[a swallow building a nest] · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: [a swallow building a nest]
Subject: Swallows in literature; Houyhnhnms (Fictitious Characters); fictional works; Fictitious characters; imaginary places; imaginary creatures; satire
Period: 1800-1850;
Description: Here we see a swallow building a nest. It appears when the Council of the Houyhnhnms discussed the possibility of exterminating the yahoos. Gulliver’s master defended Gulliver, arguing that Gulliver, like other Europeans were very civilized and explained their accomplishments, including building – much like the swallow - and industry - like the ant. Gulliver’s master that there was nothing wrong with learning from them. This passage is a reflection of European ideas about North Americans, who believed that the North Americans were a form of lesser being because of their racists and colonial ideologies. The same image appears in the 1839 Krabbe edition.
Image Creator: Grandville (Illustrator)
Type: StillImage; Vignettes
Identifier: mta:21855
Language: ger
Source Name: Gulliver's Reisen in unbekannte Länder
Parent Collection: Gulliver's Reisen in unbekannte Länder Vol. II. Vignettes by Grandville (1843); Gulliver's Reisen in unbekannte Länder Vol. II. Vignettes by Grandville (1843)
Image: mta_21855_OBJ.png
Collection: Gulliver's Travels
Subject: Swallows in literature; Houyhnhnms (Fictitious Characters); fictional works; Fictitious characters; imaginary places; imaginary creatures; satire