A-study-on-the-satirical-art-in-Gullivers Travels《格列佛游记》讽刺艺术研究

IntroductionthefirsttimeIcontactwithGulliver'sTravelswasthroughtheanimation,whenIwasalittlechildandwasfascinatedbythelittlepeople,thegiants,andthestrangepeopleinthestory.AsyearspassedIgrewupthenIknowthenovelofGulliver’sTravelsinafurtherway.ReadingthenovelImoreandmoreclearlyrealizethatthoughchildrenmayreaditlikeafairytale,andarefascinatedbythelittlepeople,thegiants,andthestrangepeopleinthestory,thebookattackstheabusesexistinginBritishcultureandreligions,politicsandlawsin18thcentury,whichadultsmayfindtherealworldinminiatureinit.Gulliver’sTravels,themasterpieceofJonathanSwift,isbothasatireonhumannatureandaparodyofthe“travelers'tales"literarysub-genreandiswellreceivedbychildrenandadultsworldwide.ItisthiswritingthatmakesSwiftoneofthemostrenownedsatiristsofEnglishsocietyandBritishhistory.ThispaperisgoingtodiscussismainlyaboutthesatiricalartinGulliver’sTravels.Westernsatireliterature,theearliestcanbefoundinGreekandRomanclassics,in17~18thcentury,theneoclassicalmarkeditsclimax,itisthegoldenageofsatireinthewest.Gulliver’sTravelswasalsocompletedatthistime.ApaperSwift’sImmortals:theSatiricPoint(RobertP.Fitzgerald,1984)hasanalysisedthesatiricalartinGulliver’sTravels.Gulliver'stravelswasintroducedtoChinainlateQingDynasty.ThenmanypapersarestudyonSwift’ssatire,suchasCharacteristicsof"BlackHumor"inGulliver'sTravels(HuangYanandDingLiming,2012);CriticalAnalysisofGulliver'stravels(LiJiang,2009);AnalysisonGulliver'sTravels’Irony,SymbolandComparison(MengLili,LiuJinling,2012);AcmeofIronyArt-AnalysisonDefamiliarizationofGulliver'sTravels(TangWei,LiuShaobin,2010);AnalysisontheSatiricalArtinGulliver'sTravels(WangJunbo,2010);Gulliver'sTravels’SatiricalArt(XiongYunpu,ZhangYangli,2008)andsoon.Inthepapersatiricalskillsalsobediscussed.Sofiguresofspeechshouldbeknownforus.Therearealotofstudyonrhetoricathomeandabroad.SuchastheWriter’sRhetoricandHandbook(Mcmahan,Elizabenth,Day,Susan,1980);EnglishRhetoricalOptions(FengCuihua,2005);StudiesinEnglishandChineseRhetorical:anInterculturalApproach(HuShuzhong,2008);EnglishWritingRhetoricalSemioticsResearch(LongJinshun,2011).Thispaperconsistsoffiveparts.Excepttheintroductionandconclusion,thearticleisdividedintothreechapters.ThefirstchapteristheintroductiontothewriterJonathanSwiftandGulliver'stravels.ThesecondchapterfocusesontheanalysisofapplicationofsatiricalartinGulliver'stravels.Thethirdchapteristheanalysisofthesignificanceandimpactofsatiricalartandappreciationtotheartofsatire.

