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Barcelona: Editorial Catalana, [1923]; 260 p.; 18,9 cm (Biblioteca Literària)
Description
Classic Literature. Fiction. HTML: Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift is a witty and insightful satirical novel recounts the history of Lemuel Gulliver, "First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of several Ships". In his travels Gulliver visits the Land of Lilliput, where he towers over the local inhabitants, the land of Brobdingnag where he is much smaller than the citizens, the floating island of Laputa, infested with fanatical scientists who in their obsession with reason behave with no sense at all and finally to the land of the brutish Yahoos who look to all intents and purposes like humans and are derided by the intelligent horse people. John Gay said in a 1726 letter to Swift that "it is universally read, from the cabinet council to the nursery".… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
The introduction to my edition claims that "Gulliver's Travels has held our attention for nearly three centuries because of its uncanny ability to be whatever we have wanted it to be: a political book, a children's book, a merry book, a mad book, satiric, ironic, parodic, perhaps a novel, perhaps
I wouldn't call Swift congenial company among classic writers. He said in a letter to Pope his purpose is "to vex the world rather than divert it." Swift also strikes me as a very conservative mindset, and I don't mean that in a simple political capital "C" contemporary sense. In fact in some ways he can be very forward looking for his period. He believed women should be educated the same as men and had the same intellectual potential. So the introduction and notes say, and you can see hints of that view in Gulliver's Travels and more explicitly in his "Letter to a Young Lady." But Swift is also deeply suspicious of innovation or the possibility of real progress. To change is to degenerate according to Swift, not improve. The derision leveled at the Academy in Part III and its junk science and absurdest art is particularly cutting--and still feels relevant. (Although that's nothing to the utterly scathing rant against lawyers in Part IV--and yes, a lot of its points are still relevant too.) Certainly his tale in the last part of the Yahoos (humanoid beasts) and Houyhnhnms (horse-shaped but noble and rational) is deeply biting about human nature. Given this is all told through Gulliver's first person narrative and the way Gulliver degenerates after living among the Houyhnhms I'm not certain which ways it cuts. Are the Houyhnhms really noble creatures against which humans are found wanting? Or are they a commentary about the dehumanizing effects of slavery and imperialism?
I suppose I might be able to tell better by reading more of Swift. And I tried. The edition I have includes other writings by Swift, the most substantial of which is The Tale of the Tub. I'm afraid I found it far less engaging than Gulliver's Travels. Perhaps if I were a student of the period or a contemporary of Swift I might have found it much more relevant or amusing. But since I really couldn't care less whether Roman Catholicism, the Church of England, or "Dissenters" such as Baptists or Quakers constitute the "true" faith I admit I was soon so very, very bored--and grateful I wasn't forced to read this for school. The one other work of Swift beside Gulliver's Travels I would very much recommend to a general reader is his lacerating satiric essay "A Modest Proposal." I don't want to give too much away, but it's one of those very few essays, such as Virginia Woolf's "A Room of One's Own," that you remember vividly once read even decades later.
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not." The source material sure doesn't read like children's fare. Although I suppose small boys might very well adore the bathroom humor, I can't see them getting past the antique language with unending paragraphs, random capitalizations, archaic spellings and a wealth of political allusions needing footnotes to unravel. And after the first half, with Gulliver as giant to the Lilliputans and then a doll-sized figure among the giant Brobdingnags, these tall tales become both too erudite and too bitter for children. In the third part dealing with the flying island of Laputa, the political allegory becomes a lot more pointed. Gulliver's Travels reminds me of a blend of Alice in Wonderland and science fiction--using strange unknown lands and peoples to look at ourselves in fresh ways. It's often funny and wildly imaginative in its details, although other parts make for heavy reading with lots of dense, pedantic exposition. I wouldn't call Swift congenial company among classic writers. He said in a letter to Pope his purpose is "to vex the world rather than divert it." Swift also strikes me as a very conservative mindset, and I don't mean that in a simple political capital "C" contemporary sense. In fact in some ways he can be very forward looking for his period. He believed women should be educated the same as men and had the same intellectual potential. So the introduction and notes say, and you can see hints of that view in Gulliver's Travels and more explicitly in his "Letter to a Young Lady." But Swift is also deeply suspicious of innovation or the possibility of real progress. To change is to degenerate according to Swift, not improve. The derision leveled at the Academy in Part III and its junk science and absurdest art is particularly cutting--and still feels relevant. (Although that's nothing to the utterly scathing rant against lawyers in Part IV--and yes, a lot of its points are still relevant too.) Certainly his tale in the last part of the Yahoos (humanoid beasts) and Houyhnhnms (horse-shaped but noble and rational) is deeply biting about human nature. Given this is all told through Gulliver's first person narrative and the way Gulliver degenerates after living among the Houyhnhms I'm not certain which ways it cuts. Are the Houyhnhms really noble creatures against which humans are found wanting? Or are they a commentary about the dehumanizing effects of slavery and imperialism?
