Gulliver's Travels (Part 1) Trivia Quiz

Answer: Lemuel

Lemuel was raised at Nottinghamshire, the third of five sons. The book 'Gulliver's Travels', by Jonathan Swift, is broken down into four sections of Lemuel Gulliver's travel memoirs. The memoirs are given the title 'Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World'.

Answer: Surgeon

Lemuel Gulliver was trained in the arts of medicine under the keen eye of Dr. James Bates in London. After four years of study under Bates, Gulliver went on to study the art of navigation and some mathematics, at least those parts of the discipline that pertain to sea travel. Gulliver serves as ship's surgeon aboard several ships, including those on which he travels to some of the odd lands he discovers. Later, he becomes a ship's captain.

Answer: Antelope

The Antelope was not the first ship upon which Gulliver sailed, this would be the Swallow. The Antelope is important, however, as this is the ship upon which he sails towards his first adventure in Lilliput.

Answer: Indian

Lilliput is located southwest of Sumatra and well west of Van Diemen's Land (later to be called Tasmania). Hence we can conclude that he is somewhere within the south part of the Indian Ocean.

Answer: Hurgo

At this point Gulliver obviously cannot understand the Lilliputian tongue, but he is able to make out several oft repeated words. Gulliver also ascertains that the man called the 'Hurgo' must be chief, and motions to him that he is hungry and thirsty. The king orders a great amount of food (for that's what it takes to feed such a large creature!) and liquor for Gulliver's consumption.

Answer: False

The king, being the ingenious man that he is, orders the creation of a massive cart (at least massive on a Lilliputian scale) upon which Gulliver could be transported. It requires the strength of fifteen hundred Lilliputian horses to move Gulliver's body the half mile that is required to reach the capital city!

Answer: Seven feet high

Naturally, proportions are confusing here, as it must be made clear that everything upon Lilliput is smaller than usual, even the plant life and inanimate objects. Hence, the tallest trees, redwoods perhaps, are only just slightly taller than Gulliver himself!

Answer: He spares the lives of several prisoners delivered into his hands

While Gulliver is being guarded, several impudent Lilliputians fire arrows at him, one narrowly missing his eye. The miscreants are delivered into Gulliver's hands, and he initially makes a gesture as if he means to consume them, but then he cuts their bonds and lets them go. His mercy suggests to the Lilliputians that Gulliver is a civilized giant.

Answer: Great Man Mountain

Gulliver becomes adept at speaking the language of Lilliput, as he is a natural with languages, already having the ability to speak several European varieties (including Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and German).

Answer: A watch

They conclude that Gulliver's watch must be a god because 'he seldom did any thing without consulting it', 'he called it his oracle', and he 'said it pointed out the time for every action in his life.' The watch is described thusly: 'a globe, half silver, and half of some transparent metal: for on the transparent side we saw certain strange figures circularly drawn, and thought we could touch them, till we found our fingers stopped by that lucid substance.

He put this engine to our ears, which made an incessant noise like that of a water-mill'. All of his other personal items are described with similar, amusing detail.

Answer: He must help produce the food and liquid that he will use for personal consumption

Not surprisingly, the Lilliputians hope to use Gulliver in their war against their hated enemy. This and a few other physical tasks are all that is required of Gulliver, aside from his being circumspect while stomping around the land.

Answer: Mildendo

Gulliver finds the city to be exactly square, bounded by a wall of which each side is about 500 foot long. The emperor's palace exists in the center of the city. The palace is bounded by 40 foot walls that are two feet high. Gulliver is able to see inside the royal palace, but doesn't make a description of his observances, saving that for a great work he plans in the future, fully explaining the history, people and other such topics regarding Lilliput.

Answer: Blefuscu

Blefuscu is just to the northeast of Lilliput. The unresolved war between the two empires has lasted for years and years. The absurd reason behind the war will be covered in the next question...

Answer: Disagreement on how to break open an egg

The disputants on Lilliput over this controversy, which involves whether to break an egg at the big or little end, are characterized by the length of heels they wear on their shoes. Blefuscu interceded in the dispute a number of years in the past, mostly by egging on the heretical 'big-enders'.

Answer: His eyes

Gulliver protects his eyes by way of his spectacles, which he has hidden in a secret pocket in his trousers. The enemy's spears and arrows merely bounce off these glasses, making him essentially invulnerable. Thank you for trying this quiz. If you enjoyed it, why not try the others that follow?