Of heresy. Jonathan Swift has often falsely been accused of being
Anti-government. One of Swift's many attackers, Leslie Stephen, assails
Him for tracing "every existing evil to the impostures and corruptions.
. Of government" (Bloom, Gulliver 33). While parts one, two and three of
Gulliver's Travels are written partially as attacks on the Whigs, Swift
Only does so because of his allegiance with the Tories, an opposing party.
It is a grim portrayal of officials, and Swift's supporters believe it is
An accurate one (Knowles 33-34). It is written out of a hope for change,
However, not of hate. Swift makes it clear that he is not opposed to
Government, and he looks down upon radicals and firmly supports government
And "established institutions" (Tuveson 5). Swift is an incredibly moral
Man, and would never believe that government could be a truly moral body.
Nevertheless, he feels it can encourage virtue among its people, even if
That is not its actual motive (Bloom, Swift 14). Swift sees a necessity
For government if man is to ever realize good sensibility. With the help
Of government, people can be pushed in the direction of good sense through
Rules and regulations and eventually, after being forced to act wisely
Over and over, be able to make good decisions on their own (Tuveson 11).
Critics have claimed that Swift's chief goal is to free the world of
Passion. This is not the case, as a passionless society would render
Swift incapable of satire, and he realizes this (Ward 6). Swift only
Wants man to realize that he is made up of two parts: passion and good
Sense (Knowles 36). Swift believes, as Kathleen Williams points out, that
Man’s "mind and body are at odds and must be, as far as possible,
Reconciled." He attacks man's complexity because it prevents him from
Choosing rationally between passion and good sense and keeps him from
Maturing into a wholesome, sensible person (Bloom, Swift 15). Swift has
No desires to eliminate passion. He only wants man to have some control
Over it (Knowles 36). Critics incorrectly argue that much of Swift's
Work is simply absurd and overly imaginative (Knowles 36). Gulliver's
Travels includes many "absurdities," such as gods being frightened by
Puppies, a jealous minister and meretricious maids of honour, but each of
Them are included for a reason (Bloom, Gulliver 43). Swift has inserted
Each of these absurdities to prove his theory that man is naive and
Ignorant of his problems, because the reader, like Gulliver, laughs at
Them instead of realizing that they are problems of his own. What many of
Swift's critics do not realize is that his writings feature a dark,
Twisted sense of humor (Bloom, Gulliver 40, 43). He uses comedic
Undertones and then startles the reader into shock when these absurdities
Show just how evil man can truly be (Brady 71). He sets up readers with a
Flip-flop between reality and the imagination (Tuveson 58). What the
Reader at first fails to realize, and then is horrified to finally see, is
That the joke is actually on him (Bloom, Gulliver 44). Swift is
Criticized for Gulliver's ability to write three positive books in
Gulliver's Travels, when it is said that Gulliver writes the story after
His travels are completed and he is completely disgusted by the actions of
Mankind (Ward 124). These strange actions by Gulliver actually showcase
Man as over-anxious, someone who acts hurriedly and irrationally and as a
Result errs in his work (Bloom, Gulliver 45). The reader can roll his
Eyes at Gulliver's foibles, but when criticizing his writing the reader is
Criticizing him for being incomplete and incoherent (Ward 125).
Contrary to criticism, Gulliver's Travels is far more coherent than it is
Given credit for (Bloom, Gulliver 45). Another misconception of
Critics is that the actions of Gulliver are intended to prove that people
Are less than human (Ward 8). This was never Swift's intention. Gulliver
Originally comes off as an intelligent fellow, and the reader can easily
Relate to him. Gulliver later acts foolishly with hubris pride, and the
Reader frowns upon Gulliver and, as a result, himself (Brady 72-73).
Satire like this serves as a wake-up call for the reader. Swift
Constantly shifts the attitudes of his characters, such as Gulliver, to
Keep the reader from growing complacent. These shifts irritate the
Reader’s views on life and he is forced to change (Ward 7, 15).
Jonathan Swift is once again unfairly attacked for his references to human
Excrement in several of his works. George Gilfillan was so offended that
He referred to Swift as a "minor Satan." Gilfillan and others are
Bothered most by several mentions of faces in Gulliver's Travels,
Especially the spraying of Gulliver, and they fail to see the true
Significance of the excrement. Swift set out to inspire their anger to
Prove that man often becomes upset over everyday actions, which are trivial
Compared to the bigger picture, which is sin such as pride (Knowles 38).
