How does Swift use Gulliver's travels to critique society?

Prepare for the Gulliver's Travels Test. Dive into detail with flashcards and multiple choice questions, complete with useful hints and explanations. Ready yourself for success!

Swift uses Gulliver's travels as a means to critically examine and reflect various elements of 18th-century society, such as politics, human nature, science, and culture. Each society that Gulliver encounters serves as a mirror to the shortcomings and absurdities of his own world. For instance, the tiny Lilliputians represent the pettiness and trivial conflicts of European politics, while the Houyhnhnms embody rationality and virtue, contrasting sharply with the flawed nature of humans, symbolized by the Yahoos. Through these portrayals, Swift effectively critiques contemporary issues, making the narrative both a satirical adventure and a profound commentary on human society, instead of merely focusing on Gulliver's personal growth or heroic deeds, which are not the central focus of the work. The other options either misrepresent the purpose of Gulliver's experiences or suggest a more simplistic view of the narrative that fails to capture its deeper satirical elements.

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