Tuesday 3 August 2010

What would be a character sketch of the Emperor of Lilliput from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels?

The
Emperor of Lilliput arrives early in 's , and he proves to be instantly
memorable, as Swift uses both the Emperor and his policies to illustrate the absurd nature of
politics and politicians. Swift characterizes the Emperor as a corrupt, pompous, and proud ruler
who delights in ridiculous political ceremonies and practices. The Emperor's reign is defined by
two tense conflicts: the conflict between the Low Heels and High Heels, and the conflict between
those who believe eggs should be cracked open at the little end and those who believe eggs
should be cracked open at the big end. Overall, it's clear that the Emperor is not only a petty
and absurd person, but also presides over and participates in petty and absurd debates that are
blown completely out of proportion. By crafting such a character, Swift makes fun of and points
out the many flaws of the political leaders of his day. Indeed, it's often thought that the
Emperor of Lilliput is meant to correspond to the real political figure of King George I, who
ruled England during part of Swift's lifetime.   

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