Misanthropic undercurrents have often been detected in Gulliver's Travels, usually brought to light and exposed in connection with the fourth book of the travelogue. Through Gulliver, the fourth book gives voice to a vehement misanthropy, proposing the peaceful life of the Houyhnhnms as an ideal model. Gulliver is the resident misanthrope, who detests corrupt human nature and desires to live as a recluse. However, a careful reading of the text provides us with a contradictory opinion, that of Swift. Although he seems to hate the follies and vices of humanity, he does not abandon his fellow men, making their cases desperate. He denounces the incurable optimism of the Enlightenment and the excessive emphasis on Reason, but also attempts to regain the dignity and value of humanity. Gulliver's philosophical pessimism can perhaps be contrasted with Swift's measured optimism, which nevertheless places us in an ambiguous position. This essay will attempt to trace the vein of misanthropy that emerges from this ambiguity, while identifying its broader implications. Furthermore, it is up for debate whether misanthropic characteristics can be attributed to both Gulliver and Swift, or only to Gulliver, maniacally misanthropic in the end. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Misanthropy as a construct is hatred of humanity, with a contempt for its corrupt nature and a complete distrust of anyone. There is a willful and willful social alienation and questioning of human existence as it reaps no chatty benefit other than being harmful to all. Contextually, it appears that Gulliver is a misanthrope, who lives in Houyhnhnmland with horses and Yahoos and is disgusted by corrupt human nature. He has degenerated beyond recognition from the "reasoned" nature of the Houyhnhnms. After his exile from that land, he wishes to live as a recluse, away from the Yahoos and lead a happy life similar to that of the Houyhnhnms. Even when he is saved by Don Pedro, who allows him to return to his family, Gulliver may think of everyone as just Yahoos, inherently evil and therefore to be avoided. Years after his return to humanity, Gulliver still harbors a vitriolic hatred for every Yahoo, quite evident from his letter to his editor. He voluntarily withdrew from the human world, quite determined to never mend the severed ties. On the other hand, accusations of Swift as a misanthrope are usually based on Gulliver's apparent misanthropy. Any such statement that judges Gulliver and Swift to have the same views on human nature perhaps misses the nuances of the text. True, Gulliver is a misanthrope, which is quite evident from the fourth book. Subsequently, Swift's reflections on humanity evolve from Gulliver's misanthropic antics, who have cautious optimism about their future. His satirical handling of Gulliver's misanthropy is quite curious to decipher as it destabilizes the previous solution suggested by Houyhnhnms as an ideal model. However, it is to be speculated whether Swift is anti-humanist, seeing the excess of incurable optimism, the maniacal zeal for discovery and the abuse of Reason. Because such excess has brought upon man a deluge of problems, due to incessant wars, dangerous inventions and degraded human nature, as Gulliver proudly tells the king of Brobdingnag. Swift's speech, perfectly intertwined with Gulliver's misanthropic invectives, is not simply a rational diatribe on the degenerate position of man; foresees the possibility for humanity to regain its honor and glory. Also, to trace Swift's view on naturehuman, it would be necessary to carefully analyze the gradual structuring of Gulliver's misanthropy and identify its ambiguities. Any such analysis must begin with Gulliver's letter to his publisher. The letter, published alongside the 1735 edition of Gulliver's Travels, faithfully echoes Gulliver's hatred of the Yahoos at the end of the fourth book. There is a gradual generalization of humanity, which becomes disillusioned with its own efforts and its own existence. Human beings are always governed by their vices and any “public good” does not seem even remotely possible. They cannot be corrected by any model, not even by the glorious Houyhnhnms, or by worthy experiences. Gulliver appears to have willingly submitted to the horses and their supposedly superior "Reason". His speech is also culturally foreign, spoken in the language of the Houyhnhnms. There is an indication of voluntary isolation through the use of the word "your kind" to refer to humans. As the letter indicates, Gulliver seems to have given up on any visionary plan to correct the follies and vices of humanity. Previously, he had sought them to correct their nature through the morals expressed in his travel journal, if they were susceptible to Reason.[1] He had kindly given them six months to reform, but to no avail. Humanity seemed to be inherently corrupt and his ambitious plan to reform Yahoos was perhaps absurd. Gulliver's hatred for humans, even his own family, is quite evident from the tenor of the letter.[2] Furthermore, such vehement misanthropy is to be traced throughout all four books and in the way it culminates in the fourth book. Gulliver during his stay in Lilliput expresses himself in his best way, emphasizing his Englishness and gentle nature. The incongruity of his physical monstrosity and the Lilliputians' dwarfness is contrasted with their respective actions. The Lilliputians, despite their despicable size, are not afraid of Gulliver, as they hope to control him and use him to their advantage. It is comical to note how they issue restrictive conditions in exchange for Gulliver's freedom and then issue articles of treason against him. Interestingly, despite his physical superiority and commanding presence, Gulliver chooses to appease the Lilliputians, respecting the code of hospitality and responding pleasantly to their antics. He is kind to his captors and respects the commands given, however strange they may seem.