The answer to this question depends on your particular perspective. Some readers find Jonathan Swift's satirical attack to be witty and insightful, while others might find his writing to be mean-spirited and nasty. As such, you'll have to take my answer with a grain of salt, as it comes from my own unique context. For my part, I believe that Swift's Gulliver's Travels is a valid critique of human nature, as it skillfully uses satire to expose the often petty and shallow nature of humanity.
Consider, for instance, the first voyage, in which Gulliver is stranded in Lilliput, the home of the minuscule Lilliputians. While residing in this strange world, Gulliver observes how remarkably petty and shallow the inhabitants are. Indeed, it appears that they spend much of their time engaging in meaningless competitions and squabbling over petty disputes. In this portion of the text, Swift is arguing that human society (and especially the European society of his day) is obsessed with accolades and arguments that are, in fact, quite meaningless. As a matter of fact, the Lilliputians' small size can be seen as symbolic of their similarly small and narrow perspective on life. Based on the skillful critique embedded in this satirical thrust, I believe that Swift's overall critique of human nature is valid, as he imaginatively points out important flaws in human society.
No comments:
Post a Comment