英文读书报告 格列佛游记

2021年1月25日发(作者：捐建)
















BOOK REPORT













































——
Gulliver's Travels


In
this
short
term,
I
have
read
Gulliver's
Travel,
which
is
written
by
Jonathan
Swift
——
a British writer. From the book, I really acquire a lot of knowledge which
is unknown to me. For example, it makes me know more about British history in the
seventeenth
century
and
the
eighteenth
century.
Before
that
I
just
know
Britain
becomes stronger and stronger at that time. It is Gullier's Travels that disclose the dark
of the British society.




About the author and the background of the book





The book was published in 1726, was regarded as a children's literary works, but it
is actually attacked the British social degradation and corruption of satirical writing.
Because at that time, British society was rather dark.


Jonathan
Swift
was
a
son
of
the
English
lawyer
Jonathan
Swift.
He
was
born
in
Dublin, Ireland, on November 30, 1667. He grew up there under the care of his uncle.
Then he attended Trinity College when he was fourteen. And he stayed there for seven
years.
He
graduated
from
it
in
1688.
In
that
year,
he
became
the
secretary
of
Sir
William
Temple
who
was
an
English
politician
and
member
of
the
Whig
party.
In
1694,
he
took
religious
orders
in
the
Church
of
Ireland
and
then
spent
a
year
as
a
country parson. He then spent further time in the service of Temple before returning to
Ireland to become the chaplain of the earl of Berkeley. Meanwhile, he had begun to
write
satires
on
the
political.
He
worked
on
A
Tale
of
a
Tub,
which
supports
the
position of the Anglican Church against its critics on the left and the right. And The
Battle of the Books, which argues for the supremacy of the classics against modern
thought and literature. He also wrote a number of political pamphlets in favor of the
Whig
party.
In
1709
he
went
to
London
to
campaign
for
the
Irish
church
but
was
unsuccessful.
After
some
conflicts
with
the
Whig
party,
mostly
because
of
Swift’s
strong allegiance to the church. he became a member of the more conservative Tory
party in 1710.


Unfortunately for Swift, the Tory government fell out of power in 1714 and Swift,
despite
his
fame
for
his
writings,
fell
out
of
favor.
Swift
had
been
hoping
to
be
assigned a position in the Church of England instead of returning to Dublin, where he
became the dean of St. Patrick’s. During his brief time in England, Swift had become
friends with writers such as Alexander Pope. The third voyage of Gulliver’s Travels is
assembled from the work Swift did during this time. However, the final work was not
completed until 1726, and the narrative of the third voyage was actually the last one
completed. Gulliver’s Travels was a controversial work when it was first published in
1726.
Ever
since,
editors
have
excised
many
of
the
passages,
particularly
the
more
caustic
ones
dealing
with
bodily
functions.
Even
without
those
passages,
however,
Gulliver’s Travels serves as a biting satire, and Swift ensures that it is both humorous
and critical, constantly attacking British and European society through its descriptions
of imaginary countries.

Late in
life, Swift seemed to
become even more caustic and bitter. Three
years
before
his
death,
he
was
unable
to
care
for
himself,
and
guardians
were
appointed.
Based on these facts, some people have concluded that he became insane. However,
the truth seems to be that Swift was suddenly incapacitated by a stroke late in life, and
that prior to this incident his mental capacities were unimpaired. Gulliver’s Travels is
about a specific set of political conflicts, but if it were nothing more than that it would
long ago have been forgotten. The staying power of the work comes from its depiction
of the human condition and its often despairing, but occasionally hopeful, sketch of
the possibilities for humanity to rein in its baser instincts.
The main content of the book



Part 1: A Voyage to Lilliput and Blefuscu
4 May 1699
—
13 April 1702


The
author
gives
some
account
of
himself
and
family.
This
part
tells
us
his
first
travel.
He
is
shipwrecked,
and
swims
for
his
life.
Finally
he
got
the
shore
in
the
country of Lillivput. Gulliver is made a prisoner, and carried up the country. The book
begins with a very short preamble in which Lemuel Gulliver, in the style of books of
the time, gives a brief outline of his life and history prior to his voyages. He enjoys
travelling, although it is that love of travel that is his downfall.
During his first voyage, Gulliver is washed ashore after a shipwreck and finds himself
caught
by
a
race
of
people,
less
than
6
inches
high.
They

are
inhabitants
of
the
neighbouring
and
rival
countries
of
Lilliput.
After
giving
assurances
of
his
good
behaviors,
he
is
given
a
residence
in
Lilliput
and
becomes
a
favorite
of
the
court.
From there, the content follows Gulliver's observations on the Court of Lilliput. He is
also
given the permission
to
roam
around the city
on a condition
he not
harm their
subjects. Gulliver helps the Lilliputians to subdue their neighbours the Blefuscudians
by
stealing
their
warships.
However,
he
refuses
to
make
the
country
become
a
province of Lilliput. But it displeases the King and the court. Gulliver is charged with
treason and sentenced to be blinded. With the help of a kind friend, Gulliver flees to
Blefuscu, where he finds an abandoned boat. He asks for the king of Blefuscudians to
restore the abandoned boat. At first, the king refuses to do it. But a few days later, the
king promises to restore the boat. With the help of the king, Gulliver restores the boat
successfully and sails out. On the way, he meet with a strong storm. Fortunately, he is
rescued by a passing ship. Then the captain of the boat sent him back to Britain.


Part 2: A Voyage to Brobdingnag
20 June 1702
—
3 June 1706

When the sailing ship is steered off course by storms and have to go in to land for
searching for fresh water, Gulliver is abandoned by his companions and found by a
farmer who is 72 feet tall. He brings Gulliver to home and ask his daughter cares for
Gulliver. The farmer treats him as a curiosity and exhibits him for money. The word
gets out and the Queen of Brobdingnag wants to see the show. She loves Gulliver and
he is then bought by her and kept as a favorite at court.

Since Gulliver is too small to use their huge chairs, beds, knives and forks, the