Gulliver

Gulliver is a fictional character and the protagonist of the novel Gulliver's Travels, written by Jonathan Swift. The novel is a satirical exploration of human nature and a parody of the "travelers' tales" literary sub-genre. It is Swift's best known full-length work, and a classic of English literature.

Character Overview

Gulliver is a surgeon from Nottinghamshire, England, who has a taste for traveling. He is the narrator of the story and is presented as an observant, curious, and somewhat naive character. Throughout the novel, Gulliver embarks on four distinct journeys, each of which is to a different fictional land with unique inhabitants and customs.

Gulliver's Travels

In Gulliver's Travels, Gulliver's adventures are divided into four parts. Each part is a separate voyage that Gulliver undertakes, and each voyage takes him to a different fictional land.

Part I: A Voyage to Lilliput

In his first voyage, Gulliver is washed ashore after a shipwreck and finds himself a prisoner of a race of tiny people, less than 6 inches tall, who are inhabitants of the island country of Lilliput.

Part II: A Voyage to Brobdingnag

In the second voyage, Gulliver is abandoned in a land inhabited by giants who are as tall as a church steeple, known as Brobdingnag.

Part III: A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Luggnagg, Glubbdubdrib, and Japan

In the third voyage, Gulliver visits the flying island of Laputa and nearby lands, including the island of Glubbdubdrib where he encounters a society of sorcerers and magicians.

Part IV: A Voyage to the Land of the Houyhnhnms

In his final voyage, Gulliver discovers a land ruled by intelligent horses known as Houyhnhnms, and the deformed and savage humanoid creatures known as Yahoos.

Legacy

Gulliver's character and his travels have had a significant impact on English literature and have inspired numerous adaptations and reimaginings in various media. The term "Lilliputian" has even entered many languages as an adjective meaning "small and delicate". There is a brand of matches named after Gulliver, and a series of collectible model houses known as "Lilliput Lane".