The Use of Irony in Gulliver's Travels

THE USE OF IRONY IN “GULLIVER’S TRAVELS” Irony is one of the most important instrument of satire. Irony arises from a contrast, a contrast between appearance and reality, between what a character or the author says and what he really means to convey, between what a character thinks himself to be and what he really is, between what a character believes and what the reader knows to be actually the case, between what a character thinks what he will do or achieve and what he really in the long run does or achieves, and so on. It may also be pointed out that, apart from irony in words, irony may exist in situation. A situation is ironical when the reader knows all the facts of the case while the characters, either all of them or some of them, are ignorant of some of the facts of the case. Furthermore, irony may produce a comic effect or a tragic effect, depending upon the circumstances of the case. This means that the use of irony by an author may amuse the reader or may sadden him all the more. A Destructive Irony at Work in “Gulliver’s Travels”: Swift is a comic and satirical writer, and therefore his use of irony in his writings adds to the comic effect at which he aims. In “Gulliver’s Travels” we find a plentiful use of irony. As Cazamian points out, “Gulliver’s Travels” throws the light of a superior and destructive irony upon the smallness of the means, the vanity of the motives, the illusions of the catchwords, through which kings retained thrones and magistrates their offices in those days. It is not only the English political life of his time which Swift thus dissects. To serve the needs of his allegory, swift carries us from the country of the dwarfs to that of the giants, and in the end to the country of the yahoos and of the noble horses. Mankind cuts a sorry figure in all these strange countries. Irony and allegory are, in this book, fused in one. Swift is, indeed, a master of irony. The Irony of Situation in all the Four Parts of “Gulliver’s Travels” The irony of situation is to be found in all the four divisions of “Gulliver’s Travels”. In Lilliput, Gulliver finds himself in the midst of people who are no more than six inches in height. In Brobdingnag, Gulliver finds himself in the midst of people of a giant size by comparison with whom he himself is a pigmy. In Laputa and in Balnibarbi he finds himself among people who are queer in one way or another. Finally, he finds himself in the midst of the Yahoos and the Houyhnhnms, the former bearing a close physical resemblance to human beings and the latter being horses in their physical shape and appearance but having an intelligence much superior to that of human beings. In all these cases, Gulliver thinks himself to be literally among pigmies, giants, or horses as the case may be; but we realize that in each case Swift is giving us a portrayal of human beings themselves though the description of the various kinds of inhabitants of the different countries as determined by the requirements of the satirical intentions of the author. Verbal Irony in the Portrayal of the Emperor and the Customs of Lilliput: In addition to the irony of situation, we have in this book plenty of verbal irony which arises largely from the contrast between what is said and what is really intended. Early in the book we have an example of this kind of irony when Swift describes the Emperor of Lilliput. As the Emperor is taller by the breadth of Gulliver’s nail than any member of his court, his appearance is enough to strike awe into the beholders. The Emperor’s features are strong 1

and masculine with an Austrian lip and arched nose, his countenance erect, his body and limbs well proportioned, all his motions graceful, and his conduct majestic. Now this description of the Emperor is clearly ironical because a person, who is just six inches or a little more than in height, cannot be regarded as awful. Verbal Irony in the Voyage to Brobdingnag: In the account of the voyage to Brobdingnag we have still more striking examples of the use of verbal irony. When Gulliver describes the features of the national life of his own country namely England, to the King of Brobdingnag, the King makes certain adverse comments upon Gulliver’s country. But Gulliver feels offended with the King because Gulliver thinks his own country to be “the mistress of arts and arms, the seat of virtue, piety, honour and truth, the pride and envy of the world”. Now Gulliver genuinely believes his country as possessing these qualities, but Swift means this description to be ironical, because Swift had just the opposite view of England. Subsequently Gulliver gives to the King of Brobdingnag a detailed description of the English Parliament, the Courts of Justice, etc. The King finds fault with all these English institutions. Gulliver thereupon attributes the King’s condemnation to the King’s narrow-mindedness. Irony in the Account of the Third Voyage: The use of irony by Swift may also be illustrated from the Third Voyage of Gulliver. In the school of political projectors in Lagado, professors are working upon schemes for persuading monarchs to choose favourites upon the basis of their wisdom, capacity, and virtue; for teaching ministers to consult the public good; for rewarding merit, great abilities and eminent services; for choosing for employments persons qualified to work efficiently; and so on. The irony here lies in the fact that, while all these schemes are perfectly sound and wholesome, Gulliver describes them as wild, impossible unrealistic ideas. Irony in Part IV of the Book: It is believed by some that in part IV of the book swift’s portrayal of the Houyhnhnms is also ironical and that Swift did not really mean to hold up the Houyhnhnms as representing a utopian ideal. This however, is not relevant point. But about Swift’s use of irony in describing Gulliver’s mentality and outlook in the two or three closing chapters, we can have no doubt. Swift certainly does not approve of the complete and absolute misanthropy which Gulliver has developed by the end of his final voyage. Swift, therefore, gives us an ironic description Gulliver’s whole behavior at this stage. In other words, Gulliver himself now becomes a target of Swift’s irony and satire.

WRITTEN & COMPOSED BY: PROF. A.R. SOMROO M.A. ENGLISH, M.A. EDUCATION CELL: 03339971417

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