Gullivers Supposed English Superiority Essay - 1288 Words

Gullivers Supposed English Superiority Gulliver’s typical Anglocentric Enlightenment views are best exemplified in Chapter 1 of Part IV of Gulliver’s Travels. The long paragraph, in which he describes his encounter with the Yahoos as well as the circumstances leading up to it, illustrates the climax of his Anglocentric views, after which his English pride begins to gradually degenerate and his desire to emulate the Houyhnyms arises. His English pride in this paragraph is demonstrated by his resolution to trade his life with the local â€Å"Savages† using â€Å"Toys† as his only means, his judgment of the Yahoo’s lack of comprehensive language ability, and his ever-present disgust for bodily functions. As the passage opens,†¦show more content†¦Due to his sense of Enlightenment superiority, Gulliver does not even entertain the possibility that his life actually is as insignificant as the Toys which he plans on trading for it. Ironically, as his pride degenerates into a hatred for his own race, Gulliver indeed starts to believe in the insignificance of human life. After Gulliver considers his options, he inspects the island and observes a species of animals whom he likens at different points in the paragraph to goats, squirrels, monsters, cattle and beasts. It is no wonder then, that later when Gulliver reveals that these creatures are human beings, that his reader is surprised. He describes their shapes as â€Å"Singular and deformed†¦.their Skins were of a brown Buff colour.† Perhaps one reason Gulliver does not initially see any resemblance between himself and the Yahoos is because they are not white; perhaps his Anglocentric ideal does not permit any color but white to be acknowledged as his equal. What seems certain, however, is the fact that Gulliver feels an immediate antipathy to the Yahoos because they show no indication of having a rational language. In watching them, he does not see them speak to each other and this alienates him because as we see in each voyage, it is imperative to Gulliver that he learn the languag e of the peoples he encounters, from the Lilliputians to the Brobdingnagians. As with all his journeys, he wants to find inhabitants that he mayShow MoreRelatedThe dictionary definition of satire is the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose1100 Words   |  5 Pagestalked about the English and Irish people’s poor approaches to the situation. Swift then mocked them all by suggesting that people sell and eat their children to fix the situation. A solution that would have been beneficial to both parties. Swift had many satirical pieces similar to A Modest Proposal, but none are as well known as his 1726 classic tale Gulliver’s Travels. In Swift voiced his opinions by describing the vices, of society through a man named Lemuel Gulliver. Gulliver, the main characterRead MoreAnalysis Of Gulliver s Travels By Jonathan Swift1470 Words   |  6 Pages(represented by Yahoos) and horses (represented by Houyhnhnms). Although Swift’s novel is completely fiction and does not prove anything it shows us that there are people out there who see the characteristics shared between human and animals. When Gulliver comes across two Houyhnhnms they begin â€Å"neighing several times by turns and varying the sound† (Swift IV Chapter 4 page 3). This scene represents the highly controversial topic of whether animals possess the skill to communicate articulately withRead MoreFor Against by L.G. Alexander31987 Words   |  128 PagesAural/Oral Exercises READING AND WRITING ENGLISH-A First Year Programme for Children LOOK, LISTEN AND LEARNl Sets 1-4 An Integrated Course for Children New Concept English Uniform with this Volume: FIRST THINGS FIRST: An Integrated Course for Beginners PRACTICE AND PROGRESS: An Integrated Course for Pre-Intermediate Students DEVELOPING SKILLS: An Integrated Course for Intermediate Students FLUENCY IN ENGLISH: An Integrated Course for Advance Students New Concept English in two Volume edition FIRST THINGS