Throughout the seventeen hundred’s, the people of Ireland were undergoing an intellectual high. Many people flooded into libraries desiring to read sources to expand their knowledge. Pamphlets were a common source for absorbing knowledge. A Modest Proposal written by Jonathan Swift was one of the most well-known pamphlets. In it, Swift proposes a solution for the poverty and overpopulation problems in Ireland by using strong rhetorical strategies like imagery, symbolism, and irony to achieve a satirical tone and to make the English feel guilty for treating the Irish poorly.
Swift begins his proposal with several descriptions of the setting and lifestyle of the underclass to achieve a satirical tone. He goes on to say, “I think it is agreed
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In this sentence, he introduces his readers to the setting of Ireland. He does this to invoke self-pity in people’s hearts. Ireland at this time was very in famine, and with the overpopulation of children, parents struggled to provide for their families. When the English landowners (only ones who could afford the pamphlets) read this, they were shocked at the condition of Ireland. They drawn to read and learn more about the occurrences in the lower classes because they had never associated with them. Swift again uses imagery of his proposal about the eating of children which would lessen the overpopulation. He says, “I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a …show more content…
He says, “although I rather recommend buying the children alive, and dressing them hot from the knife as we do roasting pigs. He says that the Irish should be treated like animals. Because the animals represent the English, he is implying that the Irish should be treated like the English—fair and proper. At the same time, Swift views the English as animals with no value or lifelong meaning. He also discusses animals when he says, “I do therefore humbly offer it to public consideration that of the hundred and twenty thousand children already computed, twenty thousand may be reserved for breed, whereof only one fourth part to be males, which is more that we allow sheep, black cattle, and swine. This treatment of children is terrible. People who cannot afford to live extravagantly have a lower value than everyone else—the poor lower class has a lesser value compared to the
The issue that Swift is addressing is the fact that there are too many poor children in Dublin and that they are becoming such a huge burden for all the poor mothers or parents of the country. Swift then creates his own solution to the problem. He proposes that all poor children who are around one year of age, be cooked and eaten by the people of Dublin, preferably the poor. With this solution, he argues that it will eventually put an end to the overpopulation of the poor young children and it will satisfy the hunger for all the other people. Crazy right?
In the time frame that Swifts’ A Modest Proposal was written Ireland was going through political, economic, and religious struggles. In 1729 England had contrived, with the help of Irish venality, to wreck Ireland’s merchant marine, agriculture, and wool industry. Prostitutes in Swift’s paper are having kids like senseless people, but yet they can’t afford to feed them. Jonathan Swift proposes that his people should sell the babies and eat them. He thinks this would help solve the problem of over population. Swift tried to give his people pamphlets on how to fix the problem that was plaguing their country, but they ignored them. Swift says “These mothers, instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in strolling to beg sustenance for their helpless infants.”(1) Swift proposes that the mothers sell the babies for 8 shillings; the rich would find the child to be a delicacy and the extra money would go to the landlord. So everyone would benefit from this proposal. He does this as a way of making his people aware of what is going on in their
A significant span of life in 18th century Ireland has been marred by poverty and famine. Abysmal numbers of families, destitute of basic necessities, are struggling to provide for themselves- much less their fellow countrymen. What results is a cycle of misery that has snowballed to a desperate level. Like his contemporaries, the speaker- presumably the author- of “A Modest Proposal” has formulated a plan to reverse the suffering; uniquely, the speaker employs satire to outline the causes of the poverty, the effect on the people, and his thoughts on how to alleviate the situation.
Speaking for majority of Irish people, Swift comes up with a plan which is to get children out of the streets and away from their begging profession. Swift clearly states in his proposal, “I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy Child well Nursed is at a year Old, a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome Food, whether Stewed, Roasted, Baked, or Boyled, and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a Fricasie, or Ragoust”. Swift is making fun of the attitude of the British that think of the Irish as not useful in their world of riches. When reading this letter, it is easily mistaken when Swift puts you in the mindset of how Ireland is struggling with their poor and how they are a burden to other people with more money. He then goes to say that the children should be sold into a meat eating industry for the well off, which catches anyone off guard. It isn’t clearly stated that his intentions aren’t exactly true, but coming from the time period in which this letter was written it is easier to understand his attitude and
The satirical essay, A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift, is a very complex and well-developed piece of writing that was written in the 1700s. Swift based the setting of the satirical essay in Ireland to reflect the problems occurring at the time. Ireland, in the 1700s, was in a state of poverty and many people (kids in specific) were left out on the streets. Swift introduces the humorous idea to eat the poor children, so they don’t bring the whole economy down. Although humorous and satirical, Swift does provide reasoning for his idea and supports his idea with facts, which makes it to be a well-developed essay. Swift allows the reader to interpret his purpose of reforming the Irish government to help all social classes by including factual repetition, informing the government of the effects of lower class poverty, and persuading the government to hear his ideas.
