When Gulliver visits Glubbdubdrib, the island of sorcerers, he is granted the ability to summon the ghosts of historical figures, allowing him to converse directly with them. Through these conversations, he uncovers a sharp contrast between recorded history and the truth:
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He learns that many noble families are not genuinely noble, but descended from usurers, fiddlers, pages, and pickpockets.
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Historical events often arose from petty, corrupt, or cowardly motives, rather than the grand or heroic reasons claimed in books.
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Many famous figures, including Alexander the Great, died in ordinary ways (e.g., fever and excessive drinking) rather than in the dramatic manner reported.
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Gulliver becomes deeply disillusioned with history books, realizing that they serve as propaganda and flattery, written by “prostitute writers” to please the powerful.
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The overarching lesson he takes away is a profound skepticism toward accepted historical narratives.
