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 Introduction 

 Gulliver’s Travels is frequently read as an anti-colonial text: why? What can you gather would have been Swift’s resistance to empire?

   Gulliver’s Travels Gulliver’ third deep exploration the flying island travel part conveys Swift’s strongly anti-colonial concept. In "flying island "part, through flying island’s exploitation to islands and cities such as barney bobby, Swift has profoundly revealed the British colonial rulers’ sinful activities of slaving Irish poor people and the overseas colonies, and the author has called on them to fight. What is most valuable is early in the 18th century, Swift has pointed out that the British colonial empire seems strong, but actually it relies on colonies’ support to survive.

  In the body part, the connection of novel content with the reality is discussed, the critical reality is analyzed, and the significance of this novel for anti-colonial is discussed also.

   Body
In the eyes of Gulliver, flying island is an image of a high above oppressor, which based on their own special abilities threats all the dependencies on the land. Flying island has ruled several cities on the land and islands, it flies in the above sky, far away from the land and people, what it did is specially designed to exploit other islands and territories, which need to pay a lot of worship gifts for the fly island.”If any town should engage in rebellion or mutiny, fall into violent factions, or refuse to pay the usual tribute, the king has two methods of reducing them to obedience”(214) When there are someone who try to rebel or not tribute the worship gifts, or who dare not to obey the fly island, it will always fly past the top of these islands, stop their rights of enjoying the sunshine, rain and dew, and press their residents into dust, in such way fly island controlled the rising of people there”The first and the mildest course is, by keeping the island hovering over such a town, and the lands about it, whereby he can deprive them of the benefit of the sun and the rain, and consequently afflict the inhabitants with dearth and diseases”(214)And the next step of fly island is throw stones down on the rebellion island. “if the crime deserve it, they are at the same time pelted from above with great stones, against which they have no defense but by creeping into cellars or caves, while the roofs of their houses are beaten to pieces”(214) If those dependencies continue to resist, the king of fly island will order fly island to fall directly on them and destroy the whole city”But if they still continue obstinate, or offer to raise insurrections, he proceeds to the last remedy, by letting the island drop directly upon their heads, which makes a universal destruction both of houses and men.”(214) These contents in this novel are the historical reflection of the British colonial rule on Irish. Swift here had fully suggested British colonial rulers’ cruel tyranny on Ireland people. Ireland has became Britain's dependency since the 16th century, although it still had independent parliament, but it had been controlled by the British government. And because some of the Ireland government officials had servility, hence the British government had deflected exploitation Ireland as its colony, while years of famine in Ireland had made things worse that people lived in hell that time. Jonathan Swift was born in Ireland, died in Ireland, he had extreme sympathy towards Irish people and had worked for the Irish national’s liberation cause. He is the hero of Irish people. He had put all his heart and soul into the Irish struggle against oppression of British. He wrote many pamphlets to call Irish people to defend their own interests and dignity, to resist the oppression of the British government. Gullivers Travels is his mature novel which was written during the 1720 ~ 1725 period when Swift was in the anti British colonial activities. Gullivers Travels was published in 1726, that is, the early 18th century, that time British is engaged in overseas trade and colonial expansion.

  The flying island, this great monster built by science and technology has actually become a terrible tool for brutal colonial rule. “Besides, as it is in the power of the monarch to raise island above the region of clouds and vapours, he can prevent the falling of dews and rain whenever he pleases”(210)Flying island reflects the satirical oppression of British on Ireland, and Ireland people’s rebelling.Swift had actually criticized British’s slavery activities on Ireland and other overseas colonies. Early in the middle ages, British began sailing career. And after the historic victory over Spain in 1588, the Invincible Amada, Britain became the new sea overlord. Since then during one hundred years British had quickly established 49 colonial charter companies abroad, including the east India company, and had expanded it land and the net of grabbing wealth all over the world.

  This oppressor image of flying island reflects not only British but also can be extended to all oppressors and the colonists. Flying island never work, it only stay in the sky and take others’ outcomes. When its shameless power faces threaten, it will use extreme cruel way to punish its dependency or colonies. The press of Britain to Ireland is such press, and its the same press which many other colonial countries did to their colonies also. Hence Swift’s irony here have extensive significance. Then the town Lindarino’s prepared resistance for flying island has caused a deadly threat to flying island, which had forced flying island to make some compromise in policy.”However, this is an extremity to which the prince is seldom driven, neither indeed is he willing to put it in execution; nor dare his ministers advise him to an action, which, as it would render them odious to the people, so it would be a great damage to their own estates, which all lie below”(214) So the British part also has weakness. The town Lindarino’s experience is also the reflection of Ireland’s rebellion. This has proved that as long as there are perseverance and fully prepared rebellion, resistance is not feasible.


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