Book III of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, often regarded as the most disparate and arguably less cohesive section of the narrative, embarks on a satirical journey that deviates from the physical scale shifts characterizing Lilliput and Brobdingnag. Instead, this book delves into the realms of abstract thought, scientific impracticality, historical revisionism, and the existential dread of mortality. Swift masterfully employs a series of distinct societies and their inhabitants to launch a biting critique against intellectual pride, speculative philosophy, misdirected scientific endeavor, and the human propensity for folly. Unlike the highly individualized characters found in the earlier books, the ‘characters’ of Book III are often archetypal, serving primarily as vehicles for Swift’s multifaceted satire, embodying the very absurdities and vices he seeks to expose.

This section of Gulliver’s voyages, spanning Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdrib, Luggnagg, and Japan, presents a less linear progression of Gulliver’s personal transformation and instead offers a series of vignettes, each designed to highlight a particular human failing or societal flaw. The characters, therefore, are less about their personal arcs and more about their symbolic representation. They are not merely inhabitants of strange lands but living embodiments of Swift’s polemical arguments against intellectual arrogance, the dangers of reason divorced from practicality, the illusions of historical grandeur, and the harrowing reality of an unexamined desire for eternal life. Through these encounters, Swift not only lampoons the intellectual currents of his time but also offers timeless insights into the nature of human ambition and the limitations of human perception.

The Abstract World of the Laputians

The first significant ‘characters’ Gulliver encounters in Book III are the inhabitants of the flying island of Laputa. These are perhaps the most distinct and visually memorable characters in this section, embodying Swift’s scathing critique of abstract intellectualism and theoretical pursuits devoid of practical application. The Laputians are depicted as beings entirely engrossed in mathematics, astronomy, and music, to the exclusion of all else. Their physical appearance itself is a manifestation of their intellectual obsession: their heads are often tilted to one side, with one eye turned inward and the other upward, symbolizing their detachment from earthly concerns and their focus on celestial matters.

Their profound absorption in abstract thought renders them profoundly impractical in their daily lives. They are so consumed by calculations and musical harmonies that they require “flappers” – servants equipped with bladders filled with dry peas or pebbles – to gently strike them on the mouth or ear to recall them from their meditations to the realities of conversation or immediate tasks. This absurd necessity highlights Swift’s contention that excessive intellectualism, when disconnected from the practicalities of human existence, leads to profound dysfunction and absurdity. The flappers serve as a constant reminder of the Laputians’ intellectual elitism and their consequent inability to function in the real world without assistance.

Swift uses the Laputians to satirize the Royal Society and other burgeoning scientific institutions of his era. He implicitly criticizes the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, particularly when such knowledge yields no tangible benefits to society and, in fact, leads to neglect and oppression. The floating island itself is a sophisticated piece of technology, yet its primary function is not to uplift its inhabitants but to oppress the land of Balnibarbi below, by either blocking the sun to destroy crops or by dropping stones to enforce obedience. This illustrates Swift’s concern about intellectual power wielded without moral compass or practical empathy, showing how detached reason can become a tool of tyranny. The Laputians’ constant fear of cosmic catastrophe, such as the sun consuming the earth or a comet colliding with it, further underscores their intellectual anxieties, which are entirely detached from immediate, human-scale problems. They are excellent astronomers but terrible governors, preoccupied with universal destruction while their own land beneath them suffers from their neglect and tyrannical whims.

The Absurd Endeavors of the Balnibarbian Projectors

After descending from Laputa, Gulliver lands in Balnibarbi and visits its capital, Lagado, where he encounters the ‘Projectors’ of the Grand Academy of Lagado. This group of characters represents Swift’s most direct and biting satire against scientific experimentation, utopian social engineering, and what he perceived as the wasteful and ludicrous endeavors of the Royal Society and similar Enlightenment-era intellectual bodies. The Projectors are not so much individual characters as a collective embodying the misapplication of reason and the pursuit of knowledge that is utterly detached from common sense and practical utility.

Gulliver witnesses a plethora of absurd and futile experiments within the Grand Academy. For instance, one projector is attempting to extract sunbeams from cucumbers to bottle and use for heating in winter – an endeavor that has been ongoing for eight years, consuming vast resources without any success. Another is trying to reduce human excrement to its original food, demonstrating a misguided attempt to reverse natural processes. Others are working on building houses from the roof downwards, softening marble for pillows, or developing a universal language by carrying objects in sacks and conversing through their display rather than words, leading to enormous burdens for their servants.

