Answer: “Voyage to Brobdingnag” has been incorporated in the second book of the famous and immensely popular novel entitled Gulliver’s Travels. The second book is very much important for its satirical tone. In this book, we shall find that Gulliver is unfortunately left in the land of the giants. He is discovered by a farmer and his servant. He hides among the stalks of the crops just to evade the impending danger that he thinks of awaiting him. But soon afterwards he is caught by the farmer and brought to his abode. There Gulliver spends some days and the farmer begins to make money with the help of Gulliver. But fortunately, he is bought by the king of the giànts and the king loves Gulliver very much. He is interested to be acquainted with, the cutter and customs of the land of England. Gulliver thinks that the king may be very pleased with him if he gives a panegyric of his country. But it goes reverse. The king is greatly shocked at the corrupted customs and manners of England and thus Gulliver makes fool of himself. Now we shall dig deeper into our topic.
While Gulliver is passing his days with the benevolent king and queen-of Brobdingnag he, ultimately, grows a great favour to them. It becomes a custom that every Wednesday the king and, queen are habituated to enjoy the story of Gulliver. Gulliver is very proud of the customs and conversions of his country. He gives a colourful description of the political corruption of his country. He says-
“This prince (Brobdingnagian king) took a pleasure in conversing with me, inquiring into the trianners, religion, laws, government, and learning of Europe; wherein I gave him the best account I was able. His apprehension was so clear and his judgement so exact, that he made very wise reflections and observations upon all I have said.”
The description given by Gulliver frightens the king because it is full of corrosive intention. Gulliver describes. the reaction of the king-
“He could forbear taking me up in his right hand, and stroking me gently with the other, after an hearty fit of laughing asked me whether I were a Whig of a Tory.”
In fact, Gulliver gives a panegyric of his country’s politics. He thinks that the king will be pleased with him. But he is chided by the king. Here swift has used Gulliver as a spokesman for his age.
At another point in this book, we find that Gulliver is praising the progress of science in his country. He infuses the king that recently they have invented gunpowder. They fill the iron ball with gunpowder and throw it with a machine upon the gates of a citadel. The gates are destroyed and they are able to capture many countries in this way. Gulliver says to the king that he will help him to make weapons for him using this device and consequently the king will be able to strengthen his authority. The king is astonished at the audacity of Gulliver. He reacts upon the advice of Gulliver-
“How so impotent and groveling an insect as I could estertam such in human ideas.”
Gulliver comments on the king’s benevolence and generosity-
“He would rather lose half his kingdom than privy to such a secret, which he commanded me, as I valued my life, never to mention any more.”
At another point, we find that Gulliver proves himself a fool. He praises the corrupted politics and vices of his country fluently. The king who is free from the mentioned vices says- ja
“I cannot but coincide the bulk of your newts to be the most pernicious race of odious little vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth.”
However in the context of the delineation as stated above we come to know that in the 2nd book Jonathan Swift has exposed the follies and frailties of human beings who are wrapped with vices. Swift’s dramatic presentation has made the 2nd book enjoyable to a great extent.
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