Wednesday 22 July 2015

Compare and contrast Gulliver's life in Lilliput and Brobdingnag.

Ironically, although Gulliver is initially charmed by the attractive looks of the tiny Lilliputians, they end up treating him badly. They show themselves, much like Swift's idea of the British, to be vain, nasty, and petty. Rather than appreciate how Gulliver, with the advantage of his large size, helps them, they grow angry at him for not destroying their enemies and for peeing on a fire to put it out. They are morally "little people," and Gulliver is glad to escape them.

In contrast, Gulliver is at first horrified by the ugly appearance of the Brobdingnagians, who are gigantic compared to him. He is repulsed, for example, by their large skin pores. However, they turn out to be much kinder to him than the Lilliputians, and their king is one of the most sympathetic characters in the entire work. His country is not perfect, but it is less corrupt than either Lilliput or England. Gulliver fares well there, despite feeling vulnerable because of his small size.  

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