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1、A Comparative Study of Gullivers Travels and Flowers in the MirrorAbstract: Gullivers travels, written by Jonathan Swift, the famous eighteenth century English satirical writer, and Flowers in the Mirror, written in late Qing Dynasty by the Chinese satirical writer, Li Ruzhen, are written completely
2、 according to the respective national cultural traditions. Yet inspite of the distance between them in both times and space, the two authors of different nationalities happen to hold the same views and resemble each other amazingly in their choices of the theme, the literary genre, the structure of
3、the fiction, and the artistic devices. In both Gullivers Travels and Flowers in the Mirror, many aspects of life are covered, including politics, culture, education, morality and ethics. The writers criticize every kind of malpractices and express their longing for an ideal society and a better futu
4、re. Of course, in the arrangement of detailed plots, there are some differences between the two fictions. For instance, there are some differences between the two authors viewpoints toward the problems existing in the overseas countries; the protagonists professions and their aims of sailing are als
5、o different. This paper tries to analyze the similarities and differences between the two works, so that the reader can know more about the two works and the differences between western and eastern culture. Key words: Gullivers Travels; Flowers in the Mirror; comparative studyIntroductionGullivers t
6、ravels is a novel written by the eighteenth century British writer Jonathan Swift, which recounts the story of an Englishman named Lemuel Gulliver. Through Gullivers adventures in Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Houyhnhnms, and other strange countries, Swift mirrors the social conflicts of England in the 18t
7、h century, exposes the corruption of the ruling class and their robbery and exploitation of others in their capital accumulation. Flowers in the mirror is the extinguished work of a Chinese scholar Li Ruzhen, who sketches a picture of a gergeous world by using his imaginary witty and satirical artis
8、tic style and writing technique, in late Qing dynasty.These two works are written in completely different times, yet they are both widely acknowledged as master pieces of satirical writings.The resemblance between Gullivers Travels and Flowers in the Mirror does not lie merely in the adventurous jou
9、rney and the abundant social criticism; there are other significant points of similarity. In theme, both works are marked by the same ambitious attempt to mirror the totality of their cultures and traditions. In form, both are mixtures of many traditional genres, yet both suffer from misclassificati
10、on. In style, both are multi-voiced and characterized by fantastic imagination and inventive plots, yet disparaged by upho1ders of serious and morally-dominated literary canons. In attitude, both authors are simultaneously of the reactionary and classicist temperaments, supporting a traditional valu
11、e system while undermining it by investigating its aberrations and imperfections.While, there are also some differences lying in the details of the two works. Swift is always an active participant in the political affairs. What he pays close attention to in Gullivers Travels is the important matters
12、 connected with politics, law and war. Lis discussion is concentrated more on ethical problems and less on the ruling system，more on concrete social phenomena and less on the essence of the ruling class. And the two works are written by different persons. In addition, we can see some cultural differ
13、ences in the works, which are helpful for readers to clearly understand and deeply study the books. This paper will analyze the two fictions from the following two parts. The first part states the similarities from three aspectsthe writing styles, the formation of the books, and the satire to the re
14、ality and prospect to the society. The last part points out the differences between the two books and two cultures. Part one Similarities of the Two NovelsGullivers Travels is not one of those books which the reader “admires and lays down, and forgets to take up again”（Swift）. It was a best seller w
15、hen it first came out in 1726, and people have been reading it for pleasure, not merely for profit, ever since. George Orwell read it first just before he was eight, re-read it at least half a dosen times during his short life, and found it “impossible to grow tired of.” “If I were to make a list,”
16、he wrote, “of six books which were to be preserved when all others were destroyed. I would certainly put Gullivers Travels among them”（Swift）.Flowers in the Mirror is a classical novel like A Dream of Red Mansions, which sings the praises of women; a novel like Pilgrimage to the West, which is not o
