The Use of Satire in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels

Jonathan Swift's story, Gulliver's Travels is very complex, with several layers of meaning. He is a master satirist, and Gulliver's Travels is both humorous and critical. He critiques almost every aspect of life, from the writings of his times to the politics. He also satirizes more encompassing topics that are still relevant today, such as the human condition, and the desire for overcoming inferior instincts. The first satire we see in the story comes from …

…seriously, and have delusions about their own importance. Gulliver's Travels is a satirical masterpiece with many levels of meaning. On one hand, it is realistic and accurate true life story of travel and adventure, and on the other hand it is a purely fictional fairy tale. Beneath this, it is a caustic satire of Europe at the time and humanity in general, which is why it retains a timeless quality that everyone can relate to.