Chapter1JonathanSwiftandGulliver'sTravelsThischapterbrieflyintroducestheauthorandhiswork.Inthefirstpart,somebackgroundknowledgeaboutJonathanSwiftisintroducedjustasacontributiontotheunderstandingofJonathanSwift’sworks.ThesecondpartcomestoGulliver'sTravels,introducingthecontentandexpressionofGulliver'sTravelsforafurtherunderstandingaboutthework.1.1IntroductiontoJonathanSwiftJonathanSwift(30November1667-19October1745),amastersatirist,wasborninDublin,Ireland.Heisknownforbeingamasteroftwostylesofsatire:theHoratianandJuvenalianstyles.Sincethesatiricalwork,attackingtheabusesexistinginBritishcultureandreligions,politicsandlawsin18thcentury,Easilyleadtoanger,SwiftoriginallypublishedallofhisworksunderpseudonymssuchasLemuelGulliver,IsaacBickerstaff,MBDrapieroranonymously.JonathanSwiftwasalsoanessayist,politicalpamphleteer(firstfortheWhigs,thenfortheTories),poetandclericwhobecameDeanofStPatrick'sCathedral,Dublin.HeisrememberedforworkssuchasGulliver'sTravels,AModestProposal,AJournaltoStella,Drapier'sLetters,TheBattleoftheBooks,AnArgumentAgainstAbolishingChristianity,andATaleofaTub.SwiftisprobablytheforemostprosesatiristintheEnglishlanguage,andislesswellknownforhispoetry.Hissatireisusuallymaskedbyanoutwardgravityandanapparentearnestnesswhichrendershissatireallthemorepowerful.Swiftisalwaysmostunsurpassedinthewriting.Hedefinedagoodstyleas“properwordsinproperplaces.”1.2IntroductiontoGulliver'sTravelsGulliver’sTravels,publishedin1726,isoneofthemasterpiecesofIrishwriterJonathanSwift,whichexpressestheauthor'sideasinaperfectartform.TheauthorusingtherichironictechniqueandmythicalstoryprofoundlyanalyzestheBritishsocialrealityatthattime.Childrenmayreaditlikeafairytale,andarefascinatedbythelittlepeople,thegiants,andthestrangepeopleinthestory;whileadultsmayreaditlikeasatiricalworks,andfindtherealworldinminiatureinit.Inthenovel,theauthorsusedromanticwritingtechnique,throughtherichimaginationandboldcreationtosatirizeandcriticizetherulingclassincompetence,corruptionandcrueltyandthehypocrisyofthereligionsin18thcentury,whichhaveafar-reachingimpactonfuturegenerations.AsoneofJonathanSwift’sotherfamouswritings,Gulliver'sTravelswaspublishedunderapseudonym,thefictionalLemuelGulliver,aship'ssurgeonandlateraseacaptain.theTravelsisthefictionalaccountoffourextraordinaryvoyagesmadebyLemuelGulliver,aphysicianwhosignsontoserveasaship'ssurgeonwhenheisunabletoprovidehisfamilywithasufficientincomeinLondon.Thefourextraordinaryvoyagesareexpressedinahumorouswaysothatithasoftenbeenmistakenlythoughtofandpublishedinbowdlerizedformasachildrenbook.ThebookbeginswithaveryshortpreambleinwhichGulliver,inthestyleofbooksofthetime,givesabriefoutlineofhislifeandhistorypriortohisvoyages.Heenjoystraveling,althoughitisthatloveoftravelthatmadehimfalldown.Inthisbook,Gulliverdealtwithfourvoyages,respectivelytoLilliput,toBrobdingnag,toLaputaandotherstrangelands,andtothecountryoftheHouyhnhnms.AlloftheplaceshehadbeentoweretargetedofsatirebySwiftinonewayoranother.Eachofthefourparts—recountingfourvoyagestomostly-fictionalexoticlands—hasadifferenttheme,butallarethegreatandsophisticatedsatireofhumannaturebasedonSwift'sexperienceofhistimesandoftencriticizedforitsapparentmisanthropy.Itasksitsreaderstorefuteit,todenyitwhichhasadequatelycharacterizedhumannatureandsociety.CriticsregardtheworkasasatiricreflectionontheshortcomingsofEnlightenmentthought.ItisthiswritingthatmakesSwiftoneofthemostrenownedsatiristsofEnglishsocietyandBritishhistory.