17、nly interesting but also mysterious; a novel like Water Margins, which has about a hundred related figures; a novel like Romance of Three Kingdoms, which has a broad magnificent scene. HuShi had said that Flowers in the Mirror will became one of the immortal works in the history of Womens Rights aro
18、und the world, and it must take a glorious position in the history of Chinese Womens Rights history (Yang 1). Although the two works were written in separate areas and in different years, they have some similarities in their form and content.1.1 Similar writing styleBoth the two works take the form
19、of overseas travels to describe the foreign countries which derived from the combination of the authors imagination and their observation of the real world they lived. Through Gullivers overseas travels, Gullivers Travels brings us to some fantastic and absurd foreign counties; likewise, Flowers in
20、the Mirror depicts us a varied, multi-colored universe through the characters like TangAos foreign experience. Both works satirize the social evils of their periods by a spicy and humorous writing sytle. The fantastic world appear in the works are based on the real world and the realistic contradict
21、ion prominently developed in the fairy world. In the works, contrast, irony and bitter satire can easily be found, and the rhetorics strengthen the ironical effect of the books. For example, Gulliver considers bomb as a powerful weapon to destroy enemies and maintain reigns, whereas the King of Brob
22、dingnag “was struck with horror” at Gullivers proposal, proclaiming that he “would rather lose half of his kingdom than be privy to such a secret”（Swift 129）. When we encounter Gulliver imputing this refusal to “a strange effect of narrow principles and short views”（Swift 129）, we reject this judgme
23、nt and know the author is on the same side with us, for he apparently depicts the King as righteous and wise, and Gullivers minute description of the bombs criminal power in depriving lives evokes natural disgust in human hearts. 1.2 Social background of the two novels The political situation of Bri
24、tain in the age that swift lived was changable. British monarchy system was established. The parliament and cabinet became the powerful tool for the ruling class to exploit and squeeze their people and the people in the colonies. Noble and big bourgeois implement the land tax and colonialism policy
25、to accelerate the process of capitalist primitive accumulation. This is an era with drastic changes in British history, so, there are various contradictions in Britain: contradiction between the masses and the ruling class, contradiction among each group of the ruling class, the contradiction betwee
26、n the Britain and its colonies, etc. Swift, who struggled for ideal and truth under the deteriorated condition in various contradictions, began his writing of Gullivers Travels, which was to reveal the darkness of social reality.Li Ruzhen lived in the age of Jiaqing and Daoguang in the Qing dynasty.
27、 It was just before the outbreak of the Opium War. The feudalist society of his time was like a dying old man, with its economic system being collapsing and its political system being corrupted. However, on the other hand, agriculture, manufacture and commercial trading were becoming prosperous. The
28、 capitalist which came into being in the mid-Ming dynasty and which had been destroyed after that was developing again. Under this circumstance, the new democratic idea emerged, which encouraged some progressive intellectuals to re-examine the old orders and old ideas. They wanted some fresh air, an
29、d they wanted some reform. It was a time when the old is dying and the new is being bred. As a fiction produced at this time, Flowers in the Mirror reflects some of the features of this age.1.3 Satire to the reality and prospect of the ideal societyBased on the descriptions of overseas countries, bo
30、th writers satire the social reality of their country, and create “utopias” to express their good wishes and dreams. Li said that although this work-Flowers in the Mirror , was written by travels and games, it hints the idea of persuading people to do good（Zheng 27）. Swfit exposed his intention in t
31、he letter from Captain Gulliver to his cousin Simpson ahead of the whole book, “I wrote for their Amendment and not their Approbation” （Swift ）. 1.3.1 Satire to the realityBoth writers reveal the social wrongs through their works. There is criticism to the pedantry in both Gullivers Travels and Flow
32、ers in the Mirror.The third voyage to Laputa, the flying island, is a scathing attack upon science in eighteenth century Britain and reveals Swifts thorough acquaints with the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, the leading publication of the scientific community of his day. The third v
33、oyage manifests Swifts contempt and disdain for abstract theory and ideology that is not of practical service to humans. Swift satirizes the tendency of separating the scientific research from practice. The scientists there are trying to extract sunbeams out of cucumbers, to change human excrement t
