Summary
Gulliver's escape from Brobdingnag comes through pure chance when an eagle mistakes his traveling box for prey and drops him into the ocean. After floating helplessly for hours, he's rescued by an English ship whose captain initially thinks he's mad when Gulliver talks about furniture made from giant's hair and tries to give away a tooth the size of his fist. The captain's disbelief mirrors how we often struggle to communicate experiences that others haven't shared. Once back in England, Gulliver faces a different challenge: reverse culture shock. He stoops to enter his own house, tries to pick up his wife with one hand, and sees everyone as tiny 'pigmies.' His family thinks he's lost his mind. This chapter brilliantly captures how transformative experiences change us so fundamentally that we can't simply slip back into our old lives. Gulliver's physical adjustments mirror the emotional and psychological recalibration we all face after major life changes - whether returning from military service, leaving an abusive relationship, or recovering from illness. Swift shows us that growth often means temporary disconnection from our former selves and communities. The chapter also explores how we process and share extraordinary experiences, and why others might doubt or dismiss what we've learned. Gulliver's struggle to readjust reminds us that personal transformation, while valuable, can be isolating and requires patience from both ourselves and those who love us.
Coming Up in Chapter 17
Just as Gulliver settles back into domestic life, his restless spirit and 'evil destiny' pull him toward another voyage. This time, his ship will encounter flying islands and inhabitants obsessed with mathematics and music, leading to discoveries about the dangers of pure intellectual pursuit divorced from practical wisdom.
Share it with friends
An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
The king and queen make a progress to the frontiers. The author attends them. The manner in which he leaves the country very particularly related. He returns to England. I had always a strong impulse that I should some time recover my liberty, though it was impossible to conjecture by what means, or to form any project with the least hope of succeeding. The ship in which I sailed, was the first ever known to be driven within sight of that coast, and the king had given strict orders, that if at any time another appeared, it should be taken ashore, and with all its crew and passengers brought in a tumbril to Lorbrulgrud. He was strongly bent to get me a woman of my own size, by whom I might propagate the breed: but I think I should rather have died than undergone the disgrace of leaving a posterity to be kept in cages, like tame canary-birds, and perhaps, in time, sold about the kingdom, to persons of quality, for curiosities. I was indeed treated with much kindness: I was the favourite of a great king and queen, and the delight of the whole court; but it was upon such a foot as ill became the dignity of humankind. I could never forget those domestic pledges I had left behind me. I wanted to be among people, with whom I could converse upon even terms, and walk about the streets and fields without being afraid of being trod to death like a frog or a young puppy. But my deliverance came sooner than I expected, and in a manner not very common; the whole story and circumstances of which I shall faithfully relate. I had now been two years in this country; and about the beginning of the third, Glumdalclitch and I attended the king and queen, in a progress to the south coast of the kingdom. I was carried, as usual, in my travelling-box, which as I have already described, was a very convenient closet, of twelve feet wide. And I had ordered a hammock to be fixed, by silken ropes from the four corners at the top, to break the jolts, when a servant carried me before him on horseback, as I sometimes desired; and would often sleep in my hammock, while we were upon the road. On the roof of my closet, not directly over the middle of the hammock, I ordered the joiner to cut out a hole of a foot square, to give me air in hot weather, as I slept; which hole I shut at pleasure with a board that drew backward and forward through a groove. When we came to our journey’s end, the king thought proper to pass a few days at a palace he has near Flanflasnic, a city within eighteen English miles of the seaside. Glumdalclitch and I were much fatigued: I had gotten a small cold, but the poor girl was so ill as to be confined to...
Master this chapter. Complete your experience
Purchase the complete book to access all chapters and support classic literature
As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats
Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Reentry Problem - When Growth Creates Distance
Transformative experiences change us so fundamentally that returning to our previous life and relationships becomes a disorienting challenge requiring patience and recalibration.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to identify when personal transformation creates temporary disconnection from your community.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when someone seems changed after a major experience—listen for their new perspective instead of expecting them to be who they were before.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Progress
In the 18th century, this meant a formal royal journey through the kingdom, where the monarch would travel to different regions to show themselves to the people and conduct official business. It was part ceremony, part politics, and part public relations.
Modern Usage:
We see this today when politicians do campaign tours or when CEOs visit different company locations to boost morale and show they care about all their workers.
Tumbril
A two-wheeled cart used to transport prisoners or condemned people, often to execution. In this context, it shows how the king views any outsiders as potential threats to be captured and brought in like criminals.
Modern Usage:
Today we might say someone was 'dragged in' or 'hauled before the boss' when they're brought somewhere against their will to face authority.
Propagate the breed
The king wants Gulliver to reproduce and create more tiny people for entertainment. This treats Gulliver like a prized animal rather than a human being with his own desires and dignity.
Modern Usage:
We see this dehumanizing attitude when people are valued only for what they can produce - like expecting someone to have kids just to carry on the family name, or treating employees like replaceable parts.
Domestic pledges
Gulliver's way of referring to his family back home - his wife and children who represent his obligations and emotional ties. The formal language shows how he's trying to maintain dignity while feeling helpless.
Modern Usage:
Today we'd say 'my family' or 'the people depending on me' - those relationships that anchor us and give our lives meaning beyond ourselves.
Even terms
Gulliver wants to interact with people as equals, not as a curiosity or entertainment. He's tired of being the small, powerless one in every conversation and relationship.
