The Conflict Between Gulliver and the Brobdingnagian Environment

The physical dangers Gulliver faces from the giant animals, weather, and inhabitants of Brobdingnag.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Giant Rats Attack

The Battle in the Bedroom The Rats' Appearance While Gulliver sleeps in the farmer's bed, two rats, as large as mastiffs, creep up the curtains and attack him. They are more nimble and fierce than ordinary rats. One of them holds his forefeet at Gulliver's collar. The Fight Gulliver draws his hanger and kills one rat with a strong slash across the neck. The other escapes with a wound. He measures the tail of the dead rat, which is two yards long lacking an inch. He is terrified but survives. The Aftermath Gulliver is left exhausted and bleeding. He reflects on the danger he is in from such creatures. This incident is one of the first signs that Brobdingnag is a hostile environment for a man of his size.

The Hailstorm

The Violent Weather The Sudden Storm While walking on a grass-plot, a violent shower of hail strikes Gulliver. The hail stones are as large as tennis balls and knock him to the ground. He is bruised all over and forced to creep on all fours to shelter under a border of lemon-thyme. The Injuries Gulliver is so bruised that he cannot go abroad for ten days. He later measures the hailstones and finds them near eighteen hundred times as large as European ones. The weather itself is a physical threat. The Proportionality of Nature This event illustrates the theme of proportion. Everything in Brobdingnag is scaled up, and the natural elements are equally dangerous. Gulliver is constantly at the mercy of the environment.

The Dog Incident

The Canine Abduction The Dog's Discovery A small white spaniel, belonging to the chief gardener, finds Gulliver while he is alone. The dog takes him in his mouth and carries him to his master. Fortunately, the dog is well-trained and does not hurt him. The Gardener's Fright The gardener is terrified when he sees Gulliver in the dog's mouth. He gently takes him up and asks if he is hurt. Gulliver is amazed and out of breath but unharmed. Glumdalclitch is angry but the incident is hushed up. The Consequence Glumdalclitch resolves never to leave Gulliver alone again. This incident, though not dangerous, reinforces the constant threat of being treated as an object by animals.

The Kite Attack

The Bird of Prey The Stoop While Gulliver is walking alone, a kite hovers over the garden and makes a stoop at him. He quickly draws his hanger and runs under a thick espalier. The kite would have carried him away if he had not taken cover. The Close Call This is a narrow escape. Gulliver does not tell Glumdalclitch about it, fearing she would restrict him further. The kite is just one of the many birds that see him as prey. The Symbolism The kite represents the constant threat from the natural world. In Brobdingnag, even the birds are dangerous. Gulliver's survival depends on his quick thinking and his small size, which allows him to hide.

The Monkey Incident

The Ape's Grasp The Capture A monkey, belonging to the kitchen clerk, enters Gulliver's room through the window. It grabs him by the lappet of his coat and carries him to the roof. The monkey holds him like a baby, and Gulliver is too squeezed to resist. The Rescue Glumdalclitch screams, and the whole court is in an uproar. Ladders are placed, and the monkey, surrounded, drops Gulliver on a ridge tile. A footman climbs up, puts him in his breeches pocket, and brings him down safely. The Aftermath Gulliver is weak and bruised, forced to bed for a fortnight. The monkey is killed. The king teases him about the adventure, and Gulliver's pride is wounded. This incident is the most dangerous encounter with an animal.

The Eagle's Abduction

The Final Flight The Eagle's Snatch While Gulliver is asleep in his traveling box on the shore, an eagle seizes the ring on top and flies away. The box is dropped into the sea after a struggle with other eagles. Gulliver is nearly killed by the fall. The Floating Prison Gulliver is trapped in the box, floating on the sea. He expects to drown or be dashed against rocks. He is rescued by an English ship, but the experience is terrifying. He is at the mercy of forces beyond his control. The Escape from the Environment This incident ends his stay in Brobdingnag. The natural environment, which has been a constant threat, finally removes him from the country. The eagle's action is both a danger and a deliverance.

early 1703, at the farmer's house

during the early stay at court, 1703

during the early stay at court

during the early stay at court

during the court stay, 1704-1705

June 1706, near the coast