英语-从中国的“文人精神”视角解析《格列佛游记》

ContentsIntroduction 1JonathanSwiftandGulliver’sTravels 1Literaturereview 2Literatispirit 4Researchobjectives 52.ReflectionofDistortedSocialReality 52.1Pursuitofextravagance 62.2Unjustlawsystem 72.3Depravityofhumanity 83.CritiqueofAbnormalRationalThinking 93.1Expansiverationalism 93.2Alienationofreason 114.AllegoryofMalformedPoliticalSystem 134.1Partisanbickering 134.2Feudaldespotism 144.3Corruptpoliticalbloc 165.Conclusion 17Bibliography 19iAnAnalysisofGulliver’sTravelsfromthePerspectiveoftheChineseLiteratiSpiritAbstract:ThisthesisattemptstointerpretandanalysisthenovelGulliver'sTravelsbyusingChineseLiteraryCriticismTheory.Combiningthe"LiteratiSpirit",thethesiswillexplorethecomplexemotionalexpressionoftheJonathanSwiftfromthreeaspects:reflectionofdistortedsocialreality,critiqueofabnormalrationalthinking,andallegoryofmalformedpoliticalsystem.Throughthesestudies,itisexpectedtoachievethecombinationofChineseLiteraryCriticismTheoryandWesternnovelresearch,fillthegapintheinterpretationofthenovelfromtheperspectiveofChineseliterature,andachievecross-culturalcommunicationandinternationalculturalintegration.Keywords:distortedreality;abnormalrational;politicalallegory从中国的“文人精神”视角解析《格列佛游记》摘要：《格列佛游记》是英国作家乔纳森·斯威夫特创作的长篇讽刺体小说。本论文尝试用中国文学批评理论对这部小说进行解读和研究。文章将结合中国的“文人精神”从小说中反映的扭曲社会现实、对非正常理性的批判和对畸形政治的讽喻三个方面来探究斯威夫特对普通群众生活的关怀、对理性的质疑和对政治体制及统治阶级的忧虑。以期通过研究，实现中国文学批评理论与西方小说研究的巧妙结合。关键词：扭曲的现实；非正常理性；政治讽喻1.IntroductionSincethepublicationofJonathanSwift’sGulliver'sTravels,manyscholarsathomeandabroadhavestudiedit,butfewscholarshaveusedChineseLiteraryCriticismTheoriestoexamineandinterpretthisclassicBritishliterarywork.ThisthesiswillmainlystudyJonathanSwift’scomplexemotionalexpressioninGulliver'sTravelsfromtheperspectiveofLiteratiSpirit.1.1JonathanSwiftandGulliver’sTravelsJonathanSwiftwasafamoussatiricalnovelistandpoliticalcommentatorinEngland.Gorkycalledhim"thegreatliterarycreatoroftheworld.".HewasthefounderoftheRadicalDemocracyintheEnlightenment.Inthedarksocialbackgroundofthe18thcentury,hewrotemanysatiricalnovels,themostfamousofwhichisGulliver'sTravels.AccordingtothedifferentexperiencesofGulliverduringhisfourvoyagestothesea,thenovelGulliver'sTravelscanbedividedintofourparts:ThefirstpartmainlydescribesGulliver'sencounterinLilliput.ThroughGulliver'sexperienceinLilliput,theauthorsatirizedthefutilityofthepartisanbickeringinBritainandexposedtheuglyessenceofBritain'sforeigncolonialrule.ThesecondpartismainlyaboutGulliver'sjourneytoBrobdingnag,wherehehadanin-depthconversationwiththekingandministersofthecountry.TheauthorusedthecontentoftheirconversationtoindicatehissuspicionanddenialofvariousBritishsystemsandmeasuresatthattime.ThethirdpartdescribeswhatGulliverheardandsawatLaputa.Throughhisimaginativeandexaggeratedwritingtechniques,theauthorattackedpeoplefromallwalksoflifeinBritainwhoweredivorcedfromrealityandindulgedinfantasyatthattime.ThefourthpartdescribestheencounterofGulliverintheHouyhnhnms,inwhichtheauthorexposedtheuglypersonalityofhumanbeingslikeYahoosandtheoppressionofIrelandbyBritain.Tosumup,theplotsettingofGulliver'sTravelshasadistinctpoliticaltendency.Itscriticaledgeissharp,anditisanoutstandingTravelogueSatiricalNovel.Fromitsliterarystatus,“thegenreofAllegoricalNovelsofGulliver'sTravelshadasignificantimpactonsubsequentEuropeannovels”(WuHoukai,1999,p.15).1.2LiteraturereviewThestudyofGulliver'sTravelsinforeigncountriesbeganearlierthaninChina,whichcanbemainlydividedintothefollowingthreeaspects:thestudyofwritingtechniques,thestudyofpoliticalandeconomicsystems,andthestudyofsocialvalues.Theresearchonwritingtechniquesmainlyfocusedonsatire,exaggeration,metaphor,allusion,andcomparativetechniques.Themostsignificantfocusedonthestudyofsatiricaltechniques.Thesestudiesfocusedontheironiclanguage,characters,plots,andthemesinthenoveltoachievethepurposeofinterpretingthesocialrealitybehindirony.Theycanbedividedmainlyintothreecategories:Thefirstcategoryisthestudyofsatiricaltechniquesusedtodescriberationalandscientificthemes(Monk,1985);Thesecondcategoryisthestudyofsatiricaltechniquesusedtodepictfictionalimages(Anixter,1959);Thethirdcategoryisthestudyofspecificsatiricalplotsinnovels(Fitzgerald,1994).ScholarswhohavedonethesestudiesbelievedthattherealizationoftheliteraryvalueofGulliver'sTravelsisinseparablefromtheauthor'sskillfuluseofsatire.Theresearchonpoliticalsystemsmainlyfocusedonthepoliticalpoliciesofvariouscountriesandthepoliticaleventsimpliedinnovels.ScholarsmainlystudiedtheBritishpoliticalsystemreflectedinthebookandtheauthor'sattitudesandviewsonthepoliticalsituationatthattime(Downie,1997&Fink,1996).Theresearchoneconomicsystemmainlyfocusedontheeconomicsystemorspecificeconomicmeansdescribedinthenovel.ThesestudieswereusedtoaccuseBritainofunfairruleovertheIrishcolonies(Spratt,2012).Theresearchonsocialvaluescoveredawiderange.Somestudiesfocusedonthedocumentarynatureofnovels.TheycombinedJonathanSwift’sownlifetoconductresearch,andbelievedthatthisnovelisJonathanSwift’srealisticrecordsofvariouscharactersandeventsatthattime(Ehrenpreis,1987).Somestudiesintegratedscienceandliteraryimaginationtoachievetheeffectofreflectingonthenaturalphilosophyandanticipatingfuturescientificcreation.Inaddition,somescholarshaveinterpretedtheaesthetictechniquesinGulliver'sTravels(Fitzgerald,2005).DomesticresearchonGulliver'sTravelsisalsorich.Domesticresearchmainlyincludedthematicresearch,artisticcharacteristicsresearch,comparativeresearch,andsoon.Thematicresearchmainlyfocusedonthreeaspects:Rational,Science,andPoliticalAllegory.TheresearchonthethemeofRationalmainlyincludedtheresearchontherelationshipbetweenrational(DengHongyi,2008)andcivilizationandtheresearchonExpansiveRationalism(ZhangRun,ShiLiying,2009);ThestudyofScientificthemesrevolvedaroundthedespoticrulersandscientistsofLaputainthenovel(SunShaoxian,2002);ThestudyofPoliticalAllegorywasmainlyreflectedintheimplicitanalysisofpoliticalrealityinthenovel,includingpartydisputes,colonialpolitics,feudalautocracy,andotheraspects(ZhouZhentao,2009&CaoBo,2008).Thestudyofartisticcharacteristicsmainlyfocusedontheartofsatire.Domesticscholars'researchinthisfieldwasmainlyreflectedintwoaspects:speechrhetoricandplotthemes.Onefocusedonthestudyoftheartofsatiricallanguageinnovels,carefullyinterpretedsatiricaltechniquessuchasexaggeration,contrast,andironyinnovels(MengLili,LiuJinling,2012);Theotherfocusedonthesatiricalplotofthenovel,pointedouthowthenovelachievedtheeffectofexposingandcriticizingrealitythroughplotsatire(ShaShaoyu,1988).OtherworksinvolvedinthecomparativestudyincludeFlowersintheMirror,UtopiaandATaleofCatCity,mainlyfocusedonthecomparisonwithFlowersintheMirror.Thesecomparativestudiesfocusedonthesimilaritiesanddifferencesintheuseofsatiricaltechniquesbetweenworks.Thosestudiesalsoincludedcomparativeanalysisofthewritingbackground,plot,andthemeofthework(LiuLili,2013).Therewerealsosomespecificcomparisonsofthethemesoflaw,education,andrightsinthetwoworks,exploredtheidealsocietyreflectedintheworks(ZhouXiaogang,2002).Insummary,theresearchonGulliver'sTravelshadawiderangeathomeandabroad.However,fewscholarshaveusedChineseLiteraryCriticismTheoriestostudythisnovel.Onlybyapplyingthistheorytoresearchcanitbepossibletodiscoverthecommonalitiesof"writingforexpressingemotions"amongliteratiandtodiscoverthesimilaritiesinliteratispiritindifferentculturalbackgrounds.Therefore,thisarticleattemptstouseChineseLiteraryCriticismTheorytostudythecomplexemotionalexpressionofJonathanSwiftfromthreeaspects:reflectionofdistortedsocialreality,critiqueofabnormalrationalthinking,andallegoryofmalformedpoliticalsystem.1.3Literatispirit"LiteratiSpirit"isoneofthetheoriesofChineseLiteraryCriticism,andisoftenregardedasoneofthesourcesofChineseLiteraryCriticism.Theliteratiwereoftenseenasamanifestationofloyaltyandpatriotism,aswellasanembodimentofnobleandindependentsentiments.Inthelonghistory,therehavebeenconstantcontradictionsbetweenliteratiandreality.Intheirrespectiveturbulentanddarksociety,theirambitionswereoftensuppressedandtheirtalentwereburied.Asaresult,theyhadaccumulatedresentmentintheirheartandneededtoexpressit.Inordertoachievetheresultofsatirizingreality,theliteratiwrotetoexpresstheiremotions,andtheirwordsdirectlyattackedpoliticalinterestsandexposedhistory.Throughthem,wecanseethenoblespiritofChineseliterati“nottocompromisewiththedarkrealityandnottoassociatewithslanderers”(ZhangShaokang,2011,p.40).Theyputtheiremotionsintowritingandcreatedworksuniquetoaparticularera.Suchworksalwaysreflectedtheoppositionbetweentheauthorandtherulingclass,andusuallyreflectedtheblueprintoftheidealworldwithintheauthor.Theyoftenusedwordstodemonstratetheirgreatcriticalandfightingspirit,aswellastheircouragetoactivelyriseinadversity.Thiswayofexpressingemotionsinwords“hasopenedachannelforlaterfrustratedliteratitoattackevil,expresstheirworriesandanger,andhighlighttheirpersonalityandlifeconsciousness”(ZhouXinglu,2018,p.87).TheLiteratiSpirithasconstantlyenrichedandevolvedwiththechangesofthetimes,butinliterati,wecanseetheircommonspiritualmanifestations,whichareseveralspiritualtraitsthatalwaysappearinthem.(1)Caringaboutsocialreality:Theyhaveaconsciousnessofbeingworriedbeforethepeopleoftheworldareworried,andbeinghappyonlyafterthepeopleoftheworldarehappy.Theliteratipayattentiontosocialreality,prioritizetheinterestsofthecountryandthenation,worryaboutthefutureanddestinyofthecountry,andconstantlystriveforthehappinessofthepeople.(2)Holdingaquestioningspirit:Theyhavethecouragetodialecticallyviewandquestiontheauthorityoftheworld.Theycanalwaysbreakfreefromtheshacklesofthetimes,discoverthedrawbacksofanerafromauniqueperspective,andstronglycriticizeit.