Exploring Gramscian Concepts of Coercion and Hegemony in Gulliver’s Travels and the Metamorphosis

Power, whether colonial or capitalist, is an enduring force that transcends historical boundaries shaping societies and individuals alike. This study delves into the universal dynamics of power through a comparative lens, analyzing Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels and Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. By intertwining Gramsci’s theories of coercion and hegemony, Marx’s concept of commodification, and Althusser’s theory of interpellation, the research uncovers how visible and invisible systems of control operate across disparate contexts. Swift’s satirical critique of colonial absurdities contrasts sharply with Kafka’s haunting portrayal of capitalist alienation, yet both reveal a cyclical, fluid interplay of the oppressor and the oppressed. Bridging post-colonial and Marxist critiques, this work challenges conventional binaries of freedom and oppression offering profound insights into the mechanisms of power that continue to shape modern realities. By exposing the persistent undercurrents of control, this research calls for a deeper interrogation of the societal structures that define liberation.