The agricultural projects are equally bizarre: plowing fields with hogs trained to root up the ground, or attempting to breed naked sheep. In the “School of Political Projectors,” Swift’s satire becomes particularly pointed, directly criticizing social engineers and political theorists. Here, a “most ingenious architect” is devising new methods for building houses, while another proposes curing political diseases by splitting the heads of legislators and mixing their brains. Such projects, Swift suggests, are not only impractical but also deeply destructive, squandering resources and intellect on schemes that defy logic and human nature. The Projectors, in their relentless pursuit of “improvements” through convoluted and illogical methods, represent the height of academic pretension and intellectual folly. Swift critiques the belief that all problems can be solved through systematic, scientific means, no matter how absurd, and lambasts the Enlightenment’s blind faith in pure reason without practical grounding or moral consideration. Their endeavors often result in poverty, ruin, and chaos, starkly contrasting with the simple wisdom of the Lord Munodi, a Balnibarbian nobleman who adheres to traditional, practical methods and whose estate flourishes as a result.

The Necromancy of Glubbdubdrib and Historical Revision

Gulliver’s next stop is the island of Glubbdubdrib, the Isle of Sorcerers or Magicians. Here, the ‘character’ central to the satire is the Governor, a necromancer with the unique ability to summon the spirits of the dead for a period of twenty-four hours. This magical power allows Swift to bring to life historical figures, providing a unique platform for historical revisionism and a commentary on the corruption of power and the fallibility of human greatness. The Governor acts as the conduit for Gulliver’s inquiries, though he himself is less a developed character and more a plot device.

Gulliver requests to see various historical luminaries, starting with Alexander the Great, whom he finds to be a much smaller, less imposing figure than legend suggests. He then summons a succession of Roman emperors, observing their vices, their effeminacy, and the means by which they truly ascended to power, often through treachery and murder rather than virtue. He consults Hannibal, Caesar, and Brutus, learning that the “true” history often stands in stark contrast to the glorified narratives found in books. He discovers that many famous battles were won not by brilliant strategy but by chance, cowardice, or bribery.

The encounters with philosophers and scholars are equally revealing. Gulliver sees Aristotle and Homer, learning that they lament the corruption and misinterpretation of their works over centuries. He encounters Descartes and Gassendi, who acknowledge their errors in the light of new knowledge. This episode is a powerful satire on the unreliability of written history, the corruption of human ambition, and the transient nature of fame. Swift uses these spectral characters to debunk the myths of historical grandeur, revealing the base motives and flawed humanity behind celebrated figures. It underscores his cynical view of human nature and the inherent propensity for deceit and self-aggrandizement, even among those deemed “great.” The parade of historical figures, stripped of their legendary veneer, serves as a direct challenge to the Enlightenment’s optimistic view of human progress and reason, suggesting instead a cyclical pattern of corruption and folly throughout history.

The Unfortunate Immortals of Luggnagg: The Struldbrugs

Perhaps the most poignant and philosophically profound ‘characters’ in Book III are the Struldbrugs of Luggnagg. These are a unique class of individuals born with the terrifying curse of immortality, marked by a black spot above their left eyebrow, which changes color over time. Gulliver’s encounter with the Struldbrugs represents Swift’s deepest and most bitter critique of human vanity, the fear of death, and the often-unexamined desire for eternal life.

Initially, upon learning of the Struldbrugs, Gulliver is ecstatic. He imagines a life of perpetual learning, accumulating wisdom, observing the progress of humanity, and avoiding the limitations of mortality. He envisions them as an elite class of wise, benevolent beings, enjoying infinite wealth and knowledge. This initial romanticization reflects a common human yearning for immortality, free from the pains of aging and death.

However, the reality of the Struldbrugs is horrifyingly grim. As they age, they do not retain their faculties or wisdom. By the age of thirty, they begin to show signs of physical decay; by eighty, they become completely decrepit, suffering from all the infirmities of extreme old age without the release of death. They lose their memory, their senses (sight, hearing, taste) deteriorate, and they become perpetually melancholic and envious of those who are allowed to die. They are scorned by society, legally dead at eighty, losing all civil rights and property. They cannot inherit, and their marriages dissolve. They are outcasts, living miserable, endless lives, witnessing generation after generation of their loved ones perish. They are cursed with a continuous, agonizing existence, devoid of hope or purpose.

