Summary of Gulliver's Travels

"Gulliver's Travels" is a satirical novel written by Jonathan Swift, first published in 1726. The story follows Lemuel Gulliver, a ship's surgeon who embarks on a series of adventures to various fantastical lands. In the first part of the book, Gulliver visits Lilliput, a land where the inhabitants are only six inches tall. The second part sees him in Brobdingnag, a land of giants where he is the tiny one. In the third part, Gulliver visits Laputa, a floating island inhabited by intellectuals obsessed with abstract theories and impractical inventions. Finally, in the fourth part, he visits the land of the Houyhnhnms, intelligent horses who rule over the brutish human-like creatures called Yahoos. Throughout his travels, Gulliver encounters various societies with their own unique customs and flaws, allowing Swift to satirize the politics, religion, and human nature of his own time. The novel is a sharp critique of the flaws and follies of society, as well as a commentary on the nature of power, politics, and the human condition.