William Hazlett defends Swift on this matter, claiming that those who
Attack Swift over the excremental references is an ignorant hypocrite
(Bloom, Gulliver 31). Swift does not put himself above criticism as
He has often been accused of doing. He attacks the fallacies of society
And, as a member of society, is forced to attack the vices of himself
(Ward 2). It has been a common criticism that Swift is foolish for using
Two different voices in one piece. However, this only points out that
Swift does not put himself above criticism, as it showcases the fact that
His thoughts and feelings are as incoherent as the rest of societies.
Swift loves to mock society, but in so doing, he is also mocking himself
(Tuveson 8). Swift has unfairly been referred to as conceited.
Critics claim his works are of an egotistical slant that makes simple
People look cowardly and deceitful (Knowles 34). Swift cannot possibly be
An egotist, as he has made it clear that his chief adversary is man's
Pride (Tuveson 102). He uses Gulliver as his chief means of conveying
This. Gulliver lies early in Gulliver's Travels to defend his beliefs and
Reputation, refusing to take a shot to his ego in the name of honesty
(Brady 6). In part one of Gulliver's Travels, Gulliver's vision is skewed
By the rays of the sun. This represents man's blindness towards morality
And values. Later, Gulliver is searched by the Lilliputians and they find
Glasses in his pockets. This proves that man's vision (meaning his views
And beliefs) cannot be trusted because his pride gets in the way (Bloom,
Gulliver 11-12). To accuse Swift of being self-conscious is as absurd as
Any other accusation that has been levelled against him. In Swift's time,
Society began to look at pride as not a vice but a virtue, and Swift felt
It was his duty to change this (Brady 28). Perhaps the most common
Criticism levelled against Jonathan Swift is that he is a misanthrope.
Walter Scott, infuriated by Swift's attitude towards man, went so far as
To call him an extreme misanthrope and said Swift was full of "mental
Disease" (Knowles 37). David Ward goes just as far, claiming that Swift
"Lacks completely that instinctive respect for the value of human life
Which is an essential part of humanity (9). As Ronald Knowles points out,
These attacks on Swift prove that his critics agreed with what he was
Saying and they resorted to false accusations simply out of fear and
Paranoia (38). Swift does not hate man for lacking moral perfection. Man
Cannot be expected to have this (Dennis 49). Swift hates man's stupidity,
Folly and excessive pride, but he has never given up on his brethren
(Brady 79). Swift is forced to use extreme pessimism to crack the smug
Self-confidence of the sinning optimist (Ward 13). He believes that
Humans, just as animals, are capable of evolving (Tuveson 11). Swift is
Not a misanthrope, he only wants to create awareness. His goal in works
Such as Gulliver's Travels is to change society, not to create hysteria or
Destroy it (Brady 23). Several of Swift's critics go even farther
Than misanthropy, accusing him of sadism. Some of accuses him
Actually enjoying the pain he inflicts on his readers through his thick
Satire (Knowles 34). British poet John Gay was bothered greatly by
Swift's work, and went so far as to beg Swift to take mercy on his
Readers, claiming that his writings are much too hard on human beings
(Bloom, Gulliver 26). Just as Swift is unfairly labelled a misanthrope, he
Most certainly is not a sadist. The sole objective of his satire is to
Simply open people's eyes to the many problems of human nature. While his
Writings seem negative, Swift wants to help people, not hurt them. For
Example, Swift uses midgets and giants in Gulliver's Travels. Midgets and
Giants are still people, but they are by no means as frightening an image
As the average human being. By using outlandish humans such as these
Midgets and giants, Swift allows man to examine the fallacies of himself
Without becoming overly frightened (Knowles 35-36). Swift never intends
To hurt anyone through his writing, and he loves all "individuals"
(Tuveson 105). Due to the immense popularity of works such as
Gulliver's Travels and A Tale of a Tub, criticism of Jonathan Swift will
Probably continue on forever. And as more and more people read his bitter
Attacks on an eighteenth-century lifestyle that mirrors their own in
Immorality and decadence, more and more accusations such as heretic and
Misanthrope will be levelled. Swift's work will continue to force people
To look themselves in the eyes, and as long as they refuse to accept the
Truths that Swift lays before them, the naive and ignorant allegations
Will continue to fly. Jonathan Swift, by his own admission, was not a
Perfect man nor a perfect writer, but the criticisms levelled against his
Beliefs and writings simply out of ignorance and naiveté will continue to
Be dismissed as misguided and incorrect.