34、o their original food, to calcine ice into gunpowder. There was a most ingenious architect, who had contrived a new method for building houses, by beginning at the roof and working downward to the foundation. They cost much time on such absurd projects which do no good to people.The pedantry is also
35、 a target in Flowers in the Mirror. In Country of Scholars, all people dress like scholars, and even the waiters of a tavern speak in a pedantic and bookish way, much incompatible with their job. Moreover, people in this country care for sour food and drinks, live very austerely and keep their purse
36、 strings tight, perfectly matching the widespread description contributed to book worms in Chinese culture. There are examinations to human nature in the two novels. The most outstanding one in Gullivers Travels is Gullivers experience in Houyhnhnms. Swift presents a country in which horses are reas
37、onable animals who are in reign, while human beings are just reprehensible, disgusting, excremental beasts who work for the horses. The compare between Yahoos and horses shows the evil nature of humankind.This problem is also constantly discussed in Flowers in the Mirror. There are all kinds of peop
38、le twisted both bodily and spiritual in the book. Such as in the Country of Two-faced People: every one was wearing a turban at the back of his head, so we could not see both their faces at once. However, when his turban was lifted, we saw an ugly face with rats eyes, hooked nose and a furious exere
39、ssion on it（Li 135）. In the Country of Little People, the citizens were crotchety, mean, caustic and cunning. They call everything by their opposites. By creating these distorted peoples, the author reveals and satirizes the ugliness of human nature mercelessly. 1.3.2 The ideal society in the two no
40、velsThe ideal society in Flowers in the Mirror is best embodied in Lis description of the Country of Gentlemen and the Country of Giants. To the people in the two countries, others desires matter more than ones own selfish interest and they are all kind-hearted and good-natured. There are four big l
41、etters carved on the gate of the city, “Goodness Is the Treasure,” because the emperor of the country ordered that if someone who brides officials with precious jewellery and gems will be punished and the jewels will also be destoried. The prime minister is polite and amiable without any bad habbits
42、 of some officials. People have the give-and- take spirit and they are kind to each other. No matter where you come from and who you are, people here are respected. The farmers will give out a small part of their land to their neighbours when they plough and sow; the walkers will let the other peopl
43、e go first when they come across in the middle of the road; the sellers try hard to charge less on their goods of high quality; the buyers make every efforts for a high price of goods of low quality. By which, the novel neglects the feudal official circles which is full of arbitraries and corruption
44、, and satirizes the real society which is full of oppression and cruelty.And the description of the Country of Women shows another aspect of the authors ideal society. All women there wear and do as men, they control and manage the country, and their cleverness and abilities are as good as men in th
45、e Tang dynasty. All the words display the writers good wishes for women: women can have the same social status as men.In Gullivers travels, Swift constructs an ideal state in the remote country, including the composition of government, the inner course of community, the morality and activities of in
46、habitants, social culture and art，which establish Swifts utopia. The ideal country is a lawful one governed by enlightened King, the Aristocrat and the common people. Whereupon, there is a standard to comment on who will be most beneficial to the country. The superiority of the Brobdingnagians does
47、not derive from their size or innate nature but from decisions based on national values.The habitants of the Houyhnhnms, who are a superior race of intelligent horse, are the ideal creatures in Gullivers view. They even do not know what evils are. They have no money, which is a point in their favor,
48、 lack the desire for power and riches, and believe that virtue is its own reward. They are economic egalitarians who run the sort of conservative social order Swift admires. Since the Houyhnhnms have no letters, their knowledge is wholly traditional. Due to no diseases, they have no need of physicia
49、ns. Of astronomy they know only enough to enable them to calculate the year by the sun and the moon. Their verses abound very much in both of these, and usually contain either some exalted notions of friendship and benevolence or the praises of those who were victors in races and other bodily exercises. In the presence of death they maintain their habitual composure, facing it themselves with perfect resignation and accepting the loss o