(3)Worryingaboutpolitics:Theliteratialwaysworryaboutthepeoplewhentheyareofficials,andworryaboutwhetherthemonarchissagaciouswhentheyarefarfromthecenterofpoliticalpower.Nomatterwhatenvironmentandclasstheyarein,theyalwayspayattentiontonationalpolitics,pointoutpoliticaldrawbacks,andlookforwardtotheemergenceofacleananduprightpoliticsthatthepeoplesupportandyearnfor.1.4ResearchobjectivesBasedonthetheoryofChineseLiteraryCriticism,thisthesiswillexplorethecomplexemotionalexpressionoftheJonathanSwiftinGulliver'sTravelsfromthreeaspects:reflectionofdistortedsocialreality,critiqueofabnormalrationalthinking,andallegoryofmalformedpoliticalsystem.Combiningthe“LiteratiSpirit”,throughthein-depthanalysisofthenovelfromtheabovethreeaspects,thegapininterpretingthisworkfromtheperspectiveofChineseliteraturecanbefilled.Therefore,thefollowingobjectivesareexpectedtobeachievedthroughthisresearchproject:(1)Tostudythedistortedsocialrealityreflectedinthenovel,representedbyhumannature,law,andmaterialpursuit,andtoexploreJonathanSwift’sconcernforthefateofthepeople;(2)ToexplorethealienationofreasoninthecontextoftheEnlightenmentandthereasonsforitsoccurrence,inordertointerpretJonathanSwift’squestioningofthesupremacyofreason;(3)Toexplorethesatireofdistortedpoliticsinthenovelrepresentedbypartybickering,monarchy,andpoliticalbloc,andinterpretJonathanSwift’sconcernsandexpectationsabouttheBritishpoliticalsystem.2.ReflectionofDistortedSocialRealityGulliver'sTravelsisfamousforitsexaggeratednarrativetechniquesandsharpsatire.Sinceitspublication,manyscholarshaveanalyzedandcombedthesocialrealityreflectedinitandtheemotionsexpressedbyJonathanSwift.However,mostscholarsfocusedontherealeventscorrespondingtotheplotofthenovel.FewscholarsanalyzedwhyJonathanSwiftgeneratedtheseemotionsandhowtoexpresshisemotionsthroughtheplot.Thischapterwillfocusonthe"literatispirit"embodiedinJonathanSwift,andstudythedistortedsocialrealityreflectedinthenovel.2.1PursuitofextravaganceTheplotsetinGulliver'sTravelsisamicrocosmofthepursuitofextravagancebytheuppertolowerclassesofBritishsociety.Britaininthe18thcenturywasdeeplyinfluencedbytheEnlightenmentanditsideologicaltrends.Againstthisbackground,Britishsocietyshouldhavedevelopedtowardstheidealdirectionoffreedom,equality,andbeauty.However,withthecontinuedimprovementofscientificlevelsandthecontinuedimprovementofmateriallivingstandards,peopleweregraduallybeginningtobedissatisfiedwithwhattheyhad.“Thegreedypersonalityofhumansisconstantlyenhancedwiththeadvanceoftechnologyandtheflexibilityoftools.(LinLin,2014,p.46)”.JonathanSwiftpinnedhisthoughtsonhispen,focusedhisdescriptiononthecurrentreality,andextensivelydepictedthesecularlifeandthefateofsocialfiguresatthattime,whichindicatedhisconcernandcriticismtowardsthelivesofthepeopleatthattime.Forexample,intheplot,whendescribingGulliver'stravelsinLilliput,theauthorusedaseriesofexaggeratedfigurestovividlydepictthesceneoftheKingofLilliputentertainingGulliverfordinner.ThesettingofthisplotandthelistingofthesespecificfiguresarethemanifestationofJonathanSwift’scriticismoftheexcessiveandwastefullifeoftheBritishrulingclassatthattime.AnotherexampleisJonathanSwift’sdepictionofLilliput'sambitiontoannexothercountriesanditscontinuousforeignwars,whichisalsoaimedatsatirizedtheinhumanpracticesoftheBritishcolonistsinseizingandoccupyingresourcesofothercountriestosatisfytheirownmaterialdesires;Intermsofcharacterimages,theembodimentofgreedinthenovelwastheYahoothatGulliversawintheHouyhnhnms.Theysawwealthasfate,collectedandlootedtreasures,andquarreledendlesslyaboutthese.Sometimes,theyevenprovokedwarbecauseofthese.TheoppositeimageofYahoosistheirruler,theHouyhnhnms.Houyhnhnmsdonothaveaparticularpreferenceforwhatbelongstothem.Theyarenotobsessedwiththeirpersonalpossessions.Rawson(2008)said,inHouyhnhnms’view,Yahoo'sloveofgoldandsilverisonlyan"unnaturalappetite".Ironically,Yahoosresembledhumansinappearanceandeveninlifehabits.Whiletheirruler,theHouyhnhnms,wasahorse-likecreature.Therefore,itisnotdifficulttoseethatYahoo,tosomeextent,exhibitstheworstaspectsofhumannature.Throughtheaboveanalysis,wecanseethatJonathanSwiftstronglycriticizedandcondemnedhumaninsatiabilityinanabsurdbutdirectway.FacedwiththeextremepursuitofmaterialisminBritishsocietyatthattime,JonathanSwiftfeltresentmentandboredom,soheneededtoventandresolveit.Heconsciouslywrote.Withthehelpofthenovel,heutteredavoiceofdissatisfactionandresistance.ThisisthesameasthewayinwhichliteratibehaveinamannerthatOutcryAgainstInjustice.Asmoreandmorepeoplemovedfrompursuingmaterialpossessionstoignoringspiritualpursuitsandfocusingsolelyonmaterialenjoyment,JonathanSwifthopedtoawakenthemthroughwriting.2.2UnjustlawsystemJonathanSwift’sviewsonsocialissuesarealsoreflectedinhiscriticismoftheunfairlegalsystem.InLilliput,Gulliverreceivedalotofrespectandaffectioninhisearlyyears,butwhenherefusedtohelpLilliputdestroyBlefuscu,allthesuspicionsfromthecourtiersmadehimdirectlyaguiltyperson."Intheirownconsciences,fullyconvincedofyourguilt,whichwasasufficientargumenttocondemnyoutodeath,withouttheformalproofsrequiredbythestrictletterofthelaw.(JonathanSwift,2008,p.65)".LilliputhasalwaysbeenconsideredtheepitomeofBritishsociety.Contrarytothewishesoftheruler,sanctionscanbeimposedonindividualswithouttheneedforlaw.JonathanSwiftexpressedaprotesttoagainstthefutilityofBritishlawatthetime.ThesecondpartofthenoveldescribedaveryspecificconversationbetweenGulliverandtheKingofBrobdingnag.GulliverintroducedhisproudBritishlegalsystemandpolicies,butwashitbytherealityofBrobdingnag.AlthoughtherewereonlyafewlawsinBrobdingnag,theywereallwritteninsimpleandclearlanguage.Wu(1999)thoughtthatunderthisconstraint,themilitaryhadgooddiscipline,andtherelationshipbetweenthenobles,thepeople,andthemonarchhadbeencoordinated.Inaddition,intherealitythatlawyerswerenotprofessionalenough,JonathanSwiftusedGulliver'swordstoexpresshisexpectationsforthelegalsystem–thatdefenselawyersbecomehonest,humble,andhavelearnedabitofcommonsense.Thelawisexpectedtoservethepublicandprotecttruedemocracy.However,inthedistortedBritishsocietyatthattime,thelawsweremiscellaneousandimperfect.Thelawonlyprotectedtheinterestsoftherulingclass,andeventheprofessionalismoflawyerscannotbeguaranteed.Thatwasfarfromtheidealdemocracy.Duetothisreality,JonathanSwift,whoinsistedontheenlightenmentthought,feltangryanddissatisfied.Itbecameinevitablethathewrotetosatirizetheunfairlegalsystem.ThecriticismoftheunjustlegalsystemwasalsoareflectionofSwift'sconcernforeverylevelcloselyrelatedtothepeopleatthattime,whichisalsoareflectionofhisliteratispirit.2.3DepravityofhumanityOneoftherootcausesofsocialdistortionanddarknessisthedepravityofhumanity.JonathanSwift’sliteratispiritofcaringforhiscountryandpeopleenabledhimtogaininsightintothesocialillsinwhichhelived.Hispenpointforsafeguardingthepeoplenotonlycriticizedtheuglyhumannatureoftherulingclass,butalsocriticizedtheuglyhabitsofthepeople.Hedidnotplacethepeopleinthepositionofabsolutevictims.Seeingthegradualdegradationofhumannatureinsocietymaybeoneofthemosthelplessreasonsforhiswritingforexpressingemotions.InLilliput,Gulliversawthearroganceandnarrow-mindednessoftheking,aswellastheunscrupulousandinsidiouscunningoftheministers.ThedescriptionoftheLilliputrulingclassfullyreflectedJonathanSwift’scontemptfortheuglyhumannatureoftheBritishrulingclassatthattime.TurningtotheHouyhnhnms,wherethereadercanmostdirectlyperceivethedepravedhumanitywasthesavageexistenceofYahoo.Theywerethecombinationofcruelty,belligerence,greed,licentiousness,andhypocrisy.PerhapsitistoosharptocomparehumanbeingstoYahoos,butthisarrangementisalsoamanifestationoftheliteratispiritinJonathanSwift.Heresentedthedeclineoftheworldandreflectedontheevilhabitsofhumanity.InKathleenWilliams’(1968)opinion,althoughGulliverwaspainstakinglytaughtbytheHouyhnhnms,Gulliverdidnotachievethetruedevelopmentofrationalintheend.Onthecontrary,GulliverfocusedonhisYahoonatureanddevelopedasenseofhopelessnessthatwasdifficulttoescapefrom.“TheYahoowasjustametaphoricalreflectionofhumansanditsevilcharacteristicswereexaggerationsofthebadanddecadentnatureofhumans.(Mishra,Bakshi,2021,p.1659)”.ThemeticulousportrayalofYahoointhenovelisalsoawarningtothepublicthatiftheydegenerateintoYahoo,theywilleventuallybenodifferentfrombeasts.Inaddition,JonathanSwiftalsousedthedepictionofBrobdingnagtodepictacountrycomposedofsimpleandpeacefulpeople.Thekingofthiscountrywaswiseandjust,andthepeoplelivedandworkedinpeaceandcontentment.ThehumannatureembodiedbythepeopleoftheentirecountryseemedtobetheidealstateproposedbyJonathanSwiftafterconsideringthedegenerationofhumannature.ButafterdeeplyunderstandingwhatGulliversawandfelt,wecanfindthatthepeopleofthiscountrylackautonomyandcreativity.Theliteratiwereusuallyabletobreakfreefromtheconstraintsofthetimesandcomprehensivelythinkaboutthewayoutofsociety.Swift,whileimagininghisidealsociety,alsoraisedhisowndoubtsabouttheviewsoftheretromovementinEnglandatthattime.3.CritiqueofAbnormalRationalThinkingRationalismwasoneofthemostimportantthemesofthe18thcenturyEnlightenment,butwiththecontinuousimprovementofscienceandtechnology,rationalgraduallyalienated.People'spursuitofrationalhadgraduallybecomeextreme.Rationalbeguntodominateeverything,andpeoplegraduallybecamevassalsofscienceandtools.3.1ExpansiveRationalismDuringtheEnlightenment,rationalwasoriginallyaimedatbreakingdownfeudalautocracyandreligioussuperstition.Atthebeginning,peoplewereeagertousethepowerofrationaltopromotetheconstructionofanewsocietyoffreedom,equality,anddemocracy.However,withthecontinuousexpansionoftheworshipofrational,ithasgraduallybecometheyardstickformeasuringandjudgingeverything.People'spursuitofrationalgraduallydegeneratedintoaone-sidedworshipoftechnologyandtools.Rationalwasoriginallyameansofliberatingthemind,butithasgraduallydegeneratedintoatoolforpeopletosatisfytheirpersonaldesires.Thisrationalisticthinkingmodeinevitablyleadstotheemergenceofexpansiverationalism.IntheplotofrationalalienationofGulliver'sTravels,JonathanSwiftgenerallyusedgrotesqueandexaggeratedtechniquestoachievethepurposeofsatireandcriticism.Themostobviousmanifestationofexpansiverationalismisthethirdpartofthenovel.ThethirdpartintroducedLaputa,whichwasacountrycontrolledbyrationaltools.Gulliverfoundthatthelivesoftheordinaryresidentstherewereconductedinscientificallycalculatedways.Scientistsinthiscountrywereconstantlyengagedinabsurdandmeaninglessscientificexperimentseveryday,suchasstudyinghowtoreducefecesintofood,howtobuildhousesfromthetoptothebottom,andhowtoextractsunlightfromcucumbers.Nomatterhowbizarre,alltheexperimentsdescribedbyJonathanSwiftinthissectioncanfound“theprototypesinthePhilosophicalTransactionoftheRoyalSociety.”