Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels

by Harold Bloom

-- Presents the most important 20th-century criticism on major works from The Odyssey through modern literature -- The critical essays reflect a variety of schools of criticism -- Contains critical biographies, notes on the contributing critics, a chronology of the author's life, and an index.

213 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Harold Bloom was an American literary critic and the Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale University. In 2017, Bloom was called "probably the most famous literary critic in the English-speaking world." After publishing his first book in 1959, Bloom wrote more than 50 books, including over 40 books of literary criticism, several books discussing religion, and one novel. He edited hundreds of anthologies concerning numerous literary and philosophical figures for the Chelsea House publishing firm. Bloom's books have been translated into more than 40 languages. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1995.
Bloom was a defender of the traditional Western canon at a time when literature departments were focusing on what he derided as the "school of resentment" (multiculturalists, feminists, Marxists, and others). He was educated at Yale University, the University of Cambridge, and Cornell University.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking for some literary analysis & criticism of Gulliver's Travels, this book didn't really meet those expectations but as some supplementary material it was helpful.

There was a short biographical sketch of Swift, then Bloom's very short blurbs about each of the chapters of Gulliver's Travels. The most interesting part of the book were the collection of essays by various authors and literary critics from Swift's time through contemporary times.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read two versions, the 1996 one and the 1986 one. Skimmed them both. Skimmed the 1986 one more. I love Harold Bloom though, I love his guides.