2.2k views
4 votes
Some would argue that the author Jonathan Swift was a hater of people and that Gulliver's Travels proves his hatred of mankind

Agree or Disagree?


Use examples from text.

User Tim MB
by
6.1k points

1 Answer

3 votes

Disagree: Jonathan Swift was commonly regarded as a misanthrope,a person with a general hatred on humanity. On the other hand, it is not totally true since he was an opponent of slavery and war and could be gentle and sympathetic when dealing with people in person. He hated Ireland and the Irish yet thought it correct to defend the country from english forces. He donated money for the care of the mad and treated his servants with kindness and generosity.

Much of his work don't really have to do with hating humankind, however, he finds humanity flawed. In his books he shows the pride of humanity as a big aspect of this in a satirical way.

Examples from the text:

1 - At the very first travel, Gulliver, appears to such a land where lives an unbelievable ‘human creature not more than six inches high’ . In fact, by presenting an impossible physical smallness of the human race he wants to show the possible mental smallness.

2 - The human beings tend to make quarrel and war. The long war between the ‘Lilliputians’ and the ‘Blefuscus’ on a trivial issue for a long time proves their love for war. They continue the war for many years on the point that which end of an egg to break, larger or smaller end.

Conclusion: Swift wasn't really a hater of people in Gulliver's trips. He hated the way human beings behaved and their flaws, in a way he tried to change them and someone who hates people wouldn't mind doing that.


User John Meyer
by
6.1k points