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Thread: critique fo human nature

  1. #1

    critique fo human nature

    what part of human nature does swift criticise upon each of the peoples that gulliver encounters? why does he choose horses to represent rationality in particular?

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    i think swift's through the use of satire attacks human pride through the scatological elements for example, when he wants to relieve himself like in Lillput and Brobdingnag. i believe he tries to degrade the human by using this aspect of our nature

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    also, i think he uses horses because horses are usually intelligent beings as they represent rationality. hmm...any other ideas why? thats what i think at this point in time.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jamsta View Post
    i think swift's through the use of satire attacks human pride through the scatological elements for example, when he wants to relieve himself like in Lillput and Brobdingnag. i believe he tries to degrade the human by using this aspect of our nature
    Wy to pick a four-year-old thread to reply to!

    Welcome along.

    You're quite right, and i think Swift was too. Ben Elton does much the same thing from an alien perspective. Humans aren't a particularly "nice" species by most independent yardsticks.

    Quote Originally Posted by jamsta View Post
    also, i think he uses horses because horses are usually intelligent beings as they represent rationality. hmm...any other ideas why? thats what i think at this point in time.
    Yep; horses, brave, strong and true.

    They represent everything humans aren't. Right down to vegetarian.

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