Gulliver’s Travels Part IV

Gulliver's Travels Part IV

Page 165 The protagonist in Gulliver's Travels, Lemuel Gulliver, is held captive by his crew and abandoned on an unknown island in Part IV; just as he abandons his family responsibility. He appeals to the emotions of his readers in his use of pathos in his writing, yet it comes short in accomplishing the desired effect. The reader is aware of his selfish motive to meet his own objectives without consideration of his wife or children. In this act of selfishness in Gulliver's Travels, Mr. Swift is critical of the relentless pursuit of the elite English in the acquisition of personal wealth. The emphasis is given to England's political leadership which Mr. Swift believes to be indifferent towards the needs of its citizens. (Miriam Katsigianni) Page 166 Gulliver's misfortune in the mistaken recruitment of Buccaneers instead of a crew of experienced sailors not only corrupts the other men on board the ship, it becomes a threat to Gulliver's life. Mr. Swift exposes by way of Logos (reason) the result of appointing corrupt men to positions of authority in government, which has its result in a corrupt system of government; a system that threatens the progress of its people. PP 167, 168, 169 Gulliver meets on this unknown island the Yahoos which are repulsive in appearance and behavior. A barbaric people of whom Gulliver mistrust. Soon after this encounter with the Yahoos, Gulliver has the good fortune of associating with the Houyhnhnms which a, "sophisticated" (p.168) intelligence. This graceful power that moves so freely, traveling without care throughout the island, with an air of command and authority over its environment (including the barbaric Yahoo's). It is apparent to me that the Yahoos represent the corrupt English politicians and others that do not serve the general good of the people of England. Gulliver asserts himself by declaring his superiority to the English by the creation of the Houyhnhnms in this prose satire. He wants to say that the Irish are not inferior to the English, but rather have an acute intelligence that is not recognized by England. (Miriam Katsigianni)