Showing posts with label Week III: A Voyage to Laputa Balnibarbi Luggnagg Glubbdubdrib and Japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Week III: A Voyage to Laputa Balnibarbi Luggnagg Glubbdubdrib and Japan. Show all posts
Monday, June 2, 2014
The Chapter Titles
Despite the complexity of the stories in Gulliver's Travels, the section titles are not very in-depth and are rather blunt (ex. A Voyage to Lilliput). I'm a bit curious as to know why Swift decided to leave the titles to be non-descriptive and straightforward...
Possible Location of Lugnagg
Continuing with the speculation of hypothetical locations for Lilliput and Brobdingnag, the location of Lugnagg described in the book as located about 100 leagues southwest of Japan. However, as opposed to finding the precise location of entities in the previous two sections, "southwest of Japan" encompasses a huge area within the Micronesian islands, a group of approximately 2100 islands over an area 7.4 million square kilometers. This makes the search for a precisely matching island extremely difficult. In addition, many of the Micronesian islands were not known to the European realm until the journeys of Cook. However, the Magellan encountered the Marianas during his circumnavigation around the world, suggesting one of the Marianas islands as the location for Lugnagg.
The location for Lagado on Balnibarbi is obscure, however; a general region cannot even be inferred.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Parody in Chapter 3
Gulliver's Travels parodies the whole genre of the traveler's tale, but the book includes many examples of parodic language. One example is from chapter 3 of the book.
- By means of this loadstone, the island is made to rise and fall, and move from one place to another. For, with respect to that part of the earth over which the monarch presides, the stone is endued at one of its sides with an attractive power, and at the other with a repulsive. Upon placing the magnet erect, with its attracting end towards the earth, the island descends; but when the repelling extremity points downwards, the island mounts directly upwards. When the position of the stone is oblique, the motion of the island is so too: for in this magnet, the forces always act in lines parallel to its direction. (3.3.5)
Gulliver is describing how the earth is attracted on one side and repulsed by another that causes the island of Laputa to move using his giant magnet. Gulliver is using the formal mathematical and scientific language like attraction and repulsion. This sort of language is not really seen in any of Gulliver's regular descriptions of things. It sounds too difficult for Guillver to be saying these words.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Advanced Technology and Specious Hypotheses of the Balnibarbians
Some technology of the inhabitants of Balnibarbi are truly magnificent wonders for their age. Other research is simply catastrophic.
It's worth noticing that Swift has a knack for predicting future discoveries and innovations. The telescopes mentioned used by the Laputans are three feet long, about the same size as many consumer-mid range telescopes. These have the range to clearly see the rings of Saturn and the individual moons of Jupiter and probably have the capability to see many of the major stars in constellations of the cosmos.
Another peculiar future-telling discovery mentioned in the book by the Laputans is the presence of two moons orbiting around Mars. While we know these as Phobos and Deimos today, these two moons were not discovered until 1877 by Asaph Hall, a little more than 150 years after Swift published Gulliver's Travels in 1726. They do not orbit in the same resonance frequencies as described in the book, however (in fact, Phobos is on a crash course with Mars, while Deimos is slowly inching away much alike our Moon), but it is a remarkable coincidence in literature.
Magnetic levitation, another prediction that we have only managed to accomplish on a small scale with high-speed Maglev trains (German ICE, French TGV, Japanese Shinkansen), powers the floating force of Laputa. It is rather fascinating to see a 7,000-yard object propel itself across a small radius within which the inhabitants of Balnibarbi live.
Of course, the "practicality" of Balnibarbians results in unexpected experiments, many of which can be noted at the Lagado academy. Capturing beams of sunlight for consumption by cucumbers, reassembling excrement to its original form, ice to gunpowder, color from touch and smell, cultivation with swine, and building houses from the roof down are some of the absurd experiments the Balinbarbians have managed to begin and fund.