[3] A streak of atelophobia can perhaps be detected in Gulliver's insistence on recounting every such incident with the Lilliputians. He is eager to assimilate by learning their language and yet is also interested in teaching the Lilliputians a thing or two to improve their lives since they have never led a restrictive life. Furthermore, although he criticizes the laws of his country and attacks the politics of the court, in the first book he is generally a protective Gulliver. The second book posits Gulliver as the victim, which is rational but incongruous with respect to his size, according to the Brobdingnagians. They treat it as an insignificant toy, to be used as a means of entertainment, but nothing more. Gulliver is even smaller than the smallest dwarf, Splacknuck. Even good wits are surprising in such a tiny animal like him. Gulliver is angry at the way he is treated but gradually begins to abdicate the responsibility of defending the disgrace to humans. The perspective on humans also begins to degrade, with the introduction of animal images. At this juncture, Gulliver's gaze is precise, reasoned and judging, always turned to the monstrous nature of the Brobdingnagians. As a human being, he is rendered irrelevant bygiants, but for him it is a special position. He is proud of his position and identity, because although the Brobdingnagians are good, that country is not as good as his home country is. Here too, Gulliver's pride and nostalgia and Swift's condescending attitude towards him are quite evident. There is a gradual diminution of Gulliver's self-imposed importance, as the Brobdingnaggian women undress and examine him while the king laughs at his imagined heroic efforts to protect himself from the apes. Even when faced with physically monstrous dangers for him, Gulliverse seems to live unconsciously, in an illusory state. Although his diminutive state is made apparent, it seems that Gulliver himself begins to forget it, merely foregrounding his existence with much pride. His political conversations with the king end with a derogatory judgment on human nature. The king characterizes Gulliver and the other humans as the most pernicious race of hateful little parasites that nature has ever allowed to crawl upon the surface of the earth. According to the king, the little humans were inventing things that destroy everything, being decidedly unnatural and harboring inhuman ideas.[4] Humanity is therefore subject to numerous diseases that have made them crooks, selfish and cruel. Gulliver is blinded by pride in his relatives and therefore calls the king naive, for not having gone beyond this land and for lacking experience. The king has a limited perspective and cannot appreciate what humanity has achieved. Subsequently, Gulliver attempts to casually preserve the dignity of humankind, citing numerous political and legal reasons. Interestingly, while returning home after the second voyage, Gulliver calls it an "unlucky voyage." I wonder if the journey is unfortunate because it acts like a mirror for him, forcing him to reflect on the harmful effects of man's seemingly progressive activities. In the third book, Gulliver is reduced to an irrelevant entity, as nearly everyone in Laputa and the other lands is absorbed in their own thoughts and inventions. The inhabitants are actively engaged with the abstract and philosophical while Gulliver's presence is barely noticed. To interact more with the inhabitants, Gulliver must explore the lands, observing the academy of the projectors with their absurd inventions and the wizards with access to ghosts. Gulliver interacts with ancient ghosts and ends up correcting some historical facts and clarifying ancient philosophical ideas. Next, his interaction with the Struldbrugg is quite interesting, as it gives us a discourse on man's ambitions if he were immortal. It is curiously structured like a Renaissance speech, with sky-high ambitions and faith in the competence of humankind. Of course, the response itself is satirical, denouncing the man's ambitions, calling them immature because they fail to take into account any consideration other than their own desire. Any discussion regarding misanthropy in Gulliver's Travels centers on the fourth book, which focuses on the cathartic action of Gulliver's journey to Houyhnhnmland. Gulliver is amazed to observe the horses behaving rationally and being the masters of the land. He is also desperate for a human voice upon his arrival as humans are needed to harness the animals and train them, as the horses have been trained amicably. This is the last instance in which we see the pompous and proud man whose travels have been described in the last three books. Subsequently, Gulliver's nature changes completely until it obscures his original identity. But, more importantly, Gulliver has contempt and dislike for the Yahoos, whom he would prefer to the natives. Treat Yahoos like cattle and yeseven focuses on a coherent description of their physical characteristics. His interaction with the Houyhnhnm makes him despicable towards his own race, mostly propagated by his master's reasoned speeches. Furthermore, his hatred is closely linked to the presence of the brutal Yahoos, who are almost men, to whom Gulliver is equated by the Houyhnhnms and himself. The Houyhnhnm themselves are a perfect species, as their name suggests, as Houyhnhnm means "perfection of nature". They are self-confident in most matters and live a perfect life, guided by the Supreme Reason. Because for them the faculty of Reason is absolute, because if it is corrupted, as in human beings, it is not Reason that human beings are equipped with. Gulliver's interaction with the Houyhnhnms highlights the excessively corrupt nature of humans. Simply put, humans with their degenerate and irrational nature are incapable of surviving in nature and simply pretend to possess the faculty of Reason. Interestingly, Gulliver's reservations about telling every story of his race vanish in the face of such firm condemnation from the master Houyhnhnm. He is