Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift and The History of Rasselas, Prince of
Abissinia by Samuel Johnson, seek to capture the nature of the ideal world as well as the
essence of human nature. Both works are satirical in temper, and take a rather grim look
at the human condition exists, as well as the attributes that compose it. Neither author is
praising human nature, rather both novels conclude similarly that the perfect world is
simply unattainable and completely out of the grasp of human reach.
Swift and Johnson both present their own idea of what the ideal world is. Yet
despite several similarities, the novels on a whole greatly differ. Swift presents the
society of the Houyhnhnms, a super intelligent race of horses, as that of achieved
perfection. In fact, the word Houyhnhnm means “perfection of nature,” showing that
these creatures are the apex of evolution in the mind of Swift. The Houyhnhnms are
governed by pure reason and are free from the temporal vices that mar the face of
mankind. The reason that they subscribe to “strikes you with immediate conviction; as it
must needs do when it is not mingled, obscured, or discoloured by passion or interest.”
Another type of creature that inhabits the land of the Houyhnhnms’ are the Yahoos, a
degenerate race representing humans. The filth and malevolence of this race reveals the
horrific nature that Swift believes is human character.
Johnson’s perfect world is that of the valley of Abissinia. The happy valley is
picturesque landscape and surrounded by mountains on all sides. In the valley, life is
perfect. All the needs of its inhabitants are accounted for, and all the their vices satisfied.
The two worlds are similar in their unique perfection but they are quiet different. This is
because each world is designed to fit what each author feels embodies utopia.
The authors feel that it is impossible for humans to achie...