An analysis of Gulliver's Travels: the power of satire from 1726 to 2017

Abstract

Treball Final de Grau en Estudis Anglesos. Codi: EA0938. Curs acadèmic: 2016/2017Satire is a literary mode that intends to describe the world by means of parody, irony and sarcasm. Although the main goal of Jonathan Swift when writing Gulliver’s Travels was to satirise the society he was living in, the book is currently considered as a simple children’s tale. Since its publication, multiple analysis have been performed with the aim of revealing Swift’s primary intentions and to identify the resemblance between Gulliver’s adventures and the sociopolitical scene in England during the seventeenth century. Firstly, this paper provides a definition of satire and an explanation of Swift’s writing style in order to achieve a deeper understanding of Gulliver’s Travels. Then, it conducts a revision of previous studies which are concerned with the satiric evidences in the book. The analysis, focusing on political satire and satire on humankind, draws analogies between the Remote Nations discovered by Gulliver and the English society. On the basis of this study a current reading of Gulliver’s Travels is going to be proposed in which today’s British society will be the target of satire. Finally, in such way, it will possible to reflect upon the current situation of the United Kingdom, as well as to underline the transcendental character of literature