Part-I Summary

Chapter-I

Gulliver’s life and early career

Lemuel Gulliver, third of the five sons, lives with his family in a small estate in Nottinghamshire. At the age of fourteen, he attends Emanuel College in Cambridge. His scanty allowance makes him work for four years as an apprentice to Mr. James Bates, an eminent surgeon in London. Meanwhile, he also learns navigation and mathematics as he considers them useful to those who intend to travel. After his college, he studies physics at Leyden.

Gulliver’s sea voyages

Later, he gets an opportunity to work as a surgeon at the Swallow, on the recommendation of Mr. Bates. On returning from the voyages, he decides to get settled in London as a doctor. He marries Mary Burton, the second daughter of Mr. Edmund Burton.

Two years later, after the death of his patron, Mr. Bates, his business begins to decline, and he becomes attracted to the sea once again. He makes several voyages for next six years. But, he gets sea-weary, and decides to spend his time at home with his wife and his children. However, after three years, he accepts the offer for a voyage to the South Sea from Captain William Prichard.  

A new voyage

They set to sail on the Antelope from Bristol on May 4, 1699. The pleasant beginning turns to a mishap when a violent storm drives them to the north-west of Van Diemen’s Land. Due to ‘ill food and immoderate labour’, twelve of their crew members die and the rest become ‘very weak’. One day, their ship hits a rock and splits. Gulliver, along with five other crew members, manages to leave in a small boat, which unfortunately becomes a victim to ‘a sudden flurry from the north’. He is now separated from the rest of the companions and considers them lost. Finally, Gulliver manages to reach safely to the sea shore.

The strange island of little inhabitants: Lilliput

Tired of his struggle for existence, Gulliver lies down on the soft grass and falls asleep. After sleeping soundly for about nine hours, he wakes up to find his hair and body tightly fastened to the ground with threads. This greatly restricts his movements. Though he hears a confused noise around him, he could not look at the ground to understand the source of it.

A little later, he is astonished to see a ‘not six inches high’ human, carrying a bow and an arrow, walking on his chest. This tiny creature is followed by about forty more of his kind. Unable to understand the situation and agitated by the unfamiliar creatures standing on his body, he screams aloud. The frightened creatures respond by attacking him with hundreds of pointed arrows that prick his left hand. The more he attempts to free himself, the more are the arrows shot at him.

The magnificent hospitality of the little inhabitants

Giving in to the situation, Gulliver decides to lie still, and the volley of arrows too is stopped. Finding him submissive and approachable, a stage is erected. One of the persons, the ‘hurgo’ (the great lord) delivers a speech that is incomprehensible to him because of the alien language.

Gulliver tries to communicate his need for food and water. Fortunately, the hurgo interprets his signs, and orders the inhabitants to provide Gulliver with food. Gulliver surprises the people by his enormous appetite. Then, he quenches his thirst by two barrels of delicious wine. Due to their hospitality and the promise of honour he made to them, Gulliver feels bound to be submissive even though his demand for liberty has been denied. They even apply ointment to cure the blisters on his face and hands. Then, he sleeps for about eight hours, due to the effect of a sleepy potion mixed with wine.

Transporting the giant sized Gulliver to his lodging

A large wooden machine is constructed to carry Gulliver to the capital city. It takes three hours to lift Gulliver from the ground and onto the carriage. He is carried to the ancient but evacuated temple, his new lodging. This makes him understand that these tiny little people are excellent mathematicians and great mechanics. In the temple, his left leg is bound with a two yard long chain.

Gulliver’s life and early career

Lemuel Gulliver, third of the five sons, lives with his family in a small estate in Nottinghamshire. At the age of fourteen, he attends Emanuel College in Cambridge. His scanty allowance makes him work for four years as an apprentice to Mr. James Bates, an eminent surgeon in London. Meanwhile, he also learns navigation and mathematics as he considers them useful to those who intend to travel. After his college, he studies physics at Leyden.

Gulliver’s sea voyages

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