GULLIVER’S TRAVELS 1

Gulliver’s Travels

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Gulliver’s Travels

Jonathan Swift lived at a time when pseudo-science passed for science and had very little

use for technology and abstract science. In the book, Gulliver’s Travels, Swift unmercifully

satirizes science and technology. He was however not opposed to science or scientific

experiments that were genuinely useful to mankind. Swift also perceived that science and

technology could easily be put to evil uses as easily as to good and insisted that humankind be

reasonable. Swift’s criticism of science technology is realized in part three chapter 5 when he

notes, “in another apartment I was highly pleased with a projector, who had found a device of

plowing the ground with hogs…it is true upon experiment they found the charge and trouble

very great, and they had little or no crop” (Swift n.d, p. 113). In the above statement Swift

satirizes the use of useless technology by explaining the ridiculous experiments carried out in

Balnibarbi academies.
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According to Swift, human being efforts should be useful and moral and found little

morality and practicality in science during his day. Swift was therefore unwilling to sacrifice his

moral and ethical considerations to scientific abstractions. In my opinion, I think that Swift uses

satire to condemn the negative practices in his society including murder, rape, greed, exploitation

and other types of sins. I think that his aim was to convince humankind to fix and rectify the

faults that they could in the society.

Today, I do not think that Swift would be impressed by our modern institutions. Today,

science and technology seem to be bringing more harm to society instead of good. Cybercrimes,

poor sleep quality, obesity and lack of creativity are some of the negative impacts of technology.

In Gulliver Travels, Swift condemns technological advancements, enlightenment and abstract

science, noting that it barely brings any practical use to human kind (Swift n.d, p. 115).

However, he would also be able to witness some of the positive impacts that have been realized

through technology including fast communication, effective transportation systems and improved

media (Shatri 2020, p.2). At the same time, he would still be pleased by the increased sins in the

current society. Today, cases of murder, rape, theft, harassment, greed still thrive in the society,

meaning that people have not worked hard to eradicate the negativity that existed in his time.

I also think that Swift would strongly condemn corruption present in modern society. In

Gulliver travels, Swift condemns corruption in the English society in terms of political, financial,

intellectual and moral corruption. Political corruption includes the misuse of power by political

decision makers. In the Voyage to Lilliput, political corruption is witnessed in the event of rope-

dancers, which is a requirement exam for individuals joining high positions at the high court.

The rope-dancers vividly describe how high positions are rewarded not according to an

individual’s wisdom or suitability for the job at hand, but according to the accomplishment of
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tasks that are not relevant to the positions in question, which is a perfect illustration of political

corruption. (Ahmed 2019, p.22). In the modern society, political corruption is still evident, with

people earning jobs in big government offices not because of their professional qualifications but

because they know someone else in power or are wealthy enough to bribe the interview panel.

In conclusion, Jonathan Swift uses Satire in Gulliver’s travels to not only unmerciless

condemn enlightment, abstract science and technology, but also reveal the social evils present in

his society. He discusses how individuals are blind to the ongoing sins around them including

greed, rape, murder, exploitation and other types of sin. He also discuses corruption in terms of

moral, political and intellectual corruption.

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Reference List

Ahmed, MN 2019, ‘Exposition of Corruption In “Gulliver’s Travels” By Jonathan Swift: A

Textual Analysis’, Journal of English Language and Literature (Joell), vol. 6, no. 2.

Shatri, ZG 2020, ‘Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Information Technology in Learning

Process of Students’, Journal of Turkish Science Education, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 420–428,

viewed 7 April 2021, <http://www.tused.org/index.php/tused/article/view/1099>.

Swift, J n.d., Gulliver’s Travels, copy @ www.gutenberg.net, viewed 7 April 2021,

<https://fb2bookfree.com/uploads/files/2016-01/1452783359_portrait.a4.pdf>.