Characters in Gulliver's Travels


- Lemuel Gulliver is the protagonist and narrator of the novel.
- He is a surgeon and a sailor who embarks on several voyages, each taking him to a different fantastical land.
- Gulliver is depicted as a practical and rational man, often serving as a contrast to the absurdities he encounters.
- Throughout his travels, Gulliver undergoes various transformations, both physically and mentally, as he interacts with different cultures and societies.
- His experiences challenge his preconceived notions about humanity, leading him to question the flaws and follies of his own society.
- Gulliver's character represents the common man, providing a lens through which the reader can examine the flaws of human nature.


- The Lilliputians are a tiny race of people, approximately six inches tall.
- They are skilled in politics and warfare, often engaging in petty disputes and power struggles.
- The Lilliputians symbolize the pettiness and superficiality of human politics and the dangers of excessive pride and ambition.
- Gulliver initially helps the Lilliputians but eventually becomes disillusioned with their society.


- The Brobdingnagians are a race of giants, with Gulliver appearing as a dwarf in their land.
- They are depicted as honorable and virtuous, with a strong sense of morality and justice.
- Gulliver admires their society initially, but soon realizes their flaws, such as their obsession with physical appearances and their lack of intellectual pursuits.
- The Brobdingnagians represent the potential dangers of excessive idealism and the limitations of physical strength and beauty.


- The Laputians are a society of intellectuals who are heavily invested in abstract theories and impractical knowledge.
- They are obsessed with mathematics and music, often neglecting the practical affairs of life.
- The Laputians symbolize the dangers of excessive intellectualism and the detachment from reality it can cause.
- Gulliver finds their society absurd and their obsession with impractical pursuits frustrating.


- The Houyhnhnms are a race of intelligent and rational horses that Gulliver encounters in his final voyage.
- They live in a perfect society based on reason, where emotions and passions are absent.
- The Houyhnhnms represent the ideal of reason and virtue, contrasting with the depravity and flaws Gulliver has witnessed in human societies.
- Gulliver becomes enamored with the Houyhnhnms and despises humanity, ultimately rejecting his own kind.

By exploring various fictional lands and interacting with their inhabitants, Gulliver's Travels provides a satirical critique of human nature and society. The different characters and societies encountered by Gulliver serve as allegorical representations of various aspects of humanity, highlighting the flaws, follies, and potential dangers in different aspects of human behavior and societal structures.