of their kingdom. Although they are hospitable they are not afraid to exercise any form of violence against Gulliver. He is taken to the emperor who after sometime accepts Guliver and makes him a resource through fighting for the Lilliputian kingdom against the Blefuscus. His journeys continue in this manner through four different adventures. In the fourth journey, he finds himself in an unknown land that is occupied by the Houyhnhnms who are normal thinking horses and Yahoos humanlike creatures who serve them. He learns their language and narrates to them his adventure which accords him much respect. The Houyhnhnms, however, discover that he is human-like Yahoos when he wanted to stay with them as they are kind and he is excommunicated. Gulliver goes back to his homeland having learnt a lot although he had stayed away from humanity for sixteen years. There is a great conflict in human nature just like the theories of the nineteenth century, the Hobbesian and the Shaftesburian. The theorists explore the perception of human nature in different ways and Gulliver's travels are a vexing mix of these views.

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Hobbes view of human nature is that human beings are selfish, egocentric and grasping. He expounds these aspects based on good and bad. Hobbes explains good and bad are not permanent qualities that define given actions but are only human ways of describing likes and the dislikes. He further explains that what people take pleasure in, are named good and those that bring them agony they brand them as bad. Hobbes mentions that the variation between right and wrong is not a permanent state but a way of describing the changing nature of human desires. in certain times people are selfish because they want the best for themselves and this is what describes their nature at the moment. They are also egocentric because they feel they have power over others around them. Human beings are also greedy and can harm or betray others for self-benefit. He states that for human beings to live in peaceful cooperation there should be an overseeing authority and thus the need for law and government institutions.

It is a vexing mix for a couple of reasons firstly, Don Pedro de Mendez the captain at the end of Voyage IV served as an example of human benevolence, especially that he occurred when Gulliver was confused about his current state that he is neither Yahoo (Hobbesian creature) nor Houyhnhnms (contains rational felicity). The captain is very hospitable to Gulliver by giving him food, drinks and clothes. Secondly, the fact that Gulliver neither shows that human nature is beyond the dualism of Hobbesian views and Shaftesburian views. The two views are mixed because the existence of human benevolence seems more theoretical but human malice is more practical in this world from Swift's points of view.

Hobbesian views are that of human degeneracy where human beings are selfish and egocentric. They do not mind about others but they are full of themselves. it is evident at the beginning of the story when Gulliver is trapped at the shores of the sea and he wakes up to find himself a captivate of the tiny people of Lilliput. Gulliver explains "Here the Emperor ascended with many principal lords of his court, to have an opportunity of viewing me, as I was told, for I could not see them. It was reckoned that above a hundred thousand inhabitants came out of the town upon the same errand; and in spite of my guards, I believe there could not be fewer than ten thousand, at several times, who mounted my body by the help of ladders"(Swift, 9). It is an indication of human degeneracy because instead of helping him at first they hold him hostage by mounting his body. He was marooned by the Lilliputian people and made a captive despite his unconscious state. It is not only in human but also selfish.

Another aspect that portrays human degeneracy as stated by Hobbes is when Gulliver is in the Kingdom of Luggnagg where he meets the Struldbrugs a people he considers as the most fortunate as they are immortal but despite their fortune, he describes them as the most horrible people for reason known to him. It is an indication that human beings are self-centred and egocentric. He states "they were the most mortifying sight I ever beheld, and the women more horrible than the men. Besides the usual deformities in extreme old age, they acquired an additional ghastliness, in proportion to their number of years, which is not to be described; and among half a dozen, I soon distinguished which was the eldest, although there was not above a century or two between them" (Swift 180). He describes them as ghastly people implying that they are extremely bad. It is an indication that human beings portray their nature depending on the situation. They became bad to Gulliver a situation that brings out the real nature of human beings but perhaps they do not treat their fellow beings, in the same manner, a situation showing human degeneracy.

Similarly, Hobbes nature of human degeneracy is portrayed by Yahoos whom the narrator describes as the most un-teachable beings who are insolent and cruel. He describes them in this manner because of his experiences with them while in the unknown land occupied by the Houyhnhnms. Gulliver states "By what I could discover, the Yahoos appear to be the most unteachable of all animals, their capacity never reaching higher than to draw or carry burthens. Yet I think this defect ariseth chiefly from a perverse, restive disposition. For they are cunning, malicious, treacherous, and revengeful. They are strong and hardy, but of a cowardly spirit, and, by consequence, insolent, abject, and cruel" (Swift 227). It is the human nature that Hobbes describes and is portrayed by the yahoos as explained by Gulliver they are malicious an aspect that the theorist states as part of human beings.

Human narcissism which shows Hobbes human degeneracy is also portrayed in his Third. The people with one eye inward and one eye upward also depict narcissism in the ways they execute their work. They strike the mouth of the speaker and the ear of the listener so that they do not lose concentration it is a selfish way of doing work because they do not understand the fact that not all beings require such actions. Gulliver tries to explain to them but they do not take his suggestion and he is still stuck at the ear when he is being addressed by the king. Additionally, narcissism is portrayed by pirates when Gulliver sets out in a ship at the request of a visitor who comes to his house only ten days after the narrator arrives home. As they sail towards the East Indies their boat is attacked by pirates whom Gulliver realizes that they are Dutch because he hears them speak. He thinks they will be set free when he identifies with them as being a Dutch too and a Christian but they did not hide to him. Gulliver is angered and criticizes them that the Japanese pirates who are heathen people are better than them. The Dutch pirates are angered and set him to the sea on a small boat with food that is only enough for four days. It is an indication that human beings are narcissists who only consider themselves. They are people full of ego just like the Dutch pirates who despite knowing one of their own man they are too proud to set him free.

There is also the portrayal of human nature as claimed by Hobbes and this is the aspect of pride and vanity. When he interacts with the Yahoos he describes them as people who are un-teachable implying that they are very proud a sign that portrays narcissism. Gulliver states "By what I could discover, the Yahoos appear to be the most unteachable of all animals, their capacity never reaching higher than to draw or carry burthens. Yet I think this defect ariseth chiefly from a perverse, restive disposition. For they are cunning, malicious, treacherous, and revengeful" (Swift 227). It an indication of pride and vanity in human nature as explained by Gulliver.

There is also human significance and insignificance as depicted by how Gulliver's perception changes in every voyage. Just as Hobbes explains that human good or evil is determined by a situation and not as the states of good or evil is not permanent. In this regard, human significance also changes from time to time. Gulliver is relevant in certain times and he receives honour and recognition while in others he is insignificant and subordinate.

On the other hand, Shaftesburian views explain that human beings are polite and describe their nature as benevolent. The views argue based on moral beauty stating that human beings do actions of grace, they have harmony in them. He further states that that the human soul is beautiful because of harmony and numbers of inward kindness. The philosopher implies that human beings are good and what corrupts them is social, and institutions, morals, and values. It is in this regard that the theorists explain human nature as benevolence. Don Pedro de Mendez the captain at the end of Voyage IV served as an example of human benevolence, especially that he occurred when Gulliver was confused about his current state that he is neither Yahoo nor Houyhnhnms. The captain is very hospitable to Gulliver by giving him food, drinks and clothes.