Gulliver’s Travels is an adventure novel written by Jonathan Swift and first published in 1726. Lemuel Gulliver is an explorer who sets on several journeys where he comes across strange lands. The most famous of these jaunts was Gulliver’s time in a land known as Lilliput which is populated by people less than sex inches tall. His next destination introduces him to a land of giants. Of course, the final journey acquaints him with a group of savages known as yahoos.
In some ways, the novel flows a little easier than expected for something written in the eighteenth century, but it still is a pretty challenging piece of prose to interpret. The novel is known as a satirical commentary on the society at the time. The bit goes a little over my head, but I still managed to find some enjoyment in attempting this endeavor with this particular literary classic.
Gulliver’s emotional journey is as interesting as his physical traverses. He develops a resentment toward his family he has to attempt to reconcile. Gulliver faces a different disaster with each voyage which affects his optimistic view presented at the beginning.
This is a tough one to read recreationally, but it is worth the effort.
Next up, I am moving back into the twenty-first century as far as the author, but the story takes place just after the First World War. Charles Todd has brought back Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge, who is finding out the consequences of A Fatal Lie.
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