Throughout Gulliver’s Travels Swift Swift develops allusions to European society through the argument between the Tramecksan and the Slamecksan. The two parties  are distinguished by the size of their heels (42). Gulliver claims that “the animosities between these two parties run so high, that they will neither eat nor drink, nor talk with each other,” as a result of their disagreements (42). Swift develops this conflict with humor, through the small differences between the parties and the impact it has on the people of Lilliput. The conflict between the Tramecksan and Slamecksan suggests that Swift is satirizing the disagreements between the Tories and the Whigs in the early eighteenth century. Parallel to the two parties in book I of Gulliver’s Travels, the Tories and the Whigs were two political parties that debated over different ideologies. While the Whigs believed in Constitutional monarchy, the Tories supported absolute monarchy and the succession of Charles II. Moreover, Swift satirizes this conflict through the disagreement in Lilliput, where the Slamecksan  believe the “Imperial Highness, the Heir of the Crown, to have some Tendency towards the High-Heels” thus, creating an allusion to the debate over the Heir of England between the Tories and Whigs (42). As a result, Swift suggests that this debate has been taken beyond a political conflict into a social rivalry where each member of society is identified with one of the two parties. Similar to the height of the heels that distinguish the two parities in Gulliver’s Voyage to Lilliput, the people of England distinguished themselves with one of the parties. By satirizing this conflict, Swift critiques the strife that one disagreement can have over a nation and its inhabitants.

Biblical ideas are dominant themes in Thomas Traherne’s poem “The Preparative” where,  the speaker approaches the end of his existence on earth as he prepares his spirit to depart the material world into eternity with God. The body is becomes symbolic as a temple for the spirit as the speaker’s sight shifts from looking outwards to reflecting inward. The theology of the holy spirit as part of the biblical trinity which includes; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit together as one is introduced in relation to the speakers spirit. The speaker alludes to the Holy spirit as he becomes aware that his body has been inflamed by the the Holy spirit as “divine impressions when they came/ Did quickly enter, and [his] soul inflame” (l. 55-56). This transition from the pursuit of the body to his dedication to the spirit reveals that the speaker believes his body is a temples of the holy spirit; “Did you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, who you have received from God; your body is not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19). Therefore, the speaker has concluded that his body is a house for the Holy Spirit that must be protected. To further this idea the speaker uses sexual imagery of the spirit entering his body reveals his intimate relationship with the divine; it becomes a union between the spirit and body that is more desirable than his previous pursuits of the body.

Katherine Phillips, a metaphysical poet from the seventeenth century expresses the significance of female friendships in her poem, “To My Excellent Lucasia, on Our Friendship.” The poem explores Phillips platonic love for Lucasia through the use of spiritual and physical imagery. Phillips platonic love of Lucasia is depicted through imagery of the human body as she explains that she was but a “carcass breathed, and walked, and slept,” before she found their friendship(l.5). The imagery of the human body accompanied by an overwhelming amount of soul love creates a contrast between platonic and erotic love. Although Phillips is expressing her friendship with Lucasia, she describes it as supporting her physical body. As a result of their friendship, Lucasia “now inspires, cures, and supplies,/ and guides [her] darkened breast”(l.13-14). Through this imagery the two friends seem to become one in spirit and body while Phillips declares that she does not belong to Lucasia, but she is her (l.4). This idea is furthered as Phillips claims that together they become “immortal as our soul”(l.24). Therefore, Phillips uses physical imagery to express that their souls have become one thus, together they guide each others physical bodies throughout their earthly lives.

Although Beowulf and Grendel are both strangers to the Spear-Danes their contrasting roles are aided by imagery in Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf. Upon first encountering Grendel, he is described as a “grim demon/ haunting the marches..after nightfall” in pursuit to kill the Kings men (l.102-103, 115). Heaney continues to call Grendel part of “Cain’s Clan” thus, creating a biblical allusion to the book of Genesis where Cain kills his brother Abel (l.106). Therefore, by using the above imagery Grendel is indirectly given animal characteristics along with an evil persona. As a result the Danes are fearful towards Grendel and perceive him as being a stranger that must be destroyed in order to maintain peace in Heorot. Contrary to Grendel, Beowulf is stranger that is welcomed by the Danes after describing his mission to kill Grendel to King Hrothgar. Beowulf is described as a “mightier-man” who is “truly noble” and describes his purpose with ease (l.248,250). This description of Beowulf gives him a “God-Like” image as he is stronger and larger than other men and willingly aids other nations despite the dangers that may follow. These two opposing images of strangers in Beowulf give the characters different roles in the epic. While Grendel is perceived as animal and killer in the night, Beowulf is a hero who surpasses the average man with his nobility and strength. Therefore, both Heaney and the writers of Beowulf use the contrasting strangers to further acknowledge how imagery and appearance can enhance once perception of characters and contribute to symbolism in literature.

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