“ A Modest Proposal: For Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland, from being a Burden on their Parents or Country, and For Making them beneficial to the public.” By Jonathan Swift was published in a pamphlet in 1729. The argument is about the problems of the Poor of Ireland and how Swift proposed an fix to help them and the economy. Swift uses satire to get his point across. His thesis is “it is exactly at one year old that I propose to provided for them in such a manner as instead of being a charge upon their parents or the parish, or wanting food and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall on the contrary contribute to the fedding and partly yo yhe clothing of mnay thousands.” (610)
In his essay “A Modest Proposal” Jonathan Swift makes the argument that eating the undernourished children of Ireland is just one way of helping to solve the economic crisis. Swift claims that children are useless and a burden to their families until the age of twelve, and says “they can very seldom pick up a livelihood by stealing, till they arrive at six years old” (584). He offers various arguments as to why turning infants into livestock is just one way of turning these burdens into something beneficial to the country. The suggestion to eat children is clearly anything but modest, but therein lies the beauty of Swift’s argument. His use of satire causes his readers to think more broadly about the issue Ireland is facing, as well as question
“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift is a dehumanizing and horrific satire. Through the narrator the author satirizes the cruel situation between the English protestants and Irish Catholics. Swift uses the narrator to channel his criticisms. He wants his readers to believe that he is actually offering a modest proposal that will solve Ireland’s problems of famine, poverty, as well as overpopulation. This is seen as ironic since his scheme is not modest at all nor it is seen as a rational solution to Ireland’s issues. The true freightment of the proposal becomes evident when the narrator outlines his plan for selling the children of the the poor to the rich, for the rich to eat them as a delicacy.
Some might say that A Modest Proposal By Jonathan Swift is the “most famous satirical essay in the English language” because of his astounding use of satire throughout the essay in an attempt to bring to light things that he saw needed change. His proposal may not be as ‘modest’ as the title portrays, as he suggests out-of-this-world solutions to the economic and moral problems that Ireland had in regards to the English rule. Swift uses many different techniques to get his message and opinion across to his audience, some being the use of satire, mainly that of verbal irony, his appeal to the people by discussing solutions to their problems, and religious prejudices.
Furthermore, he places a monetary value on each child from age twenty-four months until they reach the age of twelve. After this, Swift then states his proposal by starting out with,” I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London” (Swift). With this start, was Swift, possibly drawing attention away from him? He then goes on to state, “that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout” (Swift). Unfortunately, he is proposing that the children of Ireland would make a bountiful feast for the tables of the
He uses ridicule, irony, and exaggeration. Since Swift acts as if he believes that cannibalism is an acceptable way of dealing with poverty and the population, exaggeration is definitely used. Swift’s general solution to poverty is exaggerated when he talks of selling, butchering, and preparing the children. Swift establishes his solution in dealing with the children and begins listing the various ways one can eat a child. Swift writes, “... seasoned with a little pepper or salt, will be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in the winter” (Swift 568). This section of the essay seems as if it was about beef or poultry but then ties back into the starving children in Ireland. The author’s use of italics can also be viewed as an exaggeration because nearly every crazy and unethical idea that Swift states is italicized. Swift tries to set himself up as a monster by adding these details into the essay which draws awareness to the way people view the
Humor can come in many different forms. Many people are aware of the blatant humor of slapstick, but it takes a keener mind to notice the subtle detail in sarcasm or satire. In A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift was able to create a piece of literature addressing the faults of the Irish culture while embedding in a humorous essay. Swift’s satire allows for the gravity of the Irish standings to be exploited under the disguise of a proposal for economic benefit.
He favors the poor and hopes that they will find a way out of their seemingly hopeless destitution, which is why he writes this pamphlet. He is knowledgeable in economics and societal functions, which gives him credibility in addressing the Irish people. His main argument is that babies should be eaten in an effort to make use of the poor. He assumes that his audience will be intelligent enough to analyze the satire of his piece and be willing to understand the country’s predicament. Jonathan Swift is a well-known author and satirist who graduated from Oxford University in England.
Swift explains how selling a marketable child will be profitable and why the people of Dublin are willing butcher children to survive. He does this by saying, “I rather recommend buying the children alive, and dressing them hot from the knife, as we do roasting pigs” (585). Swift uses verbal irony in a powerful way to state that Irish people should not be treated like animals killed as food. Swift points out the famine and the terrible living conditions that are threatening the Irish population by stating that children are a good source of food just like real animals do.... ... middle of paper ...
He follows the standard dry argument essay format to lull his readers into thinking that his argument is nothing out of the ordinary. It is full of formal vocabulary that makes the reader glaze over what he is saying like they would any argument. He identifies the plight of the impoverished, and proposes they use the poor children for food. He says this will eliminate poverty, strengthen the economy, and relieve the stress of families. Swift acknowledges and dismisses alternatives, which results in the typical argument essay format. However, it is the juxtaposition of formal structure and “grisly” substance that creates the irony that forces the readers to look past the