The Vexing but Diverting Web of Relationship: Swift, Gulliver, and the Reader
Keywords:
web of relationships, Swift, Gulliver, readerAbstract
This paper explores the intricate interplay between author, character, and reader in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. Through a detailed analysis, the study investigates how Swift constructs a multifaceted web of relationships that both vexes and diverts the reader. By examining the satirical nuances and narrative techniques employed by Swift, the paper elucidates the complex dynamics between Gulliver's evolving perspective and the reader's reception of his voyages. The analysis reveals how Swift's sophisticated manipulation of irony and satire not only critiques contemporary society but also engages readers in a deeper reflection on human nature and societal constructs. Ultimately, this study highlights the enduring relevance of "Gulliver's Travels" and its ability to provoke thought and entertain through its layered narrative and rich character development.
References
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Elliott, Robert C. “The Satirist Satirized,” Twentieth Century Interpretations of Gulliver’s Travels. Ed. Frank Brady. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1974. Pp. 41-59.
Khattak, Nasir Jamal. Gulliver’s Travels: A Journey through the Unconscious. Unpublished PhD Dissertation. University of Massachusetts, Amherst, May 2001.
Rawson, Claude. “Introduction,” Jonathan Swift: A Collection of Critical Essays. Ed. Claude Rawson. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1995. Pp. 1-15.
Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver’s Travels. Ed. Christopher Fox. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press, 1995.
Todd, Dennis, “The Hairy Maid at the Harpsichord: Some Speculations on the Meanings of Gulliver’s Travels. Texas Studies in Literature and Language. Vol. 34, No. 2 (Summer 1992). Pp. 239-83.
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