Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World

by Swift, Jonathan

Project Gutenberg Release

Project Gutenberg ID

829

Reading Ease

Reading ease score: 50.9 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.

Rights: Public domain in the USA.

Summary

"Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World" by Jonathan Swift is a satirical novel written in the early 18th century. The narrative follows Lemuel Gulliver, an adventurous surgeon and sea captain, as he embarks on a series of fantastical voyages. The opening portions introduce Gulliver's background and his first voyage to Lilliput, a land of tiny inhabitants, where his size and strength create both wonder and concern among the Lilliputians. The beginning of "Gulliver's Travels" outlines Gulliver's prior experiences and motivations for travel, which culminate in a shipwreck that lands him in the strange land of Lilliput. Upon awakening, he finds himself bound by the tiny people who inhabit the island, and his interactions with them reveal a mix of curiosity, hostility, and admiration. Initially treated as a giant curiosity, Gulliver navigates the complexities of their society while struggling to communicate. The early chapters establish a whimsical yet critical lens through which Swift critiques the politics, culture, and human nature of his time, setting the stage for the deeper allegories and satirical commentary that characterize the rest of the novel. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Metadata

language_code

en

bookshelf

Category: Classics of Literature
Category: British Literature
Banned Books from Anne Haight's list
Best Books Ever Listings
Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
Category: Novels
Category: Adventure

locc_code

PR

subject

Satire
Fantasy fiction
Travelers -- Fiction
Voyages, Imaginary -- Early works to 1800
Gulliver, Lemuel (Fictitious character) -- Fiction