It's worth noticing that Swift has a knack for predicting future discoveries and innovations. The telescopes mentioned used by the Laputans are three feet long, about the same size as many consumer-mid range telescopes. These have the range to clearly see the rings of Saturn and the individual moons of Jupiter and probably have the capability to see many of the major stars in constellations of the cosmos.
Another peculiar future-telling discovery mentioned in the book by the Laputans is the presence of two moons orbiting around Mars. While we know these as Phobos and Deimos today, these two moons were not discovered until 1877 by Asaph Hall, a little more than 150 years after Swift published Gulliver's Travels in 1726. They do not orbit in the same resonance frequencies as described in the book, however (in fact, Phobos is on a crash course with Mars, while Deimos is slowly inching away much alike our Moon), but it is a remarkable coincidence in literature.
Magnetic levitation, another prediction that we have only managed to accomplish on a small scale with high-speed Maglev trains (German ICE, French TGV, Japanese Shinkansen), powers the floating force of Laputa. It is rather fascinating to see a 7,000-yard object propel itself across a small radius within which the inhabitants of Balnibarbi live.
Of course, the "practicality" of Balnibarbians results in unexpected experiments, many of which can be noted at the Lagado academy. Capturing beams of sunlight for consumption by cucumbers, reassembling excrement to its original form, ice to gunpowder, color from touch and smell, cultivation with swine, and building houses from the roof down are some of the absurd experiments the Balinbarbians have managed to begin and fund.
Enlightened Laputans
Despite the utter confusion and disaster of the people of Balnibarbi, several characters can be noted to have somewhat sensible orientations of thought, manner, and process, who thus may be considered compared to the general population as "enlightened."
The first "enlightened" individual Gulliver encounters is one of the lords of the Laputan court. While he shows no aptitude or skill in the traits that Laputans value, he shows considerable attention and wisdom in his mannerisms. He does not require servants to direct his center of attention and intelligibly remarks on Gulliver's explanations of European politics and affairs, of which he shows marked interest in.
The second, and most notable individual, which may be referred to as an "enlightened" figure is Lord Munodi. Of Lagado, he and a few other conservative citizens are the only sane people of the city. His well-cultivated plantation compared to the miserable crop of the countryside, the formal and sturdy construction of the manor compared to the wretched, drooping shacks of careless building, and his cleanly clothed self compared to the ragged strips of the common citizen express a high level of sanity.
In accordance with Plato's Allegory of the Cave in his The Republic, Lord Munodi and others who have also reverted to older customs of living are the "enlightened" individuals, alike the Laputan lord equally scorned upon by the general population (the remaining inhabitants of the cave). While it is strange to think that conservatism be enlightened in comparison to reform, it is the misconception of reform equates to progress that the majority of Balnibarbians hold that led the population to living in a state of utter squalor and dereliction.
The first "enlightened" individual Gulliver encounters is one of the lords of the Laputan court. While he shows no aptitude or skill in the traits that Laputans value, he shows considerable attention and wisdom in his mannerisms. He does not require servants to direct his center of attention and intelligibly remarks on Gulliver's explanations of European politics and affairs, of which he shows marked interest in.
The second, and most notable individual, which may be referred to as an "enlightened" figure is Lord Munodi. Of Lagado, he and a few other conservative citizens are the only sane people of the city. His well-cultivated plantation compared to the miserable crop of the countryside, the formal and sturdy construction of the manor compared to the wretched, drooping shacks of careless building, and his cleanly clothed self compared to the ragged strips of the common citizen express a high level of sanity.
In accordance with Plato's Allegory of the Cave in his The Republic, Lord Munodi and others who have also reverted to older customs of living are the "enlightened" individuals, alike the Laputan lord equally scorned upon by the general population (the remaining inhabitants of the cave). While it is strange to think that conservatism be enlightened in comparison to reform, it is the misconception of reform equates to progress that the majority of Balnibarbians hold that led the population to living in a state of utter squalor and dereliction.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Laputian Abnormalities
Laputian society, in contrast to the Lilliputian and Brobdingnagian that Swift has already encountered, is even stranger than the latter two. This may seem like a rather philistine statement (having yet only read two chapters of the section), but it is worth mentioning first that the name "Laputa" in Spanish ("la puta") means "whore" or "prostitute," an utterly insulting case of dramatic irony for the Laputians.
