What is the relationship between the horses and Yahoos?

In "Gulliver's Travels," particularly in Part IV where the protagonist, Lemuel Gulliver, encounters the Houyhnhnms (the talking horses) and the Yahoos (the brutish, human-like creatures), the horses are portrayed as rational beings who embody virtue and reason. In stark contrast, the Yahoos are depicted as savage and base creatures who lack the intelligence and morality of the Houyhnhnms.

The correct answer highlights the social hierarchy present in this fictional society: the Houyhnhnms dominate the Yahoos, viewing them as inferior beings. This dynamic showcases the thematic exploration of rationality versus irrationality, civilization versus savagery, which is central to the work. The horses, with their cultivated, structured society, exert control over the Yahoos, who are driven by instinct and base desires. The portrayal of this relationship serves to critique human nature and societal norms through the lens of a fantastical setting.