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Posing as "Dr. Lemuel Gulliver", Swift purported to report his travels to a series of strange cultures. This mimicked a style of travel reporting that was common at the time, including the outright invention of outlandish and "savage" cultures deliberately designed to give Englishmen a critical point of view of their own society and habits. Daniel Defoe's travel fantasy Robinson Crusoe, it is useful to recall, had been published only a few years previously, to universal acclaim.
"Travels into Several Remote nations of the World by 'English sea-captain Lemuel Gulliver'", or Gulliver's Travels is sometimes perceived as a story for children. It is generally thought to be concerned with Lemuel Gulliver's adventures in Lilliput and Blefuscu, where the protagonist is surrounded by people 6 inches tall ( 15 cm). This, however, is a supreme irony since this overlooks the fact that this is one of the most incisive satires on morals and behaviour ever written. It still stands as one of the great and timeless satires of all time, and one of the best primers ever written on political science, such as it exists. It anticipated many current debates in law (versus precedent), philosophy of mathematics, the seeking of human immortality, personhood and animal rights.
The society and the political system in Lilliput represents that of the British Empire of the 18th century. As in England, there are two parties: The "High-Heels", representing the Tories, and the "Low-Heels", i.e. the Whigs.
Lilliput has been at war with its neighbouring island Blefuscu for two generations. As Blefuscu represents France, Swift shows the current international relations between the two countries at that time. The reason for the war between Lilliput and Blefusu is a difference of opinion about whether the right way to crack an egg is from the big or the small end.
The war between Lilliput and Blefuscu stands for the war between the Anglican church and the Catholics in England, that started with Henry VIII and led to executions end exiles. The egg represents Christianity or christian belief (as a symbol of EasterEaster is generally accounted the most important holiday of the Christian year, observed March or April each year to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (after his death by crucifixion; see Good Friday), which Christians believe happened at, the highest catholic holiday). The "Big-Endians" are a depiction of the Catholics, the "Small-Endians" represent the Anglicans. By ridiculing the cause of the dispute Swift shows that there can be several different ways of interpretations to the Bible. However this account can also apply as a general metaphor (not only as a specific allegory), serving to satirise how great conflicts rise from trivial things (see also The Rape of the Lock).
Although Gulliver is a giant to the small Lilliputians, he does not try to free himself or destroy the people. After being treated well, he feels obligated to protect the country, settling the war with Blefuscu by capturing their fleet. Some think that Swift was idealizing the role of Britain and its sea power in the world as it was then, in the 18th century, not very long after the beginnings of the British Empire.
When the Emperor of Lilliput wants to make Blefuscu a Lilliputian province, however, Gulliver refuses to destroy the Blefuscians. This act, combined with the fact that he extinguishes a fire in the Royal Palace by urinating on it, prompts the Emperor of Lilliput to attempt to have Gulliver punished by blinding and starving him. When Gulliver learns about this, he flees to Blefuscu, where he finds a boat and returns to England.
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