Chapter2ApplicationofSatiricalArtinGulliver'sTravels2.1SatiricalartInordertorevealthenegativeandstupidphenomenonexistinginhumannatureandsociety,satiricalartisgenerallyusedinliterature.Reachingafurtherunderstandingofliterature,astudyofthesatiricalartisnecessary,whichcanimproveourabilityofliteratureappreciation.Severalfiguresofspeecharefrequentlyusedinsatire,suchasirony,\o"Exaggeration"exaggeration,symbol,contrast,humorandsoon,someofwhichwillbediscussedinthepapertohelpreaderslearnhowtousesatiricalartinwritings.2.1.1ConceptSatireisaliterarygenreinwhichridiculeisthrownuponsomethingbystressingitsworstfeatures,oftenbytheuseofirony,thusassumingoraffirminganormbywhichaberrationsarejudged.Asarhetoricaldevice,itoftenusessharpandacrimoniouswordsandtonetoexposeandmockatpeople’sfaults,stupidityorugliness,etc.AsLuXun,whoisgoodatsatireart,oncesaid:“Irony’slifeisreal,itdon’thavetobethingshappenedinlife,buttheremustbethetruth.Thingsitwrittenisblatantandcommontothepublic.Generally,noonewillpayattentiontoit,butthingswerealreadyunreasonable,funny,contemptible,evenabhorrent.Itissurvivalandnobodyfeelstrangeeveninpublic,butoncepointedoutitbecomefascinating.”Satiricalartisgraphicandperformingart,inwhichvices,follies,abuses,andshortcomingsarehelduptoridicule,ideallywiththeintentofshamingindividuals,andsocietyitself.Althoughsatireisusuallymeanttobefunny,itsgreaterpurposeisoftenconstructive\o"Socialcriticism"socialcriticism，using\o"Wit"witasaweapon.Satiricalartisgenerallyusedinliteraturetorevealthenegativeandstupidphenomenonexistinginhumannatureandsociety.Generally,itmadeusfeelfunnyandcometorealizethedisadvantagesatthesametime.2.1.2MainFeaturesandSkillsofSatireLiteraturefullofsatiricalartaresatire.Itaimedtorevealtheshortcomingsinthesociety.Formostofthesatiretheyhavethecommonfeatures,whichwillbelistedinthefollowingparagraph.Tobeginwith,themostobviousfeatureofsatireisitsfreshness,itscreativityoftheview.InfactSatiristsrarelycreatesoriginalideasintheirworks.Instead,theyshowsthefamiliarinanewform.Satiristsdonotreflectthewordwithnewphilosophies.Whattheydoistomakefamiliarconditionsformanewperspective.Throughthat,itmakestheseconditionsseemedfoolish,harmfulandaffected.Satirepullusoutofcomplacenceandintoapleasantlyshockedrealizationthatmanyofthepointofthevaluesweunquestioninglyacceptedarefalse.Werealizeandacceptthatinaentertainingandinterestingatmospherewithoutstruggle,itowetothewaysofexpression,thesatiricalmethodratherthantheoriginalityoftheideathatmadethementertainingandinteresting.WhatwemustknowisthatSatiresareworthreadingbecausetheyaresatisfyingworksofartfromthepointofaesthetics,notbecausetheyareethicallyinstructiveormorallywholesome.Besides,anotherfeatureofsatireistheuseofwit,whichistomaketheattackhumorousandinteresting.Asakindofliterature,Satiremustbeintellectuallyrewardingandreasonablywelltobewritten.Especiallyitmustbeentertainingandinterestinginordertosurvive.Tosatirizerealityandwarnthepublic,manysatiricalskillsareusedinsatire.Ironyismilitantbut\o"Exaggeration"exaggeration,symbol,contrastandhumorareallfrequentlyusedinsatiricalspeechandwriting.Thedifferenceisthatthe"militant"ironyoftenprofessestoapproveoftheverythingsthesatiristwishestoattack.Nowmainwaysofsatirewillbediscussedinthefollowingparagraph.1.IronyIronyisafigureofspeechinwhichthemeaningliterallyexpressedistheoppositeofthemeaningintendedandwhichaimsatridicule,humororsarcasm.Somethingironyisusedtoshowpeople