I suppose I might be able to tell better by reading more of Swift. And I tried. The edition I have includes other writings by Swift, the most substantial of which is The Tale of the Tub. I'm afraid I found it far less engaging than Gulliver's Travels. Perhaps if I were a student of the period or a contemporary of Swift I might have found it much more relevant or amusing. But since I really couldn't care less whether Roman Catholicism, the Church of England, or "Dissenters" such as Baptists or Quakers constitute the "true" faith I admit I was soon so very, very bored--and grateful I wasn't forced to read this for school. The one other work of Swift beside Gulliver's Travels I would very much recommend to a general reader is his lacerating satiric essay "A Modest Proposal." I don't want to give too much away, but it's one of those very few essays, such as Virginia Woolf's "A Room of One's Own," that you remember vividly once read even decades later.
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LibraryThing member KathrynCSN
When I was a young girl, I heard this story from my mom, but at that time, I only interested in the story. After I read this book, I think the writer had a big idea of this book. It seems that this is just a fairy tale, but writer used this story to tell the reader the ugly truth of England at that
After I finished this book, I was thinking that what our world today? Is it better than England at that time? Well, I am not sure. But, we can do something to make the world better. From the simple things, like pick up the garbage, be honest with friends, trust people, love nature.
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time.In the first country, human as the third-rate animal: yehoo. From that, yehoo was greedy, they thought money is the most important thing. Yehoo were human, but according to the book we can see that writer was hate yehoo, it seems show that how writer's feel of the whole society. English were greed, crazy, mean during that time. In story, when Gulliver in Hui-hui country, he was really enjoy and happy. Hui-hui country represent a society which did not has cheating, cunning and things like evil society. So, that's why Gulliver was very sad when he left Hui-hui country. After I finished this book, I was thinking that what our world today? Is it better than England at that time? Well, I am not sure. But, we can do something to make the world better. From the simple things, like pick up the garbage, be honest with friends, trust people, love nature.
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LibraryThing member DCArchitect
A reminder that there will always be those that attempt to maintane their unerned place of privilege in the social order, this classic work of satire bites as deeply now as it did in 1726.
Political commentary wrapped in the disguise of a travelogue, 'Guliver's Travels' remains both readable and
Political commentary wrapped in the disguise of a travelogue, 'Guliver's Travels' remains both readable and
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exciting. Show Less
LibraryThing member amandacb
Swift is always great to pull out for prime examples of satire, and Gulliver's Travels is one of the best. It helps I read it and enjoyed it before we picked it apart it college. As with most, the Lilliputians were my favorite episode. A must read!
LibraryThing member TheBooknerd
Although I recognize the brilliance of this story and Swift's creativity, I must say that 'Gulliver's Travels' can be a dull, tedious, even annoying book to read. It's much more fun analyzing and discussing this book than it is reading it in the first place. Ho hum.
LibraryThing member LydiaBree
Gulliver is a ship's surgeon. He takes four voyage and through various circumstances finds himself in strange lands. In Lilliput he is a giant. The inhabitants are tiny people who at first appear cute, but upon closer inspection the reader realizes they are an extremely petty population. The next
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voyage lands Gulliver in Brobdingnag. Here Gulliver is dwarfed by the people. Interestingly, for Gulliver, the roles are reversed; he now appears to be the petty, peevish individual. On voyage three, Gulliver visits Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdudrib, Luggnagg, and Japan. Most of the time the inhabitants view life in an inaccurate perspective. Gulliver realizes most of the people embrace ideas that are not really practical. He also sees that the upper class and royalty persecute those that are not their equals.The final voyage provides Gulliver interaction with the Houyhnhnms and the Yahoos. The Houyhnhnms are a most logical race and greatly admired by Gulliver. The Yahoos, on the other hand, are brutish and savage. Gulliver despises this race. Unfortunately, when Gulliver returns home he views his fellow humans as very similar to the Yahoos and can hardly tolerate their presence, including his wife! Gulliver, for all of his exotic travels, appears utterly unhappy in his existence. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookwyrmm
I never read Gulliver's Travels when I was younger, although I did know about it. I found it an interesting way to point of the inadequencies of the English government at the time (which I know I would have not gotten out of it if I had read it when I was younger), but only two travels to strange
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lands seems too little for a good adventure. Show Less
LibraryThing member GaryPatella
I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book. In addition to the travels with which we are all familiar, there were other mysterious lands also visited by Gulliver.
There are a number of philosophical thoughts sprinkled throughout, as well as a number of jabs delivered to the government. There
A solid novel, worth reading.
There are a number of philosophical thoughts sprinkled throughout, as well as a number of jabs delivered to the government. There
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are a lot of political viewpoints and legal suggestions that take this work into an intellectual realm without detracting from the story.A solid novel, worth reading.
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Language
Original language
English
Physical description
260 p.; 18 cm