Gulliver's Travels

sometimes felt that this book contradicts itself. or, specifically in part 4, is trying desperately to show us perfection while also making the society sound...unbearable. i mean, a world where a bunch of dumb humans are shitting on each other amongst a bunch of honest and wise horses...does not sound like perfection to me. no love. no opinions...? there is literally a procreation cap on them hoes.

but i can still appreciate what it's satirizing and there's no denying, there are some funny details and incredibly bold moments with philosophy/dissection of human nature. at the same time, i think it's trying to do so much at once.

the misogyny here is supposedly satirizing as well, but it just didn't feel that way to me? like sure women's bodies are ugly and smell bad up close. what now? perhaps it's trying to make a mockery of this idea of our inferiority. but at the same time, most of the men in this story are not only written as bearable, but well liked or respected by gulliver. idk maybe i'm missing something. in class (sigh), it was mentioned that swift is maybe commenting on the unrealistic standard of beauty (particularly in the nobility). in other words, that rich women are godly in theory. but really we are all stinky and gross. but again, gulliver is more disgusted at women undressing than being shit on. like literally feces on the noggin.

i think i still have so much to learn about satire and politics and ENGLAND and earlier works like this so all my thoughts are literally just that...THOUGHTS.