Examine Swift’s use of Lemuel Gulliver as a narrator and an observer.

Question:

The Role And Function of Gulliver As A Narrator And An Observer.

or, Examine Swift’s use of Lemuel Gulliver as a narrator and an observer.

or, Lemuel Gulliver as a narrator and an observer. 

Ans. Introduction: ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ is a novel by Jonathan Swift which is both a satire on human nature and a parody of the “travellers’ tales” literary sub-genre which was published in 1726. It is widely considered Swift’s magnum opus and is his most celebrated work as well as one of the indisputable classics of English literature. Hence, Swift has presented Lemuel Gulliver in this novel as a narrator and an observer. Gulliver does not just tell us his adventure story. The account of the different voyages narrated by him adds an element of realism to the narrative of the novel. We have the feeling that Gulliver really observed and experienced those incidents.

 

Gulliver as a narrator: The character of Gulliver can hardly be conceived without considering the style he adopts. He defines himself by the way he writes, particular at the beginning where he uses simple construction of sentences:

“My Father had a small Estate in Nottinghamshire; I was the Third of five Sons. He sent me to Emanuel-College in Cambridge, at Fourteen Years old, where I resided three years, and applied myself close to my studies...”

 

Gulliver as an observer: Though Gulliver’s tone is impressive throughout his narration and lacks the elements of intellect, his keen observation of minute details makes his style interesting. His commitment to hard, undeniable facts is quite impressive. We see it most impressively as Gulliver records his reaction to the Lilliputians. The pages are strewn with citations of numbers, figures, dimensions. Thus, Gulliver succeeds in the novelist’s great task of creating the elusion of reality. Since he is not a novelist, the reality he creates is one of externals only. He does not create a sense of reality about himself – to more explanatory note – Swift has not created a sense of reality about Gulliver. In fact, he is an abstraction, manipulated in the service of satire.

Gulliver as a commentator and a moral judge: Gulliver is presented in this novel as a commentator and a moral judge. He does not only observe and narrates but also deeply thinks and comments. He often ponders over what he sees and draws conclusions from his experiences. In Book IV of ‘Gulliver’s Travels’, he comments on the Houyhnhnms and human beings:

“But I must freely confess that many virtues of those excellent quadrupeds, placed in opposite view to human corruptions, had so far opened mire eyes and enlarged my understanding that I began to view the actions and passions of man in a very different light.”

 

Gulliver as a mouthpiece of Swift: Gulliver acts as a mouthpiece of Swift through whom Swift conveys his criticism of mankind and his critical attitude to English institutions and politicians of his time. Through Gulliver, Swift gives the satirical account of conflicts between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants in Book I. When Gulliver described the rope-dancing and the creeping under a string, he reflects Swift’s satire on the sycophancy of the politicians in order to win royal favour. Gulliver’s narration of the King, utterances about the human race, reflects Swift’s own denunciation. In Book III, the account of the researchers at the Academy of Projectors expresses Swift’s satire as the useless researches by the Royal Society. In Book IV, Swift conveys his misanthrope and cynical views on mankind through Gulliver.

 

Conclusion: From the above discussion, it is clear to us that though Gulliver serves as a spokesman of Jonathan Swift, he should not be fully identified with Swift. Gulliver should be considered as an objective dramatic character, recounting his experiences like a moving tale. The role and function of Gulliver in ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ is of great significance and importance. He is the protagonist who narrates what he observed during his great voyages.

Credit: Shuvashish Mallick | Facebook ID: Shuvashish Mallick 

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The Role And Function of Gulliver As A Narrator And An Observer

Examine Swift’s use of Lemuel Gulliver as a narrator and an observer. 

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