Lemuel Gulliver 🔒 Members

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Age and build

Educated at Cambridge at fourteen, later apprenticed and studied medicine

“He sent me to Emanuel College in Cambridge at fourteen years old, where I resided three years” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Of prodigious size relative to Lilliputians, requiring food for 1724 of them

“a daily allowance of meat and drink sufficient for the support of 1724 of our subjects” (Gullivers Travels, part 2)

Face and hair

Hair long and thick enough to be bound down by Lilliputians

“my hair, which was long and thick, tied down in the same manner” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Eyes weak enough to require spectacles

“a pair of spectacles (which I sometimes use for the weakness of my eyes” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Dress

Wears a buff jerkin that resists Lilliputian spears

“by good luck I had on a buff jerkin, which they could not pierce” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Wears breeches in poor condition during military display

“my breeches were at that time in so ill a condition, that they afforded some opportunities for laughter and admiration” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Wears a leathern jerkin when wading into the sea

“walked into the sea, in my leathern jerkin, about half an hour before high water” (Gullivers Travels, part 2)

Wears a coat with multiple pockets containing various items

“In the right coat-pocket of the great man-mountain” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Voice and speech

Speaks multiple languages but initially cannot communicate with Lilliputians

“I spoke to them in as many languages as I had the least smattering of, which were High and Low Dutch, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and Lingua Franca, but all to no purpose” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Learns Lilliputian language quickly through instruction

“in about three weeks I made a great progress in learning their language” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Speaks in a loud voice audible to the emperor

“His voice was shrill, but very clear and articulate; and I could distinctly hear it when I stood up” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Signature words

Repeatedly petitions for liberty

“the first words I learnt, were to express my desire “that he would please give me my liberty” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Uses 'I confess' to acknowledge observations and admissions

“I confess I was often tempted, while they were passing backwards and forwards on my body, to seize forty or fifty” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Refers to himself as bound by laws of hospitality

“I now considered myself as bound by the laws of hospitality, to a people who had treated me with so much expense and magnificence” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Gait and mannerisms

Walks with great care to avoid treading on inhabitants

“I walked with the utmost circumspection, to avoid treading on any stragglers who might remain in the streets” (Gullivers Travels, part 2)

Lies down to allow Lilliputians to dance on his hand

“I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Demonstrates clemency by releasing bound prisoners unharmed

“looking mildly, and immediately cutting the strings he was bound with, I set him gently on the ground” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Strengths

Skilled surgeon and medical practitioner

“I was bound apprentice to Mr. James Bates, an eminent surgeon in London, with whom I continued four years” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Excellent navigator and mathematician

“I laid them out in learning navigation, and other parts of the mathematics, useful to those who intend to travel” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Demonstrates strategic military thinking in capturing enemy fleet

“I communicated to his majesty a project I had formed of seizing the enemy’s whole fleet” (Gullivers Travels, part 2)

Quick thinking and resourcefulness in emergencies

“by a presence of mind unusual to me, I had not suddenly thought of an expedient” (Gullivers Travels, part 2)

Flaws

Initially tempted to harm Lilliputians despite their kindness

“I confess I was often tempted, while they were passing backwards and forwards on my body, to seize forty or fifty of the first that came in my reach, and dash them against the ground” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Lacks judgment in publishing his travels against better counsel

“I do, in the next place, complain of my own great want of judgment, in being prevailed upon by the entreaties and false reasoning of you and some others, very much against my own opinion, to suffer my travels to be published” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Naive about court politics and ministerial intrigue

“And this was the first time I began to conceive some imperfect idea of courts and ministers” (Gullivers Travels, part 2)

Admits to corruptions of his Yahoo nature when among humans

“since my last return, some corruptions of my Yahoo nature have revived in me by conversing with a few of your species” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Traits

Known for veracity and truthfulness among neighbours

“the author was so distinguished for his veracity, that it became a sort of proverb among his neighbours at Redriff, when any one affirmed a thing, to say, it was as true as if Mr. Gulliver had spoken it” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Conscientious and unwilling to adopt unethical practices

“my conscience would not suffer me to imitate the bad practice of too many among my brethren” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Observant of customs and manners of foreign peoples

“when I was ashore, in observing the manners and dispositions of the people, as well as learning their language” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Mild and gentle in disposition, gaining favour through good behaviour

“My gentleness and good behaviour had gained so far on the emperor and his court” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Principled in refusing to enslave free peoples

“I plainly protested, “that I would never be an instrument of bringing a free and brave people into slavery” (Gullivers Travels, part 2)

Lines in their own words

Expressing submission upon capture

“I answered in a few words, but in the most submissive manner, lifting up my left hand, and both my eyes to the sun, as calling him for a witness” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)

Declaring readiness to defend the emperor

“I was ready, with the hazard of my life, to defend his person and state against all invaders” (Gullivers Travels, part 2)

Crying out upon successful capture of enemy fleet

“Long live the most puissant king of Lilliput” (Gullivers Travels, part 2)

Expressing concern about legal consequences of his actions

“although I had done a very eminent piece of service, yet I could not tell how his majesty might resent the manner by which I had performed it” (Gullivers Travels, part 2)

Reflecting on his moral failings

“I wrote for their amendment, and not their approbation” (Gullivers Travels, part 1)