Satire – part 2

Read

·  Pre-flight to Gulliver handout

·  Intro to Gulliver’s Travels 974-76

·  Part I: A Voyage to Lilliput 979-1016

Vocabulary (in order of appearance)

Define each word and note page number on which it appears as well as sentence

·  Declivity

·  Ligatures

·  Intrepidity

·  Disapprobation

·  Inured

·  Caper

·  Fomented

·  Schism

·  Encomiums

·  Disaffection

·  diuretic

·  Vulgar

·  Concupiscence

·  Inundation

Questions

Swift mocks a number of political and social customs throughout the text. Keep track of them and how they relate to modern society.

chapters 1-4 for thur 1/31

1.  Why do you think Swift begins his story with so many mundane details about Gulliver's background and in so matter-of-fact a tone?

  1. How does Gulliver end up in Lilliput?
  2. In what condition is he when he awakes?
  3. How big are the Lilliputians?
  4. Why does e remain submissive when he could so easily overpower the Lilliputians?
  5. Why do you think Swift describes Gulliver urinating and defecating?
  6. Why does Gulliver tell us that he found it necessary to describe how the Lilliputians handled his bodily functions? Why is his answer funny? What does this tell us about Gulliver? About readers?
  7. What does the "Dance of the Rope" have to say about politics?

9.  Look up the word "Caper" in the dictionary. Do you think Swift used this word with its three different meanings in mind? If so, why would he do that?

10.  What is Swift saying about politics with the colored threads that the Emperor gives to those who impress him the most?

  1. Why do you think Swift has the Lilliputians swearing with such a ridiculous looking ritual?
  1. Explain the articles and conditions upon which he would be set free.
  1. What is the issue with the wearing of high and low heels?
  2. What do you think the controversy between the Big-Endians and the Small-Endians represents?

15.  What does it mean when he states, “That all true Believers shall break their Eggs at the convenient End: and which is the convenient End, seems, in my humble Opinion, to be left to every Man's Conscience, or at least in the power of the Chief Magistrate to determine”?

16.  Why would Big-Endians and Small-Endians be so willing to kill one another for their beliefs?

  1. What do we learn about the Lilliputians with the knowledge that they believe no other kingdoms exist except those of Lilliput and Blefuscu?

chapters 5-6 for mon 2/4

18.  Explain the situation with Blefuscu.

19.  Gulliver saves the Imperial Majesty's Apartment and possibly lives by putting out the fire, but the Empress is not happy. Why? What does this tell us about her? What do you think Swift is saying through this incident?

20.  What crime is generally punished with death?

21.  What are the requirements to receive a reward for following the laws? Do we have anything similar in our culture?

chapters 7-8 for wed 2/6

  1. Explain their regard for good morals more than great ambition.
  2. What does it mean that “disbelief renders [a man] incapable of holding office”?
  3. Describe the duties of parents and children.
  4. How does Gulliver make an enemy of the Treasurer?
  5. Explain the articles of high treason brought against Gulliver. What is his response to this action?
  6. On the possible loss of Gulliver's eyesight it is said, "it would be sufficient for you to see by the Eyes of the Ministers, since the greatest Princes do no more." What does this mean?

Gulliver says about the possible loss of his eyes,

And as to myself, I must confess, having never been designed for a Courtier either by my Birth or Education, I was so ill a Judge of Things, that I could not discover the Lenity and Favour of this Sentence, but conceived it (perhaps erroneously) rather to be rigorous than gentle.

. . . if I had then known the Nature of Princes and Ministers, which I have since observed in many other Courts, and their Methods of treating Criminals less obnoxious than myself, I should with great alacrity and readiness have submitted to so easy a Punishment.

  1. What do we learn about Gulliver and governments from these statements?
  2. How does he make money on his way home?
  3. Why do you think he stays no longer at home than he does?
  4. Does the size of the Lilliputians match their personalities and philosophies? Explain.

CP Eng 12Mellen 2013