Posted by Liberty Valance on March 30, 19100 at 22:33:58:

Hi All,

I'm in the process of reading Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, and am enjoying it thus far. However, I feel that I'm missing something, as I don't have enough experience with classical literature and am not familiar with English history. Basically, I'm enjoying the story on its own merits. But I'm hoping someone here can answer some questions that I have regarding what I've read so far.

1) How did the empresses apartment in Lilliput catch fire? The book says it was due to the carelessness of the maid of honour, who fell asleep while "reading a romance." Unless I'm missing something, I'm not sure how reading a romance (novel?) can cause a fire (unless Swift means a "fire" in the empresses heart, but I doubt that).

2) I understand some of the more general satire as in Gulliver gaining his "liberty" in Lilliput, but with so many conditions, and a war between Lilliput and Blefuscu starting over the proper way to break an egg. These items are funny in and of themselves, but I have a feeling there is a larger point being made here by Swift that I am unable to see.

3) How did readers of 1726 (the year the novel was published) and of that era react to the descriptions of Gulliver urinating on the fire in the empresses apartment, and discharging his body of that "uneasy load" when he was held prisoner in Lilliput? I imagine readers back then were uneasy reading such language, but I could be wrong.

In addition, did these references to excretion have any meaning for Swift? Were these devices of satire, and were they used to make a point?

4) "Gulliver" states that Grace, wife of Flimnap, the treasurer of Lilliput, was accussed of having an affair with him. A footnote in the book indicates that Walpole's wife, Catherine Shorter, was accussed of notorious infidelity at which her husband winked. Since all I know of Walpole is the name, what, if anything, was Swift trying say? That Catherine, in the form of Grace, did not have an affair? After all, Gulliver defends Grace's reputation and refers to Grace as a "great lady."

5) The book's footnotes compared the impeachment proceedings against Gulliver in Lilliput against similar proceedings against Bolingbroke and Oxford. Why the proceedings against Bolingbroke and Oxford? Were they successfully impeached? By this comparison, since Gulliver was innocent of the accusations made against him, can we assume that Swift thought Bolingbroke and Oxford innocent of the charges against them?

I would appreciate anyone's help in answering these questions. I would also appreciate any other input not necessarily associated with these questions, especially if it would help shine some light on understanding this story and its historical background.

Thank you.

Follow Ups:

• Re: Gulliver's Travels Helen 06:46:28 7/29/100 (1)
  • Re: Gulliver's Travels The Angrydog 10:59:46 10/28/100 (0)

Post a Followup