Character Analysis The BrobdingnagiansThe Brobdingnagians are the epitome of moral giants. Physically huge — 60 feet tall — their moral stature is also gigantic. Brobdingnag is a practical, moral utopia. Among the Brobdingnagians, there is goodwill and calm virtue. Their laws encourage charity. Yet they are, underneath, just men who labor under every disadvantage to which man is heir. They are physically ugly when magnified, but they are morally beautiful. We cannot reject them simply because Gulliver describes them as physically gross. If we reject them, we become even more conscious of an ordinary person's verminous morality. Show Set against the moral background of Brobdingnag and in comparison to the Brobdingnagians, Gulliver's "ordinariness" exposes many of its faults. Gulliver is revealed to be a very proud man and one who accepts the madness and malice of European politics, parties, and society as natural. What's more, he even lies to conceal what is despicable about them. The Brobdingnagian king, however, is not fooled by Gulliver. The English, he says, are "odious vermin." Nevertheless, the Brobdingnagians are not without their flaws. Unlike Gulliver, who always considered the Lilliputians to be miniature men, the Brobdingnagians cannot think of Gulliver as a miniature Brobdingnagian. Even the King, who is sincerely fond of Gulliver, cannot view him as anything except an entertaining, albeit sly little fellow, one who is not to be trusted. The maids of honor in the Brobdingnagian court treat Gulliver as a plaything. To them, he is a toy, not a man, so they undress in front of him without a thought of modesty, and they titillate themselves with his naked body. Still, this "abuse" of Gulliver — denying his humanity and his man-hood — is done for amusement, not out of malice. Although they are not perfect, the Brobdingnagians are consistently moral. Only children and the deformed are intentionally evil. In short, Swift praises the Brobdingnagians, but he does not intend for us to think that they are perfect humans. They are superhumans, bound to us by flesh and blood, just bigger morally than we are. Their virtues are not impossible for us to attain, but because it takes so much maturing to reach the stature of a moral giant, few humans achieve it.
 The Brobdingnagian queen in the 1996 made-for-TV mini-series. The Brobdingnagians are a morally righteous race, detesting the war, greed, and corruption for which author Jonathan Swift saw the British Monarchy of the time to stand. Physically enormous with a description of 60 feet tall, their moral stature is also huge. Brobdingnag, as a society, is a practical and moral utopia, and among the Brobdingnagians, there is all the peace, goodwill and calm virtue of a true fantasy world. Their laws encourage charity and grace, though underneath it all they are just a people who labor under every disadvantage know to all "men." In the novel, they are described as being ugly when magnified through Gulliver's point of view, but they are characteristically beautiful in their thoughts and actions. They are the epitome of the "beauty is only skin deep" and "don't judge a book by its cover" clichés. Next to the moral high-ground of Brobdingnag and when compared to the Brobdingnagians, Gulliver's average ways expose many of his faults. Gulliver is revealed to be a very proud man and one who accepts the madness and malice of European politics, parties, and society as natural. What's more, he even lies to conceal what is despicable about them. The Brobdingnagian king, however, is not fooled by Gulliver. The English, he says, are "odious vermin." In his blind loyalty to England, we see Gulliver show that he is, in fact, full of pride - defending the madness and malice of British politics and society as not only acceptable, but the natural and normal standard. In this, we see Gulliver flounder as he now plays the hypocrite; he lies to the Brobdingnagian king in order to conceal what is deplorable about his native England. Gulliver's moral standards as an Englishman cannot match those of the Brobdingnagians. Swift further demonstrates this concept when he shows Gulliver identifying the British with the Lilliputians, thus making Gulliver (being British himself) look rather foolish as he indirectly associates himself with his former captors. It reinforces the folly and self-deception that Gulliver practices as he, at the same time, attempts to identify himself with these moral giants. It is clear to the outside observer that Gulliver's pride is at the root of his trouble, and Swift dramatizes this when Gulliver cannot bear to look at his reflection in the mirror. Even still, the Brobdingnagians are not perfect, by any means, and they display their own flaws. In contrast to Gulliver, who considered the Lilliputians to be miniatures of men like himself, the Brobdingnagians are incapable of regarding Gulliver as a miniature Brobdingnagian. The King himself, who is sincerely fond of Gulliver, views him as nothing more than a toy - an entertaining, if sly little fellow - and one who should not be trusted. The maids of honor in the Brobdingnagian royal court also treat Gulliver as a mere plaything. To them, he is a curiosity, not a true man, so they disrobe in front of him without the slightest thought of modesty, and they delight themselves in viewing his naked body. Nevertheless, this "abusive" behavior toward Gulliver - in denying his humanity and his manhood — is applied not out of malice, but purely for amusement. Although they are certainly not perfect, the Brobdingnagians are consistently moral. Only children and the mentally abnormal show evil intent. All-in-all, Swift's depiction praises the Brobdingnagians, but not in such a way as to leave the reader thinking that they are perfect model for humans. They are superhuman in physical stature, and in general more morally righteous than we are, but the story does not put their virtues out of reach as impossible for us to attain. It simply points out that because it takes such a level of enlightenment to reach the stature of a moral giant, few humans achieve it. Gallery[]See also[]
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How did the Queen of Brobdingnag treat Gulliver?The farmer's daughter in Brobdingnag wins some of Gulliver's attention but chiefly because she cares for him so tenderly. Gulliver is courteous to the empress of Lilliput but presumably mainly because she is royalty.
What did the king of Brobdingnag think of Gulliver?Based on Gulliver's descriptions of their behaviour, the King describes the English as "the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth".
Why did the king of Brobdingnag start dislike Gulliver?In the course of his adventures, Gulliver travels to many strange lands, all intended to satirize some aspect of human behavior in Swift's day. Gulliver offers the pleasant-natured King of Brobdingnag the secret of using gunpowder and weapons against enemies, and the poor king is horrified by the idea.
How is Gulliver cared for on Brobdingnag?Gulliver was given a small house to live in, specially built for him. It was called a traveling box by the Brobdinagians. The people treated him well. The king, queen and others were very enthused to hear about Europe and England.
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How does the royal family in Brobdingnag treat Gulliver?
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