Is Swift a Misogynist? Discuss the Representation of Women in “The Travels”
Introduction
“Gulliver’s Travels” by Jonathan Swift is one of the greatest satirical works that had ever been composed. Swift satirized his contemporary politics, religion, and Western Culture through strange people whom Gulliver had met up with during his voyages. He satirized politics through Lilliputians, religion through big and little endians, and Western Culture through Brobdingnagians. He also satirized the status of women in society who were considered as mere objects and he never failed to express his own view about women and their rights and duties. He gave less importance to feminine characters in his masterpiece, which is more than enough to prove Jonathan Swift as a misogynist. He represented his contemporary society in terms of having false perceptions about women and treatment they were getting from society. In addition to, the representations of women in “Gulliver’s Travels” were provided at a superficial level and it is very offensive and highly misogynistic. Especially, Swift portrayed the image of women in his contemporary patriarchal society, as women were not allowed to enjoy the equal status with men.
Female Representations in “Travels”
Jonathan Swift proved himself as a misogynist through his masterpiece “Gulliver’s Travels,” he had given less importance to women character and their roles in society, and his representation of women was extremely misogynistic and offensive. However, it is nothing but the image of the women and the treatment they had in his contemporary period. During his period, women were considered merely as objects and they were noted only for their physical appearances. There were common beliefs than women were to obey the orders of men and their duty was to be loyal and obedient wives and they were not allowed to take part in any of the social activities. In this manner, the readers could understand that Swift was a fierce misogynist. Through his masterpiece, “Travels,” he could reflect and emphasize on the wrong perception about the nature and ability of women during his contemporary society. Women were portrayed as objectified characters by Jonathan Swift in “Gulliver’s Travels” and it seemed to be alienated them from the society. Moreover, the idea was that women should be considered as mere objects rather than human beings who had no equal importance and statue with men. The gender bias spreads all over the world. In general, men were considered as whole part of the society where women were neglected for their participation in social activities and never allowed to play. Swift used “Gulliver’s Travels” as a mirror to reflect the image of women and as feather to write their fate in his patriarchal society. Specifically, he concentrated on beliefs and perception of the men about women in common and, especially, English women.
Portrayal of Women Characters
Feminine character took only very small space in Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels.” The number of women in his work was very week, as if the readers could count women character in fingers. Only a very few women characters were able to make their appearance before Gulliver on his way. The Queen of Brobdingnag had managed to get a little importance as she showered love on Gulliver that made her to keep him save when he was there in Brobdingnag. When he struggled to manage with the bigger chairs, things, etc. in Brobdingnag, she commissioned a small house to be built for Gulliver. It is obvious that Queen of Brobdingnag is one among the very few feminine characters in the novel. She had more importance than Gulliver’s wife Mary Burton Gulliver did. He married Mary Burton in the first chapter of the novel and never cared about her after that. He did not help her to run his family and raise his children. However, she did not care about his behavior. She simple accepted everything as if it was trend that women should not question men. Even Gulliver considered her as one of his properties and left her at home along with other things during his travels. Mary Burton played her role as a symbol of a typical wife in Swift period. The another woman character who had a little attention of Gulliver in the novel was a little daughter of a farmer in Brobdingnag because she loved Gulliver and took care of him when he was there in Brobdingnag. Gulliver was courteous to another feminine character who was none other than the Empress of Lilliput. These are the sample of a few women characters in “Gulliver’s Travels.” This is more evidently proved that Gulliver who was an imitation of Swift was a misogynist as he had given only less importance to his women characters. Swift had given very small space in his novel for women to play their role. Through his women characters and their representations and role in this novel, the readers could understand Swift’s misogynistic thoughts and his contemporary patriarchal society.
Gender Bias in “Gulliver’s Travels”
Through Gulliver, Swift expressed his attitude towards women. He seemed to affiliate women with sexuality. The best example to prove that in Laputa, under their system, men got brain and women got only their sexual bodies. Moreover, he considered Lilliputian were bad and Houyhnhnms were good because in Lilliput, they educated girl children to be better partners for their husbands but in Houyhnhnms, they educated girl children to be better mothers for their children. However, the two reflected the women’s role in society was to take care of family and should not involve in social activities. Gulliver often associated women with the bodily desires just to imply that women had no reason than men do. Even in the novel, women were separated from the society and their presence was objectified and had no moral growth in society where men were considered as the only human beings. Biased view about women proved the misogynistic thoughts of Swift, which was nothing but the reflection of his contemporary period and view of the people.
Conclusion
Jonathan Swift often provided references about women in negative to disfigure the nature of women that made him to show as a misogynist. Through Gulliver, Swift wanted to share the ideal thinking of his contemporary society regarding nature of women and their status. Throughout the novel, women were scrutinized to the extent that they had no purpose to play role in society as they were mere objects and the purpose of their birth was to serve and obey men. When trying to reflect his contemporary patriarchal society, he reflected his perception about women through the representation of women in “Gulliver’s Travels.” He gave a little importance to women characters in women characters and their roles were shrunken to small circle. According to him, women are merely factors of society and not the central mechanism. In the novel, he did not give attention to the feminine characters except a few who won the love of Gulliver. In that list, Gulliver’s wife did not get a place for her, because she was considered as a mere property of Gulliver rather than a wife of him. While analyzing the life of Swift, he lost his mother at the early age and the folly care of his nurse might make him grow as a misogynist. He compared his women characters with the women in common and English women. His description of Gulliver’s life in Laputa showed that he did not have much respect for women and he considered women were created for the sexual desires. He compared his women characters and presented the treatment they faced in their strange land according to their faith and beliefs. Thus, his perceptions and the representations of women in “Gulliver’s Travels” were more than enough to prove Jonathan Swift as a misogynist.
References
Swift, J. (2007). Gulliver's Travels. Ashland, OR: Blackstone Audio Inc.
