Jonathan Swift\'s Gulliver\'s Travel Part IV

Swift's Gulliver's Travels

'My Reconcilement to the Yahoo-kind in general might not be so difficult, if they would be content with those Vices and Follies only which Nature hath entitled them," (Chapter 12). The narrator's words illustrate a universal aspect of human nature: the creation of an "us vs. them" mentality that at its worst leads to racism. In fact, Gulliver's voyage to the land of the Houyhnhnms contains elements of racial tension and ethnic identity. The Houyhnhnms are the dominant race; although they do exhibit positive qualities to aspire to, such as altruism, intelligence, and rationality, they nevertheless persecute the Yahoos and even suggest castrating them to kill of their race. While the Houyhnhnms are admirable in many respects, Gulliver fails to notice their faults and failings. For instance, the Houyhnhnms are excessively rational and in some ways symbolize an exaggeration of human reason. Nevertheless, Gulliver wishes to remain with them; he is essentially a wannabe Houyhnhnm. In the process, the narrator denies his humanity. In fact, Gulliver also states, in Chapter 7, "I entered on a firm resolution never to return to humankind, but to pass the rest of my life among these admirable HOUYHNHNMS." When Gulliver is forcibly returned to England, he resorts to a state of semi-insanity by continuing to speak in Houyhnhnm tongue. Gulliver's denial of his race is indicative of the type of racial self-hatred that many African-Americans experienced as a result of the slave trade. Therefore, like the rest of Jonathan Swift's satirical novel Gulliver's Travels, Part Four pertains perfectly to modern society because it deals with the subject of racism, stereotypes, and ethnic identity.

From the onset of Gulliver's encounter with the Houyhnhnms, an "us vs. them" mentality is created. As an outsider, Gulliver is automatically afforded an alien status. The Yahoos and the Houyhnhnms regard him with considerable suspicion. The brutish Yahoos immediately accost Gulliver. The Houyhnhnms' approach is more civilized but it soon becomes apparent that the race of intelligent horses simply wants to lump Gulliver with the Yahoos simply because they look vaguely alike. This illustrates one clear parallel between Swift's era and our own: persons are prone to judging people based on their outward appearance. The Houyhnhnms judge Gulliver based on his resemblance to the Yahoos, even though it is clear that Gulliver possesses a superior intelligence and emotional capacity. Eventually, Gulliver is banished from the island because the Houyhnhnms deem him no different from the Yahoos. "The assembly did therefore exhort him either to employ me like the rest of my species, or command me to swim back to the place whence I came," (Chapter 10). This passage also illustrates a general tendency of human nature is to create categories and stereotypes rather than treat each person as a unique individual. Swift's satire is totally relevant in today's world, as stereotyping is universal.

Likewise, Gulliver has adopted the Houyhnhnms' worldview that both Yahoos and humans are inferior creatures. Gulliver's attitude toward humans after his encounter with the Houyhnhnms is therefore no different from racism in the modern world. However, the Yahoos actually are objectively inferior to human beings in many ways: they are far more brutal, aggressive, and unintelligent. The racism described by Swift is not, therefore, a matter of the Houyhnhnms persecuting the Yahoos but rather Gulliver persecuting human beings when he returns to England. Gulliver's racism begins with his encounter with the Portuguese sailor, Don Pedro de Mendez, and unfortunately continues with his wife and children. Just as the Houyhnhnms categorized Gulliver and the rest of the human race as being not much different from the Yahoos, Gulliver extends his view of the Yahoos toward all humans.

The narrator also takes the Houyhnhnms' word at face value and begins to believe in his own inferiority. This tendency has parallels in the increasingly diverse modern world. Because the dominant culture has asserted its self-defined superiority through the mass media and economics, oppressed and minority populations have in many cases began to believe in their own inferiority. Swift demonstrates this distorted racial and ethnic identity through satire. Gulliver actually starts to speak in horse tongue; similarly, minority populations adopt the language of their oppressors. Likewise, Gulliver retains an idealistic view of the Houyhnhnms, despite the fact that they kicked him off the island and forced him to return to England against his wishes. In many cases, oppressed people are not fully aware of the shortcomings of the dominant society. Part Four of Gulliver's Travels exaggerates and satirizes these real, universal, and seemingly timeless sociological tendencies.