Review+of+Swift's+Gulliver's+Travels

Resemblance between Yahoos and Men in Swift‘s Gulliver‘s Travel.

Gulliver’s Travels is an eighteenth century satirical novel written by Jonathan Swift. It was written to criticize England’s trifling political conflicts, brutal and needless wars, and unnecessary scientific experiments that corrupt the England’s economy. In “A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnhnms” Gulliver arrives at a country where dominant inhabitants are the horses called Houyhnhnms. Along with Houyhnhnms, a mischievous species call Yahoos lives in the country as the slaves of Houyhnhnms. In Book IV Swift criticizes the unappealing nature of humans by comparing them with the uncooperative, greedy, and materialistic Yahoos.

By contrasting the nature of Yahoos to that of Houyhnhnms, Swift criticize the uncooperative nature of men. Yahoos are very evil and were know for their evil nature. The book says “Yahoos were known to hate one another more than they did any different Species of Animal.” (142) Because of their hatred to one another, they are uncooperative. However Houyhnhnms were different. They were cooperative and have loving nature. The book says “Friendship and Benevolence are the two principal Virtues among the Houyhnhnms”(148).

Through the Yahoos Swift also criticized the greed of mankind. Yahoos are also known for their greediness. As Gulliver says, “For, if (said he) you throw among five Yahoos as much Food as would be sufficient for fifty, they will, instead of eating peaceably, fall together by the Ears, each single one impatient to have all to it self” (142). Because of their greediness, Yahoos cannot achieve harmony among themselves, which was resulted in their enslavement by the Houyhnhnms. Because of the connection between Yahoos and men, Swift criticized the greediness of men.

Swift also criticizes the materialism of men’s nature by showing the nature of yahoos. Houyhnhnms says “… There are certain shining Stones of several Colours, whereof the Yahoos are violently fond: … They will dig with their Clwas for whole Days to get them out and carry them away, and hide them by Heaps in their Kennels.”(Page 143) This indicate the materialistic nature of Yahoos. The shining stones might indicate the money or jewels that most men value, and the Yahoos loving the shining stones might indicate the man’s loving or worshipping money.

Although it has many characteristic of fairy tale, Gulliver’s Travel has many philosophical ideas. Through Gulliver words describing Yahoo’s behaviors, Swift criticizes the immoral and unethical behavior of man. By contrasting the nature of Yahoos to that of Houyhnhnms, Swift criticize the uncooperative nature of men. By showing the greediness and materialistic character of Yahoos, Swift criticizes man’s avarice. Therefore through this book, Swift criticize the evil nature of men. Posted By: Bensalem