Mask Of Gulliver's Travels
...small end. Some of the Lilliputians resisted this edict, and they escaped to Blefuscu. This resulted in the division of the Lilliputian party into the Low Heals and the High Heals. These two have been at war ever since, Lilliputians and Blefuscus. Gulliver of course sees an argument this ridiculous causing a war is completely absurd. Swift uses this disagreement as an analogy of England with the Whigs and Torres, satirically. Swift paints the humorous image into the readers mind of the disagreements between the small harmless creatures, “We labour under two mighty evils; a violent Faction at home, and the Danger of an Invasion by a most potent Enemy from abroad” (47). The almost blatant sarcasm Swift speaks with makes the point obvious to the reader who dives further into the book than just the superficial adventure tale; especially in this direct quote Swift’s uses of the words mighty evils is almost in itself an oxymoron considering the size of this society’s people and a most potent Enemy screams sarcasm to almost make the reader chuckle from the imagery alone. Swift uses the small and important-less people of the Lilliputians to mimic the British and their political disagreements and absurdities. Swift also ridicules the choosing of politicians in Lilliputian society. He tells how the candidates must do a “rope dance”. Gulliver is not literally implicating this was a European practice, but simply saying how skills like these could land you spots in politics. Specifically in Europe Swift is refereeing to the ability of successful candidates to fill the right pockets with money. So in general, Swift uses Lilliputians and their politics as puppets to mimic the many faults he sees in the English politics of his time. Swift’s other satirical attack is the behavior of the Lilliputians towards the different man who is Gulliver. They nickname him “Man Mountain” and even deprive him of his liberty until he agrees to there terms. The simply helpless Lilliputians dictate Gulliver’s liberty even-though he easily could dominate and subdue them, and they depict this deciding of Gulliver’s future plans, “the Emperor held frequent councils to debate what Course should be taken with me;” (33). The Lilliputians automatically assume since Gulliver differs from the norm in their society that they are superiorly aloud to decide his fate. The Lilliputians could benefit greatly from the use of Gulliver, but however egotistically some of the Lilliputians see him as a threat to their status in society. In particular Skyris Bolgolam, the high Admiral, was most threatened, “…his hatred is much ...