Gulliver's Travels

the discussion between the king and gulliver is interesting but there is a hidden satire in it

visit to brodingnag

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Any discussions in Gulliver's Travels has hidden satire. Every question the king asks demonstrates that Gulliver is proud of the English way of life which is really abhorrent to the king. The ministers, for example, are not hired according to their strong qualifications; the king is appalled that anyone would be given a job for any other reason except that. In general the King shows what should be a more rational, sensible form of governing so that Swift can then satirize more of the weakness of the English. No matter what it is, there is satire because the king does not see that Gulliver has anything to be proud of.

Gulliver's travels to lead him to encounter a race of giants. They are ugly, but also far superior to the peoples of Europe in government and culture. Regardless of their size, the Brobdingnags are peaceful, fair, frugal, non-violent, and do not indulge in cruelty as the peoples of Europe. When Gulliver tells the King about European history, government, and society (he flatters it as much as possible), the King replies, "I cannot but conclude the Bulk of your Natives to be the most pernicious Race of little odious Vermin that Nature ever suffered to crawl upon the Surface of the Earth." If you think about it, we can still see these same things going on today.