’sintimatefeelings,butinmostcasesitisusedtocriticizeorexposebadanduglythings.Incertaincontext,itcanholdthereader’sattentionanddeepenhisimpression.2.HyperboleHyperboleisafigureofspeechwhichdeliberatelyexaggeratesthetruth.Itisoftenusedtoexpressone’sstrongfeelingsorviolentemotionsbyremarkableimaginationandliteraryextravagancefortheeffectofstrongimpression,humor,sarcasm,ironyetc.Ratherthantostateafactinitsrightperspective.Itistheoppositeofunderstatement.Hyperboleshouldbebothuniqueandreasonable,whichmeaningitshouldgobeyondfactsbutcannotbedivorcedfromreality.Itisusuallyemployedbyuseofnumerals,adjectives,adverbs,prepositionalphrases,bymaximizingthemeaningofwords,byconvertingnegativewordsintopositiveones,orbybeingusedtogetherwithotherfigures.Theseverbsmeantorepresentsomethingasbeinglargerorgreaterthanitactuallyis.Exaggerationisarepresentationofsomethinginanexcessivemanner.TheexaggeratorhasbeenafamiliarfigureinWesternculturesinceatleast\o"Aristotle"Aristotle'sdiscussionofthe\o"Alazon"alazon:'theboasterisregardedasonewhopretendstohavedistinguishedqualitieswhichhepossesseseithernotatallortoalesserdegreethanhepretends...exaggerating'.3.ContrastContrastisakindofsatiricalway,describingthedifferencesbetweentwoormoreentities.Insatire,contrastisusuallyusedtoexpresstheauthor’sloveandhate.Forexample,inthesecondvolume,thebodysizesofpeopleandtheenvironmentsinLilliputandinBrobdingnagformsanintensivecontrast4.AllusionAllusionreferstosomepersonorevent,eitherhistoricalorfictional,thathasdramaticandvividconnotationandisoftenusedinspeechandwriting.Englishhasatremendousamountofallusionswhichresultfrommythology,legends,fables,fairytales,theBible,famousliteraryworks,historicalfiguresorevents.Usually,everyallusionhasitsoriginandacceptedmeaning.Usuallythemeaningofanallusioncannotbetakenliterally.2.2AnalysisonSatiricalArtinGulliver'sTravelsAsavictimofthesystematthattime,Swiftwasstronglyunsatisfiedwiththesocietywherewasfullofwarfare,colonization,classesconflictsandsoon,sohewrotethisbook,Gulliver'sTravels,tocriticizethepolicyofBritishcolonialismandtoattackthelandlordsanddespoticgentries.Sharpandbittersatirealmostcanbeseeneverywhereinthenovel.Inthisbook,Gulliverdealtwithfourvoyages,respectivelytoLilliput,toBrobdingnag,toLaputaandotherstrangelands,andtothecountryoftheHouyhnhnms.AlloftheplaceshehadbeentoweretargetedofsatirebySwiftinonewayoranother.Thenovelisfullofsharpandbittersatire,bothinimagepromotionandlinguisticexpression.Toachievethepurposeofsatire,inthebookseveralfiguresofspeechinthebookareused,someofwhichwillbediscussedinthepapertohelpreaderslearnhowtousesatiricalartinwritings.Firstexaggeration,nextallusion,thenmarkedcontrastsandthelastintensiveirony.2.2.1ExaggerationExaggerationisoneofpopularfiguresofspeechamongwriters,andSwiftisnoexceptionsothatitwasusedbrilliantlyinGulliver’sTravels.Throughexaggeratedescriptionofsomefigures;Swiftlashedsomedefectsofhumannaturesuchasconceit,arrogance,abjectionetc.toshowthingshappenedtoGulliverinLilliput,Swiftsuccessfullyusedexaggeratedescriptionoffigures.Forexample,inChapter2paragraph6,Swiftwrote..inmybehalf,thatanimperialcommissionwasissuedout,obligingallthevillages,ninehundredyardsroundthecity,todeliverineverymorningsixbeeves,fortysheep,andothervictualsformysustenance…(Chapter2paragraph6)ThoseexaggeratefiguresrevealtheheavytaxationthatLilliputianfarmerbear,implyingtheunbearablemisery.Italsosaid:...Anestablishmentwasalsomadeofsixhundredpersonstobemydomestics,whohadboard-wagesallowedfortheirmaintenance,andtentsbuiltforthemveryconvenientlyoneachsideofmydoor.Itwaslikewiseordered,thatthreehundredtailorsshouldmakemeasuitofclothes(Chapter2paragraph7)Itsatirizesmenwhopossessofvastfortuneoftheircountry,livingaluxury,corruptandparasiticlife,andtheexploitationofgeneralpublicbytheEnglishrulingclass.2.2.2InthebookGulliver’sTravels,allusionsarealmostusedeverywheretorevealtherealisticsocietyatthattime.Hereisanexample:inLilliput,comparingtohissubject,thekingisjustonenailhigherwhilehehaughtilyregardshimselfasasky-highkingrulingthewholeuniverse.Inthekingdom,peoplemusthavetheskillofropeskippingtobeaminister,andthehigheroneskipsthehigherpositiononegets.Itdoesnotneedqualifiedendowmentstobeaminister,butnimblewiththebody.ItexaggeratedlyinsinuatesthattheEnglishgovernmentagenciesarebanal.Inthecountry,thereexisttwopartieswithspecialsymbolsthatsupportersofonepartywearhigh-heelshoes,andoftheotherpartywearlow-heeledshoes.ThisisanallusionoftheToryPartyandtheWhigsthatthere’sutterlynoessentialdistinctionbetweenthetwopartieswhichmakesthedifferenceinrealworldveryridiculous.2.2.3MakinguseofcontrastsisoneofthecharacteristicsofSwift’ssatiricalart.InGulliver’sTravels,SwiftwrotethehugenessofBrobdingnagpeopleandGulliver’stininessinBrobdingnagaswellasthetininessofLilliputiansandGulliver’shugenesswhichnotonlyuseshyperbolebutalsomergeswithcontrasts.Atthebeginningofthenovel,GulliverismuchmoresuperiortotheLilliputiansineveryaspect,notonlyhisbody,butalsohisfacultyofunderstanding,whichmakesGulliver,sonofarisingEnglishbourgeoisie,noticehissuperioritybecausethesocialsystemandlifeareverybackwardandvalueless.Onthecontrary,inthesecondpartofthenovel,GullivercomestoBrobdingnagwherehethoughthimselfa“Lilliputian”whencomparingwithBrobdingnagpeople’swisdomandjusticeandhehastounderstandthesocialrealitywithanewsight.Throughthecontrastbetweenthetwodifferencecountry,GulliverrecognizesdrawbacksexistinginBritishandrealizestheBritish’sbeinganotherLilliput,thusGullivernolongerbelievesinthecompletionofBritishsocialsystem.SwiftutilizedthiskindofcontrasttosatirizetheBritishsociety,andreaderscansensethepowerandthedeeplyimpactofit.2.2.4IntensiveironiesIronyisoftenusedinSwift’sworks,anditswonderfuladvantageisreaders’beingforcedtoguesswhathewantstosay,whichindicatesthathehopesandbelievesthatreadersandcanmockeveryridiculousthinginrealworldtogetherwithhim.ThegreatamountofapplyingironyinthebookmakesitclearthatSwiftissmart,humorousandgoodatsarcasm.Gulliver’stravelnotonlylashesoutattheactualityofBritishsociety,butonahigherlevel,satirizesthehumannaturestraightly,andadiscourseaboutmoneyinthefirstparagraph,chapter6,fourthpartofthebookisagoodexample.WhenGullivercomestoHouyhnhnms,acountryhavingnomoney,notroopandnopolice,heexplainstohishorsemasterasfollowing：Thereforesincemoneyalonewasabletoperformallthesefeats,ourYAHOOSthoughttheycouldneverhaveenoughofittospend,ortosave,astheyfoundthemselvesinclined,fromtheirnaturalbenteithertoprofusionoravarice;thattherichmanenjoyedthefruitofthepoorman’slabor,andthelatterwereathousandtooneinproportiontotheformer;thatthebulkofourpeoplewereforcedtolivemiserably,bylaboringeverydayforsmallwages,tomakeafewliveplentifully.(Chapter6paragraph2)HereSwiftrecognizedthemeremoneyrelationamongpeopleincapitalistsociety,thusSwiftgeneratedsuspiciontohumannature.Sowecanseethatironyisaveryusefultechniqueforsatirist.

