Gulliver's Travels

Jonathan Swift published Gulliver's Travels in 1726 in order to satirize English society. The story is of Dr. Lemuel Gulliver, a shipwrecked ship's surgeon who is taken to several fantastic worlds where the social reality is altered - the most famous of which is Lilliput where the people are six inches tall. Subsequent journeys bring him to a world of giants, misguided scientists and an intelligent race of horses. The experiences are presented in a first-person, observational perspective in order to enhance the believability of these extraordinary worlds. Throughout Gulliver's Travels, fatuous bureaucratical scenarios and troubled social policy reflect an English society in the throes of political confusion and corruption. Indeed, soon after the publication of Gulliver's Travels, the political landscape of England swung in opposition to Swift's views and the book fell from popularity as well. However, the enchanting and complex realities depicted by Swift garnered a following, especially as children's stories, and Gulliver is a name now more synonymous with adventure than political hypocrisy.

Lecture 1 – February 24th
7:45 – 9:00 p.m.

Lecture 2 – March 9th
7:45 – 9:00 p.m.

Lecture 3 – March 16th
7:45 – 9:00 p.m.

Lecture 4 – March 23rd
7:45 – 9:00 p.m.

Wilbur Wright College Theater
4300 N. Narragansett Avenue

Four lectures by literary scholars offered to A. P. English students.
Students attending three of the four lectures will receive a certificate of completion.

To register or for inquiries, email Professor Edward Mogul at ehmogul@uchicago.edu