Modern Usage:
This is like wanting to be treated as a peer at work instead of always being the junior person, or wanting friends who see you as an equal, not someone to pity or manage.
Dignity of humankind
Gulliver recognizes that being treated as a pet or curiosity, no matter how kindly, strips away his basic human worth. Even comfortable captivity is still captivity when it denies your fundamental humanity.
Modern Usage:
We invoke this concept when we talk about jobs that pay well but treat workers badly, or relationships where someone takes care of you but doesn't respect you as a person.
Characters in This Chapter
Gulliver
Protagonist struggling with captivity
He's trapped in a golden cage - treated well but not free, valued but not respected. His longing for home and equality drives the entire chapter, showing how being different can be isolating even when you're celebrated.
Modern Equivalent:
The token employee who gets special treatment but no real power or respect
The King of Brobdingnag
Well-meaning but controlling authority figure
He genuinely cares for Gulliver's welfare but sees him as property to be protected and bred rather than as a person with his own desires. His kindness comes with complete control over Gulliver's life.
Modern Equivalent:
The overprotective parent who won't let their adult child make their own choices
The Queen of Brobdingnag
Benevolent but possessive caretaker
She delights in Gulliver as entertainment and treats him with affection, but this affection is similar to how someone might love a talented pet. Her care comes with ownership.
Modern Equivalent:
The boss who loves having you around but won't promote you because they can't imagine the office without you
Key Quotes & Analysis
"I think I should rather have died than undergone the disgrace of leaving a posterity to be kept in cages, like tame canary-birds"
Context: When the king suggests finding him a tiny wife to breed more little people
This shows Gulliver's horror at the idea of his children being treated as entertainment rather than human beings. He'd rather die childless than condemn future generations to captivity, no matter how comfortable.
In Today's Words:
I'd rather die than have kids who'd be treated like circus animals their whole lives.
"I was indeed treated with much kindness: I was the favourite of a great king and queen, and the delight of the whole court; but it was upon such a foot as ill became the dignity of humankind"
Context: Reflecting on his position in the giant's court
Gulliver recognizes that being someone's favorite pet is fundamentally different from being respected as a person. Kindness without equality isn't enough - it actually makes the situation more painful because it highlights what's missing.
In Today's Words:
Sure, they loved me and treated me well, but they treated me like a cute mascot, not like a real person, and that's no way to live.
"I wanted to be among people, with whom I could converse upon even terms, and walk about the streets and fields without being afraid"
Context: Explaining his deep longing to return home
This captures the exhaustion of always being the outsider, always being different, always being vulnerable. Gulliver craves the simple freedom of belonging somewhere and being normal-sized for his environment.
In Today's Words:
I just wanted to be around people who saw me as their equal, where I could go anywhere without worrying about being hurt or stared at.
Thematic Threads
Identity
In This Chapter
Gulliver's physical and mental struggle to readjust to his original size and social position after living among giants
Development
Evolved from earlier chapters where Gulliver adapted to being small; now explores the reverse challenge of readjustment
In Your Life:
You might experience this when returning to work after medical leave or moving back to your hometown after college.
Personal Growth
In This Chapter
Gulliver's expanded perspective makes him unable to see his old world the same way, creating isolation from family and community
Development
Builds on themes of adaptation and learning, now showing growth's sometimes painful consequences
In Your Life:
You might find that personal development creates distance from friends or family who haven't shared similar experiences.
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
Gulliver's family expects him to return unchanged, while he struggles with behaviors and perspectives that no longer fit his old life
Development
Continues exploration of how society demands conformity and struggles with individual change
In Your Life:
You might face pressure to 'go back to normal' after a major life change when you've fundamentally shifted.
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
The communication breakdown between Gulliver and those who haven't shared his extraordinary experiences
Development
Deepens earlier themes about connection and understanding across different perspectives
In Your Life:
You might struggle to maintain relationships with people who can't understand or validate your transformative experiences.
Class
In This Chapter
Gulliver's difficulty readjusting to his social position after experiencing life from a completely different scale of power and vulnerability
Development
Continues examination of social hierarchy, now focusing on the disorientation of shifting between different class experiences
In Your Life:
You might feel this tension when moving between different socioeconomic environments or after changing your economic status.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why does the ship captain initially think Gulliver is mad, and what does this tell us about how we judge other people's experiences?
analysis • surface - 2
What causes Gulliver's physical struggles when he returns home - stooping for doorways, seeing everyone as tiny?
analysis • medium - 3
Where do you see this 'reentry problem' in real life - people struggling to readjust after major experiences?
application • medium - 4
How would you help someone close to you who's having trouble readjusting after a life-changing experience?
application • deep - 5
What does Gulliver's struggle teach us about the real cost of personal growth and transformation?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Own Reentry Experience
Think of a time when you returned to familiar surroundings after a significant experience - maybe after a trip, starting a new job, going through a major life change, or even just reading a book that changed your perspective. Write down three specific things that felt different about your old environment and three ways people around you seemed to have stayed the same while you had changed.
Consider:
- •Notice how your changed perspective made familiar things feel strange
- •Consider whether others understood or dismissed your new viewpoint
- •Think about how long it took you to feel 'normal' again, if you ever did
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you tried to explain a transformative experience to someone who hadn't been through it. How did you bridge that communication gap, or what would you do differently now?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 17: Captured by Pirates and Rescued by Sky
The coming pages reveal prejudice can make enemies of natural allies, and teach us survival often requires accepting help from unexpected sources. These discoveries help us navigate similar situations in our own lives.