Chapter3SignificanceandImpactofSatireInthenextpartwewillconcludethesignificanceandimpactofJonathanSwift’ssatire,andlearntoappreciateitinthelastpart.3.1SignificanceandImpactIntheliteraryworks,whetherdenyingtherealityfromthepositiveornormalviews,allofthemlackpower.Comparingwithotherwritingways,satirehasitownadvantages.Itiseffectiveandpowerful.FortheobjecttodescribethewholeBritishsocialreality,JonathanSwiftchoosesatire.Thisspecialmethodcaneffectivelyandpowerfullyattackedit.Besides,satirecanmakefulluseofitsrelatives,exaggeration,irony,symbolandcontrast,toenlargetheeviloftheobject,sothatpeoplecanbeawareofthereality’sevilandmorbidityformthestrangeandintensivefeelingofthecomedy.Theauthoralsothoughtthatsometimeseventhereligiousbelieformoralcouldnotregulatetheperson.Onlybyexposingtheirevilstotheworldwiththemostpowerfullylanguagescanmakethembehated.Onthebasisofthiskindofawareness,Swiftsuccessfullyadoptedsatire,whichispowerfulweapon.InthenovelGulliver’sTravels,hesatirizedthechurch,thecourtpoliticsandtheweaknessofhumanity.Itisnotonlyaprofoundideologicalcontent,butalsohasamoreperfectartform.WithhisuniquemethodsandcleverplotSettings,SwiftdepictedtherealityoftheBritish.Hecreatedacolorful,fairytalefantasyworldaccordingtotherealityoftheBritish.Swift'sfantasyisharmoniousandunifiedwiththereality.GulliverinLilliput,Brobdingnag,flyingisland,theHouyhnhnmsaretreateddifferently,butitisreasonableandwithoutanyflaw.Heeachtravelhasreceiveddifferenttreatment,vividwhichmakingtheworkmorerealisticandincreasingtheartisticappealofhisworks.Thismasterpiecehasbeenthemodelofthesatiricalliteratureandmakegreatcontributiontotheliteratureoflaterages.Gulliver'stravelsistheearliestBritishliteraturewasintroducedtoChina.In1872,ItwastranslatedintoALittleRecordaboutYingpublishingintheDeclaration,andwidelywelcomedbyreaders.What’smoreitevenaffectthecreationofTheMarriageofFlowersintheMirrorandtheTravelsofLaoCan.NowadaysrealisticsignificancealsocanbediscoveredwhatexpressedinGulliver’sTravels.Thecapitalismcountriesnowadaysalsohavevarietiesofbourgeoisparitiesstruggle.Revealingtheircoat,therulingclassalsoneverrepresentedthepublic.Imperialismsurfacetoengageinthepeacebutinfactisinarmamentexpansion,whatisthedifferencebetweentheLilliputsituationofGulliver'stravelsandit?HereistheartcharmofGulliver'stravelsandsatires3.2AppreciationofSatiricalArtGulliver'sTravelscanberegardasthegreatestsatiricalworksofworldliterature.Thebookhavefourparts,eachdealingwithoneparticularvoyageduringwhichGullivermeetswithextraordinaryadventuresonsomeremoteislandaftersomemisfortune.Takenonfourvoyages,Gulliver'sultimatetravelsaretoagreaterunderstandingofhumannatureanditsflaws.Afterthefirstvoyage,hisimageofhumanityislittlechanged;likewiseforthesecondandthird,Gulliver'simagesteadilydeclinesuntilthefourthvoyage,whenhemeetstheYahoos.Inthisway,SwiftpresentshiscommentaryonnotonlygovernmentbutthehumannaturethroughGulliver'sTravels.AswetravelwithGulliverthroughthevoyages,Swiftbrilliantlypeelsawayourpretensions,layerbylayer,untilheshowsuswhatweareandchallengesus.InGulliver'sTravels,JonathanSwiftkeepsatirizingtheworldsothatitmightawakenustorealizethefactthathumankindneedssaving.Sodothesociety.Thebeautyofsatireisthatreaderscan