The Struldbrugs serve as Swift’s ultimate indictment of the human desire for immortality. He argues that death is not merely an end but an essential part of the human condition, giving meaning and urgency to life. Without the prospect of death, life becomes an insufferable burden, characterized by perpetual decay, loneliness, and despair. These characters force Gulliver, and the reader, to confront the true implications of living forever: not eternal youth or wisdom, but eternal senility, suffering, and isolation. Their plight acts as a powerful memento mori in reverse, not a reminder of death but a chilling depiction of the horrors of not dying. This chapter is a profound meditation on the limitations of human aspiration and the often-unforeseen consequences of achieving one’s deepest desires. The Struldbrugs are Swift’s most potent “characters” in Book III, serving as a dark mirror reflecting humanity’s ill-conceived notions of ultimate happiness.

Gulliver’s Role as Observer in Book III

Lemeul Gulliver, as the protagonist and narrator, continues his journey through these strange lands, but his characterization in Book III differs subtly from the preceding books. In Lilliput and Brobdingnag, Gulliver is often an active participant, his physical scale dictating much of the interaction and humor. In Book III, however, he largely functions as a more passive observer and a narrative device through which Swift presents his satirical commentary. He is less an agent of change or a deeply developed psychological character and more a lens through which the reader views the follies of these societies.

Gulliver’s reactions, while often marked by his characteristic credulity and initial enthusiasm, are crucial for highlighting the absurdity and inherent dangers of the encountered phenomena. For instance, his initial romanticization of the Struldbrugs serves to amplify the shock and horror when the grim reality is revealed. His naive wonder at the Laputians’ abstract knowledge, or his polite curiosity about the Projectors’ absurd experiments, allows Swift to demonstrate the inherent illogic without needing Gulliver to explicitly condemn it, letting the actions speak for themselves.

His primary role is to listen, record, and occasionally offer his own (often limited) interpretations, which sometimes verge on the absurd, further emphasizing the point Swift is making. He is the Everyman, encountering the strange and often dangerous manifestations of misapplied reason and human folly. While he does not undergo the profound internal transformation seen, for example, in his later revulsion towards humanity in the land of the Houyhnhnms, his experiences in Book III contribute to his growing disillusionment with human intellect and societal organization. His journey through Laputa, Lagado, Glubbdubdrib, and Luggnagg progressively exposes him to various forms of intellectual and existential decay, culminating in the chilling revelation of the Struldbrugs, which serves as a stark warning about the perils of unchecked human desires and the limitations of a purely rational, Enlightenment worldview.

Conclusion

Book III of Gulliver’s Travels, through its array of distinct ‘characters’ and societal structures, provides Swift with a powerful canvas for his trenchant satire. The Laputians, with their heads in the clouds and neglect of earthly affairs, embody the dangers of abstract intellectualism divorced from practical reality and moral responsibility. They critique the burgeoning scientific and philosophical movements of Swift’s time, cautioning against intellectual arrogance and the tyranny of theoretical knowledge.

Similarly, the Projectors of the Grand Academy of Lagado represent the height of scientific absurdity and wasted ingenuity. Their bizarre, fruitless experiments are a scathing indictment of pseudo-science, impractical research, and utopian schemes that disregard common sense and human nature. Through these characters, Swift challenges the Enlightenment’s uncritical faith in reason and progress, demonstrating how intellect, when misdirected, can lead to chaos and ruin rather than improvement.

Finally, the Governor of Glubbdubdrib and, most profoundly, the Struldbrugs of Luggnagg delve into more existential and philosophical dimensions. The Glubbdubdrib episode exposes the inherent corruption of power and the unreliable nature of historical accounts, while the Struldbrugs present a harrowing vision of immortality as a curse rather than a blessing. This profound critique of the human desire for eternal life underscores Swift’s view on the necessity of mortality for life’s meaning and the inherent limitations and decay of the human condition. Collectively, these characters serve as Swift’s vehicles for dissecting and condemning various forms of human folly – from intellectual pride and scientific hubris to the illusions of historical grandeur and the fundamental misunderstanding of life and death – cementing Book III’s status as a complex and insightful segment of his timeless satirical masterpiece.