(Nicolson,Mohler,1937,p.301).Theseabsurdscientificexperimentshadreflectedhumanity'sunprincipledworshipofrational.Inthisway,JonathanSwiftskillfullycriticizedscientistswhoonlyconsidertheresultsoftheirresearchwithoutconsideringwhethertheirresearchisbeneficialtohumans.Theliteraticanalwayscriticallyvieweveryobjecttheycareabout.“SomescholarshavepointedoutthatJonathanSwift’sknowledgeofmathematicsandnaturalsciencesisquitegood.Heisquiteaccomplishedinthisfield.(Kiernan,1971,p.711)”.Therefore,althoughJonathanSwiftsharplycriticizedthedrawbacksofabnormalrationaltohumannatureandsocietyinhisnovels,hedidnotdenythebenefitsofrationaltohumansociety.Forexample,heusedGulliver'swordstopraiseLilliput'smachinery,aswellasBrobdingnag'sastronomyandmathematics.Heaffirmedthepositiveimpactofthesescientificandtechnologicalknowledgeontheprosperityanddevelopmentofthecountry.WhatwecanseeiswhenJonathanSwiftexpressedhisattitudetowardsrational,italwaysincludedbothpositiveandnegativeaspects.Healsoinsistedonusingacombinationofrealityandfantasytodesigntheplot.ThisplotconceptionmethodissimilarastheFictionFabricatedTheoryinChineseLiteraryCriticism.TheFictionFabricatedTheoryholdsthatiftheplotsettingofanovelisnotillusoryenough,itcannotachievetheeffectofdeeplyshockingandprofoundreflection.Inthecriticismofabnormalrational,JonathanSwiftusedthisbizarreandmysteriouswaytoexpresshisresentmentwhenseeingrationaldeviatefromitsnormaltrack.Livinginanerawhererationalpromotesprogress,JonathanSwiftexaminedthepossibledevelopmentofrationalinthefuturewithaforward-lookinganduniqueperspective.Thisalsoreflectshisliteratispiritofplanningandworryingaheadofthepeople.3.2Alienationofreason“Gulliver'sTravelswasbornintheearly18thcentury,duringwhichEuropewasinthe‘AgeofReason’.(ZhangRun,2009,p.84)”.TherationalwasalsoknownasEnlightenmentRationalism,whichwasregardedastheauthority.Undertheinfluenceofrationalthinking,peopleadvocatedscience,hadthecouragetoquestion,innovatedboldly,andpaidattentiontoexertingpeople'ssubjectiveinitiative.Peoplepursuedtechnologyandreliedonscienceasatool.However,withtheoppositionbetweenempiricismandrationalismandthecontinuousspreadofrationalism,peoplehavebeguntocontinuouslyaccepttheideathatonlyrationalcanleadhumanitytofindawayforward.Sincethen,therationalinpeople'sheartsgraduallydeviatedfromthenormaltrackandbegantoalienate.Theemergenceofideassuchasexpansiverationalismandabsoluterationalismthatpursuedrationaloverallexternalthingsbroughtmanydrawbackstothesocietyatthattime.Relyingontheprogressofscienceandtechnology,peoplenotonlyliberatedtheirhandswithmachines,butalsoobtainedmorematerialwealth.Thegreedofhumannatureconcealedbyrationalhasgraduallyemerged.Asmentionedinthepreviouschapter,peoplebegantopursueluxuryandextremematerialism,andthuslosttheirway.Theera,whichJonathanSwiftlived,wasaneradrivenbyrational,aswellasanerapoisonedbyabnormalrational.JonathanSw