The customs of Laputian society are laughable and are rather ludicrous. In order to speak, a small vessel (of what is described as a "bladder" by Gulliver) containing pebbles and peas hanging off a stick is tapped on the mouth of the speaker and the ear of the member of the directed audience. These bumbling lumps of bobbleheads lean either left or right. Perhaps that is why they have the attention span of flies and focus only on the pragmatic, which certainly (warning: dripping with sarcasm) explains why despite their mathematical and musical aptitude and habit of complimenting women with geometric shapes, the Laputians cannot even build simple geometric designs, measure correctly, or build houses with right angles.
As this is part of a satirical work, it must be mocking a certain party; I cannot possibly imagine of any dimensions the sort that Swift is trying to parody here.
The customs of Laputian society are laughable and are rather ludicrous. In order to speak, a small vessel (of what is described as a "bladder" by Gulliver) containing pebbles and peas hanging off a stick is tapped on the mouth of the speaker and the ear of the member of the directed audience. These bumbling lumps of bobbleheads lean either left or right. Perhaps that is why they have the attention span of flies and focus only on the pragmatic, which certainly (warning: dripping with sarcasm) explains why despite their mathematical and musical aptitude and habit of complimenting women with geometric shapes, the Laputians cannot even build simple geometric designs, measure correctly, or build houses with right angles.
As this is part of a satirical work, it must be mocking a certain party; I cannot possibly imagine of any dimensions the sort that Swift is trying to parody here.
Laputian Confusion?
Can anyone help me make sense of this:
"By this oblique motion, the island is conveyed to different parts of the monarch’s dominions. To explain the manner of its progress, let A B represent a line drawn across the dominions of Balnibarbi, let the line c d represent the loadstone, of which let d be the repelling end, and c the attracting end, the island being over C: let the stone be placed in position c d, with its repelling end downwards; then the island will be driven upwards obliquely towards D. When it is arrived at D, let the stone be turned upon its axle, till its attracting end points towards E, and then the island will be carried obliquely towards E; where, if the stone be again turned upon its axle till it stands in the position E F, with its repelling point downwards, the island will rise obliquely towards F, where, by directing the attracting end towards G, the island may be carried to G, and from G to H, by turning the stone, so as to make its repelling extremity to point directly downward. And thus, by changing the situation of the stone, as often as there is occasion, the island is made to rise and fall by turns in an oblique direction, and by those alternate risings and fallings (the obliquity being not considerable) is conveyed from one part of the dominions to the other." (125)
I've read it a few times and it just has my head spinning in circles. I'm also still slightly confused how the island actually moves, up to this point I've essentially just been like, "ok... it moves. moving on....".
"By this oblique motion, the island is conveyed to different parts of the monarch’s dominions. To explain the manner of its progress, let A B represent a line drawn across the dominions of Balnibarbi, let the line c d represent the loadstone, of which let d be the repelling end, and c the attracting end, the island being over C: let the stone be placed in position c d, with its repelling end downwards; then the island will be driven upwards obliquely towards D. When it is arrived at D, let the stone be turned upon its axle, till its attracting end points towards E, and then the island will be carried obliquely towards E; where, if the stone be again turned upon its axle till it stands in the position E F, with its repelling point downwards, the island will rise obliquely towards F, where, by directing the attracting end towards G, the island may be carried to G, and from G to H, by turning the stone, so as to make its repelling extremity to point directly downward. And thus, by changing the situation of the stone, as often as there is occasion, the island is made to rise and fall by turns in an oblique direction, and by those alternate risings and fallings (the obliquity being not considerable) is conveyed from one part of the dominions to the other." (125)
I've read it a few times and it just has my head spinning in circles. I'm also still slightly confused how the island actually moves, up to this point I've essentially just been like, "ok... it moves. moving on....".
