《格列佛游记》英文读后感.docx

格列佛游记英文读后感 One of the most interesting questions about Gullivers Travels is whether the Houyhnhnms represent an ideal of rationality or whether on the other hand they are the butt of Swifts satire. In other words, in Book IV, is Swift poking fun at the talking horses or does he intend for us to take them seriously as the proper way to act? If we look closely at the way that the Houyhnhnms act, we can see that in fact Swift does not take them seriously: he uses them to show the dangers of pride. First we have to see that Swift does not even take Gullver seriously. For instance, his name sounds much like gullible, which suggests that he will believe anything. Also, when he first sees the Yahoos and they throw excrement on him, he responds by doing the same in return until they run away. He says, I must needs discover some more rational being, even though as a human he is already the most rational being there is. This is why Swift refers to Erasmus Darwins discovery of the origin of the species and the voyage of the Beagle-to show how Gulliver knows that people are at the top of the food chain. But if Lemule Gulliver is satirized, so are the Houyhnhnms, whose voices sound like the call of castrati. They walk on two legs instead of four, and seem to be much like people. As Gulliver says, It was with the utmost astonishment that I witnessed these creatures playing the flute and dancing a Vienese waltz. To my mind, they seemed like the greatest humans ever seen in court, even more dextrous than the Lord Edmund Burke . As this quote demonstrates, Gulliver is terribly impressed, but his admiration for the Houyhnhnms is short-lived because they are so prideful. For instance, the leader of the Houyhnhnms claims that he has read all the works of Charles Dickens, and that he can singlehandedly recite the names of all the Kings and Queens of England up to George II. Swift subtly shows that this Houyhnhnms pride is misplaced when, in the middle of the intellectual competition, he forgets the name of Queen Elizabeths husband. Swifts satire of the Houyhnhnms comes out in other ways as well. One of the most memorable scenes is when the dapple grey mare attempts to woo the horse that Guenivre has brought with him to the island. First she acts flirtatiously, parading around the bewildered horse. But when this does not have the desired effect, she gets another idea: As I watched in amazement from my perch in the top of a tree, the sorrel nag dashed off and returned with a yahoo on her back who was yet more monstrous than Mr. Pope being fitted by a clothier. She dropped this creature before my nag as if offering up a sacrifice. My horse sniffed the creature and turned away. It might seem that we should take this scene seriously as a failed attempt at courtship, and that consequently we should see the grey mare as an unrequited lover. But it makes more sense if we see that Swift is being satiric here: it is the female Houyhnhnm who makes the move, which would not have happened in eighteenth-century England. The Houyhnhm is being prideful, and it is that pride that makes him unable to impress Gullivers horse. Gulliver imagines the horse saying, Sblood, the notion of creating the bare backed beast with an animal who had held Mr. Pope on her back makes me queezy . A final indication that the Houyhnmns are not meant to be taken seriously occurs when the leader of the Houynhms visits Lilliput, where he visits the French Royal Society. He goes into a room in which a scientist is trying to turn wine into water (itself a prideful act that refers to the marriage at Gallilee). The scientist has been working hard at the experiment for many years without success, when the Houyhnmn arrives and immediately knows that to do: The creature no sooner stepped through the doorway than he struck upon a plan. Slurping up all the wine in sight, he quickly made water in a bucket that sat near the door . He has accomplished the scientists goal, but the scientist is not happy, for his livelihood has now been destroyed. Swifts clear implication is that even though the Houyhnhmns are smart, they do not know how to use that knowledge for the benefit of society, only for their own prideful agrandizement. Throughout Gullivers Travels, the Houyhnhms are shown to be an ideal gone wrong. Though their intent might have been good, they dont know how to do what they want to do because they are filled with pride. They mislead Gulliver and they even mislead themselves. The satire on them is particularly well explained by the new born Houyhnhm who, having just been born, exclaims, With this sort of entrance, what must I expect from the rest of my life! . 英文读后感格列佛游记Gullivers Travel is a fairy tale written by Jonathan Swift. Its a very interesting story full of imagination. Besides, the description is vivid and appealing, when I read it I feel like Im traveling with the hero in the story. Jonathan Swift was born in Ireland, but his parents are English. He has written many books such as A Tale of A Tub and The Battle of Books, respectively criticizes and attacks the corruption of religion and prejudice of scholar authority. His Drapiers letters reveals the attempt of England to destroy the economy of Ireland. For this reason, English government awarded 300pounds for catching Swift. However, nobody in Ireland betrayed him. Swift died in 1745, and he said in his testament that he would give all his property to the charity.Gullivers Travels tells a story of Captain Gullivers unique experience. Gulliver has a strong desire of traveling around the world since he grew up. However, when he became a captain, he travels not between different countries but between strange places we never imagine.The first time, his boat encountered a storm and he swan to the shore. When he woke up he found himself surrounded by small men later he realized he had come to the country “Liliput”, which was a country of small men. In the country, the people treated him very friendly, they gave him food and drink and wine. He lived happily and he was nice to them as well. Later, the king asked him to help fight the other country Blefuscu for a very amusing reason: people there break their eggs at the big end while people in Liliput break eggs on the small end. Gulliver helped the king win the battle and soon after that he went home.The second time, he set sail and met a fierce storm again. This time he found a land which was a country named Broadingnag. It was a country of giants. You can guess his whereabouts. The huge people treated him as a pet. They put him on show, give speech and do sword drill, till he was tired out. Later he was sent to the Queen, the Queen liked him very much and had him dine with her everyday. But life was not easy for him. Nevertheless, something interesting happened. When he wanted to read, he had to climb up on the book and walk from left to right to read a line. Imagine that scene I couldnt help laughing. Another story is playing the piano. He had to strike the keys hard with his first.People comment the book as a satire to England even to the whole Europe. In detail, that is, the first experience use the amusing reason of war to criticize the parties and religion of England, the second experience satirizes the boast and conceit of the whole Europeans. Nevertheless, in my opinion, I only see the vivid portrayal and the interesting imagination. Maybe its because its the first time I read the story and know not so much about the background and situation of the author and his society, but the story really impresses me. I like the exotic experience of Gulliver, and I like Swifers imagination. A masterpiece which can influence generation after generation surely has its reason, maybe for the profound understanding of history, maybe for the description of peoples life. This novel may have something to do with sarcasm, but to me, at least by now, is a pure fantasy and a wonderful fairy tale.格列佛游记英文读后感The novel by the pungent satire and humorous, the strange imagination and the exaggeration, Gulliver who the description is very fond of the navigation risk, travels around the world in all directions, has experienced every large or small thrilling and the interesting fortuitous encounter. In travel notes adult the country, Lilliputs strange story has attracted me deeply, however the impression deepest in 1710 Gulliver went boating North America for me, on the chance encounter desert island brightly because of the country, knew had, the honest moral excellence benevolently brightly because of the country kings story. Does not have because in bright countrys language “to lie” and “the deceit” such inscription, the people do not understand their meaning. They do not understand anything are “suspect”, anything is “does not trust”. In theirs state, all are real, transparent. I envy Gulliver to be able very much to arrive fortunately brightly because of the country, where is the ideal region which we pursue and yearned for, does not need to worry others speech in here you the genuine and fake. But in the realistic society, some people swindles others hard-earned money with the honeyed words; Some people kidnap and sell