Page 4 - Gullivers

Foreword
Deirdre Ellis-King Dublin City Librarian
Given the connection of Dean Jonathan Swift with Dublin - and his place
in the literary heritage of the city - it is particularly pleasing for me to present this collection of essays on his immortal classic, Gulliver’s Travels, specially commissioned by Dublin City Public Libraries.
First published nearly 300 years ago, in 1726, it remains one of the great satirical masterpieces of English literature. Written in the style of a contemporary travel book, Gulliver’s Travels has appeal for readers on many levels, savagely lampooning the politics, religious bigotry and social mores of Swist’s own time - and still, aster so many years, having much to say about the human condition. Swist’s work has also been enjoyed by generation upon generation of children as a wonderful story of adventure and fantasy, indeed there can hardly be a child who is not familiar with the image of the giant Gulliver dwarfing the little people of Lilliput.
Remarkably, it has never been out of print and is available in countless languages, reaching every part of the globe, including some of those regions purportedly visited by Captain Gulliver on his voyages.