Unsuitable for Children

Ian Hislop and guests including Sir Michael Palin, celebrate Jonathan Swift's greatest literary triumph, Gulliver's Travels. When it was published in 1726 Swift was nervous that the satire might get both he and his publisher in very serious trouble. In the event all was well, but in this first episode of Ian Hislop's new series celebrating the 300th anniversary of the book, he explores how a brilliantly sharp and funny parody of Traveller's tales full of biting and very direct social and political satire has been diluted over the centuries to the status of 'Children's story.'

He talks to veteran TV traveller Sir Michael Palin about Swift's success in creating satirical comedy out of the 18th century fashion for traveller's tales and why the earnestness and detail of the book is a key to its comedy and enduring success. He also talks to Illustrator Peter Suart and Professor Moyra Hazlitt about the early illustrations of the book which resulted in the growing popularity of book one, the voyage to Lilliput. The image of Gulliver tied down by the Lilluputians is the most common Gulliver image, and contributed to the growing reputation of the book as ideal for children, if it appeared without the other voyages. While Swift would have been horrified that his work has become a Children's classic, there is an irony in the fact that he himself contributed to the success of those early Lilliputian illustrations.

Producer: Tom Alban