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Jonathan Swift As Misanthropist

Jonathan Swift is neither a misanthropist nor a philanthropist, but rather a satirist. Through his work Gulliver's Travels, he uses satire to reveal humanity's follies and corruptions in hopes of reform and improvement. While the book depicts humans in an unflattering light, especially through Gulliver's views of the Yahoos in the fourth voyage, Swift's purpose is not to hate humanity but rather expose its shortcomings so they may be addressed. Some have argued Gulliver himself becomes misanthropic by the end, but most critics agree Swift maintains his role as a satirist aiming to better society, not condemn its existence.

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964 views

Jonathan Swift As Misanthropist

Jonathan Swift is neither a misanthropist nor a philanthropist, but rather a satirist. Through his work Gulliver's Travels, he uses satire to reveal humanity's follies and corruptions in hopes of reform and improvement. While the book depicts humans in an unflattering light, especially through Gulliver's views of the Yahoos in the fourth voyage, Swift's purpose is not to hate humanity but rather expose its shortcomings so they may be addressed. Some have argued Gulliver himself becomes misanthropic by the end, but most critics agree Swift maintains his role as a satirist aiming to better society, not condemn its existence.

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Muqadas iman
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Jonathan Swift as misanthropist

Misanthropy is the name of holding hateful and distrustful opinions against existence of
humanity. Jonathan Swift has been charged as a misanthropist but many critics have defended
him while saying that he is a philanthropist. However, no one denies he has presented humans
in the worst from possible in “Gulliver’s Travels”. Is it mere satire? or Swift actually hates
humanity. These questions need answers. Man has emotions and desires but when he crosses
boundaries to fulfill worldly desires, he somehow becomes an animal. Swift in “Gulliver’s
Travels” has showed that it is harmful not only for him but also for other humans

Jonathan Swift is neither a misanthropist nor a philanthropist but a satirist:

It is unjustified to say that Jonathan Swift is a misanthropist rather he is a philanthropist. He


does not hate humanity but loves it. He tries to reform humans by revealing their follies and
stupidities. He wants to improve human life through satire. He hates sin but loves sinners.
“Gulliver’s Travels” is remarkable example of it. He reveals to us that we as humans can become
irrational if we do not overpower our desires. In shape of a simple journey he has described
man’s social as well as moral corruption. His satire is cynical but forces us to think on our follies.
About satire, he writes:

"Satire is a sort of glass wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their
own."

Jonathan Swift Chief purpose of writing “Gulliver’s Travels” is to satirize human nature. It is
about man’s arrogance. Jonathan Swift has used Gulliver as a mouthpiece for his observations
and thinking. Gulliver’s exaggerated views with respect to question of human existence are
clearly for reformation purposes. In first voyage, he attacks on the hypocrisy, ingratitude, and
cruelty of humans. In second voyage, Gulliver becomes a comic satire for people of
Brobdingnagians. Gulliver’s physical appearance becomes mockery in front of those giants. In
this voyage we find satire on pride and human ugliness. Gulliver has pride on his own physical
appearance before seeing them but when he sees them his pride ends.

● Description of all voyages in “Gulliver’s Travels” depicts satire. One can easily find it.
However, Gulliver, in the last voyage, became a misanthropist is undeniable and indisputable.
In the fourth voyage, Gulliver reaches a country of animals, ruled by animals. There were two
categories of animals living the rein; ugly and repulsive brutes Yahoos and intelligent and
rational Houyhnhnms. The former appears to him nasty and obnoxious, so the feelings of
disliking develop in his heart for them. On the other hand, his meeting with Houyhnhnms
proves a nice experience.when Gulliver meets Yahoos, he hates them. He is so fed up by human
follies that he misconceives Yahoos as humans. He prefers Houyhnhnms on Yahoos as Yahoos
are brutal and they can take any step to fulfill their desires. Houyhnhnms, on the other hand,
are rational. They secure him against Yahoos, treated him kindly and took him to their state.

Naturally, this kind of behavior created a sort of fondness in Gulliver’s heart for them and their
way of life. Up to that time nothing was objectionable, but his fault began, when he is so
bewitched of Houyhnhnms that he also started hating men. As Houyhnhnms hate Yahoos and
Gulliver equating Yahoos with men also began hating men. He developed a general hatred
against all men. All the subsequent incidents, his hatred against the captain and his family, etc.
reflect his misanthropy. The blunder committed by Gulliver is that he over idealized
Houyhnhnms. Actually, he was fed up of man’s corruption and could not bear it. He found
Yahoos slave of emotions, sensuality and sentimentality. But, he found Houyhnhnms in
comparatively better condition than Yahoos. They lack call types of corruption that yahoos had.
In fact, the Houyhnhnms lack any kind of emotions and have pure intellect that’s why he also
started thinking that remedy of all the vices of man is to get rid of his emotions. In the result,
when he was forced to return to his native country, it was natural for him to hate his fellowmen.
But, finding no other way, he slowly reconciled himself to this world.

Perhaps, it is this voyage due to which Swift has been charged with misanthropy but he has no
intention to offend anyone. He just exaggerates negativity in human nature. It should be
remembered that exaggeration is a component of satire. Besides, some of the critics think that
Gulliver’s opinions are not the opinions of Jonathan Swift, therefore, he cannot be called a
misanthropist instead he is a philanthropist. Nonetheless Gulliver is spokesperson for Swift and
Swift has to answer for every word which comes from the mouth of Gulliver.

There are always shortcomings in every society and the purpose of a writer is to pinpoint them.
Every misanthropist gives up the hope of better world but Jonathan Swift still has a hope. He is
not disappointed by the humankind yet. Continuously satirizing humanity more than politics in
every voyage, Swift wants more change in human nature and less in system.

He does not questions existence of humanity; instead he wants change. His vision sees the
invisible. Once he said: Vision is the art of seeing invisible.

Conclusion

Swift is not a misanthrope rather he is a philanthrope. It is the misconception of those who


think Swift as a misanthrope. Swift only wants to reform mankind out of their follies and
stupidities. He says that the chief end of all his labour is: "to vex the world rather than divert it”.

In short, “Gulliver’s Travels” is a complicated book symbolically stands for the mystery of
human nature. Gulliver may be a misanthrope, but we can’t equate him with Swift, who
throughout remained a philanthropist. He condemned Gulliver’s attitude in the fourth voyage.
His “Gulliver’s Travels” gives a definite message to us. He advises us to keep a balance between
rationality and sensuality. As if we choose anyone of them, we will be either a Yahoo or a
Houyhnhnm and not a man

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