Gulliver’sTravelsrecountsthestoryofLemuelGulliver,apractical-mindedEnglishmantrainedasasurgeonwhotakestotheseaswhenhisbusinessfails.Inadeadpanfirst-personnarrativethatrarelyshowsanysignsofself-reflectionordeepemotionalresponse,Gullivernarratestheadventuresthatbefallhimonthesetravels.

　　Gulliver’sadventureinLilliputbeginswhenhewakesafterhisshipwrecktofindhimselfboundbyinnumerabletinythreadsandaddressedbytinycaptorswhoareinaweofhimbutfiercelyprotectiveoftheirkingdom.TheyarenotafraidtouseviolenceagainstGulliver,thoughtheirarrowsarelittlemorethanpinpricks.Butoverall,theyarehospitable,riskingfamineintheirlandbyfeedingGulliver,whoconsumesmorefoodthanathousandLilliputianscombinedcould.GulliveristakenintothecapitalcitybyavastwagontheLilliputianshavespeciallybuilt.Heispresentedtotheemperor,whoisentertainedbyGulliver,justasGulliverisflatteredbytheattentionofroyalty.EventuallyGulliverbecomesanationalresource,usedbythearmyinitswaragainstthepeopleofBlefuscu,whomtheLilliputianshatefordoctrinaldifferencesconcerningtheproperwaytocrackeggs.ButthingschangewhenGulliverisconvictedoftreasonforputtingoutafireintheroyalpalacewithhisurineandiscondemnedtobeshotintheeyesandstarvedtodeath.GulliverescapestoBlefuscu,whereheisabletorepairaboathefindsandsetsailforEngland.