Laputan Women
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the society of Laputa is how lenient they are socially. As near as I can tell Gulliver does not seem to enticed by these sometimes desperate women.
"The women of the island have abundance of vivacity: they, contemn their husbands, and are exceedingly fond of strangers, whereof there is always a considerable number from the continent below, attending at court, either upon affairs of the several towns and corporations, or their own particular occasions, but are much despised, because they want the same endowments. Among these the ladies choose their gallants: but the vexation is, that they act with too much ease and security; for the husband is always so rapt in speculation, that the mistress and lover may proceed to the greatest familiarities before his face." (122).
It seems that the women of Laputa are rather active as they likely never get a change in scenery, if you know what I mean, on a flying island. Swift seems to be magnifying the errors in European to shed new light on their habits, the fact that the husband essentially turns a blind eye would be very surprising as the man in the relationship is allowed to have a mistress but a woman cannot cheat on her husband. This fact is further expressed when Gulliver goes on to explain when women have the chance to get off Laputa they take it.
"The women of the island have abundance of vivacity: they, contemn their husbands, and are exceedingly fond of strangers, whereof there is always a considerable number from the continent below, attending at court, either upon affairs of the several towns and corporations, or their own particular occasions, but are much despised, because they want the same endowments. Among these the ladies choose their gallants: but the vexation is, that they act with too much ease and security; for the husband is always so rapt in speculation, that the mistress and lover may proceed to the greatest familiarities before his face." (122).
It seems that the women of Laputa are rather active as they likely never get a change in scenery, if you know what I mean, on a flying island. Swift seems to be magnifying the errors in European to shed new light on their habits, the fact that the husband essentially turns a blind eye would be very surprising as the man in the relationship is allowed to have a mistress but a woman cannot cheat on her husband. This fact is further expressed when Gulliver goes on to explain when women have the chance to get off Laputa they take it.
The Language of Science and Music
The speech on Laputa as described by Gulliver required his "knowledge...in mathematics" to understand.
The knowledge I had in mathematics, gave me great assistance in acquiring their phraseology, which depended much upon that science, and music; and in the latter I was not unskilled. Their ideas are perpetually conversant in lines and figures. If they would, for example, praise the beauty of a woman, or any other animal, they describe it by rhombs, circles, parallelograms, ellipses, and other geometrical terms, or by words of art drawn from music, needless here to repeat. I observed in the king’s kitchen all sorts of mathematical and musical instruments, after the figures of which they cut up the joints that were served to his majesty’s table. (120)
I find it very hard to praise something using geometrical shapes and music. But I guess after seeing extremely short laws this is not that surprising. Also it is interesting how these are used for praising "the beauty of a woman, or any other animal", almost "animal-izing" or objectifying women, which would fit the setting of the book but would be largely unaccepted now-a-days.
The knowledge I had in mathematics, gave me great assistance in acquiring their phraseology, which depended much upon that science, and music; and in the latter I was not unskilled. Their ideas are perpetually conversant in lines and figures. If they would, for example, praise the beauty of a woman, or any other animal, they describe it by rhombs, circles, parallelograms, ellipses, and other geometrical terms, or by words of art drawn from music, needless here to repeat. I observed in the king’s kitchen all sorts of mathematical and musical instruments, after the figures of which they cut up the joints that were served to his majesty’s table. (120)
I find it very hard to praise something using geometrical shapes and music. But I guess after seeing extremely short laws this is not that surprising. Also it is interesting how these are used for praising "the beauty of a woman, or any other animal", almost "animal-izing" or objectifying women, which would fit the setting of the book but would be largely unaccepted now-a-days.
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