The Complex Interplay of Utopian and Dystopian Elements in Gulliver’s Travels
Author : Dr. Laxmi Pandey
Abstract :
Gulliver’s Travels has been written by Jonathan Swift and is considered to be one of the most important works of literature that combines elements of both utopia and dystopia to point at the flaws of society and politics of the time. This research paper therefore seeks to examine how these two seemingly opposing aspects co-exist in the text and how Swift uses both the utopian and dystopian features to create satire and engage the reader in critical thinking about the human existence and the society. This is an exploration at the two societies that Gulliver encounters in his travels: Lilliput and Brobdingnag in order to analyse the utopian elements that are depicted in the book. Such societies, which seem to be perfect at first glance, are described as sinister and distorted, which refer to Swift’s satirical vision of early 18th-century European politics and perceiving of the world. In Lilliput, the size of the society is small, which shows how political issues are small and unimportant while in Brobdingnag the people are giant which is an illustration of how pride and vices are also giant-sized. This research delves to advance the knowledge of Swift’s satirical approaches and the involving themes of Gulliver’s Travels, how the juxtaposition of utopia and dystopia serves to enrich the satire upon the contemporary world as well as the timeless reflection upon human nature.
Keywords :
Utopianism, dystopianism, satire, societal critique, & human nature.