quite eager to recount every event, every war and political problem with gusto and to engage in discussions with his master. These speeches allow Gulliver to fuel an intense hatred towards humans or Yahoos as he calls them. At this point, it is interesting to note that the Houyhnhnm define the Yahoos as a degenerate, selfish, lascivious and cunning race of an evil nature, which Gulliver readily accepts, with much mystique. His interaction with them is limited, but he readily accepts the subverted position with negligible questions. Subsequently, he is ready to adapt to the Houyhnhnm lifestyle, equipped with Reason and live there quite contentedly. But he is unceremoniously banished to return to his kind, to this end he builds a boat to leave. Before leaving, Gulliver bends down to kiss his master's hoof, sensing that the master raises his hoof, this being considered a rare honor by Gulliver. This incident, among others, was noted for deliberately degrading the position of humankind to that of less than that of an animal. Later, when Gulliver returns to the human fold, he meets Don Pedro, a kind captain who helps him reach Redcliff. However, for Gulliver, even though he thinks Pedro has some human understanding, he is quite certain that every Yahoo is evil. Even after arriving home, he stubbornly refuses to interact with humans, calling them beastly creatures, unworthy of connection with. His travels led him to explore the various facets of human nature, but in terms of vices and follies everyone was the same, a Yahoo. Influenced by the Houyhnhnms' restrictive idea of ​​Supreme Reason, Gulliver had slowly become a misanthrope, harboring hatred for humanity and no longer willing to trust them. Even years after his return, Gulliver prefers to live as a recluse, away from evil creatures, as he mentions in the letter. However, Gulliver's naive misanthropy can hardly be understood as a reflection of Swift's perspective of human nature. It would be truly comical if anyone assumed that the utopian world of the Houyhnhnms was the perfect solution to humanity's dissolute world. Houyhnhnms are far from perfect, being confident in most matters, though they may be well out of their league. Master Houyhnhnm does not have enough experience, having not visited any land other than his own, but only with Gulliver's tale can he definitely talk about the flaws. Even the nag believes that there can be no other island besides his own. The Houyhnhnms arequite sure of their own supremacy, as any flaw in Gulliver would only ensure that the solution must be found in the Houyhnhnm lifestyle. Swift has often been accused of projecting strong pessimism through Gulliver at the end. Such a view may be restrictive as it does not take into account how Gulliver's position is itself undermined in the final chapters. As noted, Swift does not identify Gulliver with the Yahoos, it is Gulliver himself who constantly consolidates his resemblance to the Yahoos, kindly suggested by the master Houyhnhnm. Furthermore, his decision to stay and assimilate into the Houyhnhnmland lifestyle after talks with his master is immediately negated by his unceremonious exile from the land. Swift portrays Houyhnhnmland as a rationalistic utopia, with horses living under the ambiguous umbrella of Pure Reason. . Their lifestyle is morbidly passive, being seemingly governed by Reason and thus they live in a stoically calm environment.[5] However, it is nowhere near any rationalistic possibility of life. Gulliver is deluded by their status and wishes to rise above his human position and achieve such rational intelligence. However, Swift is not so emphatic about Houyhnhnm's perfect life. For him it would be too simple a solution to a too complex problem. Reason, however efficient it may be, cannot solve all problems, nor can it sustain humanity forever. Swift's formulation of the human is part Houyhnhnm and part Yahoo. The Yahoo is what man, in the excessive use of Reason, could become once his nature has degraded and he has become an irrational creature. The Houyhnhnm represent the rational, but incomplete part of human beings, which can lead a better life thanks to the measured deployment of Reason. Having abused reason, humans are moving closer to the Yahoos. Human nature is unstable and therefore humans must choose how to temper their nature. Similarly, Gulliver identifies men with Yahoo and thus becomes misanthropic. He doesn't want to be a Yahoo, so he'll try to become a Houyhnhnm. Gulliver's assessment of human nature after his many experiences is incorrect, as he adopts the Houyhnhnm lifestyle as a solution, refusing to accept the nature of humanity and blindly equating Yahoos with men. He becomes misanthropic, hates and suspects anything human, be it the smell of his wife or the kindness of Don Pedro. His view resonates with that of his master Houyhnhnm, defining humans as lumps of deformity, with diseases in both mind and body (and) affected by pride. As is also evident from the letter, Gulliver collapsed under the deluge of negativity, even refusing to acknowledge anything even remotely good. For him, even a good Yahoo like Don Pedro is a Yahoo and therefore intrinsically evil. Gulliver's pride feeds on his misanthropy and he gradually distances himself from every Yahoo. He has lost his sense of understanding, narrowing both his mindset and his perspective. Swift attacks man's dissolute nature and its harmful effects, but he is not philosophically pessimistic. He refuses to give in to the temptation to accept the simplified solution of a utopian Houyhnhnmland. It is quite possible for man to descend to the bestial state, but even ascending to the position of Houyhnhnms would be harmful as it is restrictive. Furthermore, Swift considers humans as non-rational animals, rationis capax.[6] Humanity is capable of reason, is not intrinsically endowed with it and therefore can attempt to transcend its current position and aspire to be Houyhnhnm, at least in theory. Swift's satire is therefore