Swift is criticized for Gulliver’s ability to write three positive books in Gulliver’s Travels, when it is said that Gulliver writes the story after his travels are completed and he is completely disgusted by the actions of mankind (Ward 124). These strange actions by Gulliver actually showcase man as over-anxious, someone who acts hurriedly and irrationally and as a result errs in his work (Bloom, Gulliver 45). The reader can roll his eyes at Gulliver’s foibles, but when criticizing his writing the reader is criticizing himself for being incomplete and incoherent (Ward 125). Contrary to criticism, Gulliver’s Travels is far more coherent than it is given credit for (Bloom, Gulliver 45).
Another misconception of critics is that the actions of Gulliver are intended to prove that people are less than human (Ward 8). This was never Swift’s intention. Gulliver originally comes off as an intelligent fellow, and the reader can easily relate to him. Gulliver later acts foolishly with hubris pride, and the reader frowns upon Gulliver and, as a result, himself (Brady 72-73). Satire like this serves as a wake-up call for the reader. Swift constantly shifts the attitudes of his characters, such as Gulliver, to keep the reader from growing complacent. These shifts irritate the reader’s views on life and he is forced to change (Ward 7, 15).
Jonathan Swift is once again unfairly attacked for his references to human excrement in several of his works. George Gilfillan was so offended that he referred to Swift as a “minor Satan.” Gilfillan and others are bothered most by several mentions of feces in Gulliver’s Travels, especially the spraying of Gulliver, and they fail to see the true significance of the excrement. Swift set out to inspire their anger to prove that man often becomes upset over everyday actions which are trivial compared to the bigger picture, which is sin such as pride (Knowles 38). William Hazlett defends Swift on this matter, claiming that those who attack Swift over the excremental references are ignorant hypocrites (Bloom, Gulliver 31).
Swift does not put himself above criticism as he has often been accused of doing. He attacks the fallacies of society and, as a member of society, is forced to attack the vices of himself (Ward 2). It has been a common criticism that Swift is foolish for using two different voices in one piece. However, this only points out that Swift does not put himself above criticism, as it showcases the fact that his thoughts and feelings are as incoherent as the rest of society’s. Swift loves to mock society, but in so doing, he is also mocking himself (Tuveson 8).
Swift has unfairly been referred to as conceited. Critics claim his works are of an egotistical slant that makes simple people look cowardly and deceitful (Knowles 34). Swift cannot possibly be an egotist, as he has made it clear that his chief adversary is man’s pride (Tuveson 102). He uses Gulliver as his chief means of conveying this. Gulliver lies early in Gulliver’s Travels to defend his beliefs and reputation, refusing to take a shot to his ego in the name of honesty (Brady 6). In part one of Gulliver’s Travels, Gulliver’s vision is skewed by the rays of the sun. This represents man’s blindness towards morality and values. Later, Gulliver is searched by the Lilliputans and they find glasses in his pockets. This proves that man’s vision (meaning his views and beliefs) cannot be trusted because his pride gets in the way (Bloom, Gulliver 11-12). To accuse Swift of being self-conscious is as absurd as any other accusation that has been leveled against him. In Swift’s time, society began to look at pride as not a vice but a virtue, and Swift felt it was his duty to change this (Brady 28).
Perhaps the most common criticism leveled against Jonathan Swift is that he is a misanthrope. Walter Scott, infuriated by Swift’s attitude towards man, went so far as to call him an extreme misanthrope and said Swift was full of “mental disease” (Knowles 37). David Ward goes just as far, claiming that Swift “lacks completely that instinctive respect for the value of human life which is an essential part of humanity (9). As Ronald Knowles points out, these attacks on Swift prove that his critics agreed with what he was saying and they resorted to false accusations simply out of fear and paranoia (38). Swift does not hate man for lacking moral perfection. Man cannot be expected to have this (Dennis 49). Swift hates man’s stupidity, folly and excessive pride, but he has never given up on his brethren (Brady 79). Swift is forced to use extreme pessimism to crack the smug self-confidence of the sinning optimist (Ward 13). He believes that humans, just as animals, are capable of evolving (Tuveson 11). Swift is not a misanthrope, he only wants to create awareness. His goal in works such as Gulliver’s Travels is to change society, not to create hysteria or destroy it (Brady 23).
Several of Swift’s critics go even farther than misanthropy, accusing him of sadism. He is accused by some of actually enjoying the pain he inflicts on his readers through his thick satire (Knowles 34). British poet John Gay was bothered greatly by Swift’s work, and went so far as to beg Swift to take mercy on his readers, claiming that his writings are much too hard on human beings (Bloom, Gulliver 26). Just as Swift is unfairly labeled a misanthrope, he most certainly is not a sadist. The sole objective of his satire is to simply open people’s eyes to the many problems of human nature. While his writings seem negative, Swift wants to help people, not hurt them. For example, Swift uses midgets and giants in Gulliver’s Travels. Midgets and giants are still people, but they are by no means as frightening an image as the average human being. By using outlandish humans such as these midgets and giants, Swift allows man to examine the fallacies of himself without becoming overly frightened (Knowles 35-36). Swift never intends to hurt anyone through his writing, and he loves all “individuals” (Tuveson 105).
Due to the immense popularity of works such as Gulliver’s Travels and A Tale of a Tub, criticism of Jonathan Swift will probably continue on forever. And as more and more people read his bitter attacks on an eighteenth-century lifestyle that mirrors their own in immorality and decadence, more and more accusations such as heretic and misanthrope will be leveled. Swift’s work will continue to force people to look themselves in the eyes, and as long as they refuse to accept the truths that Swift lays before them, the naive and ignorant allegations will continue to fly. Jonathan Swift, by his own admission, was not a perfect man nor a perfect writer, but the criticisms leveled against his beliefs and writings simply out of ignorance and naivet? will continue to be dismissed as misguided and incorrect.