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Jonathan Swift a modest proposal analysis
Irony and Sarcasm in a modest proposal
Jonathan Swift a modest proposal analysis
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A modest proposal by Dr. Jonathan Swift demonstrates acts of satirical devices which help develop and better his piece. Swift uses sarcasm throughout his piece, which keeps you hanging on and makes you want to keep reading to see why he does this. Swift also uses invective, he uses this in his piece by saying things that are contradicting, only to add strength to what he is supporting. Lastly and most important, Swift uses understatement and minimizes the situation of cannibalism and makes it seem like it is an everyday thing and that it isn’t a big deal. Sarcasm helps satirical pieces in many ways. It keeps the reader wondering why the author has these thoughts and makes them curious so that they will be engaged and continue to read the piece. Swifts piece demonstrates this when he says “But I am not in the least pain upon that matter, because it is very well known, that they are every day dying, and rotting, by cold and famine, and filth, and vermin, as fast as can be reasonably expected” (Swift 4). This cruel and evil quote shows sarcasm because he is saying he doesn’t care and feels nothing for the kids that are dying, then gives reasons that are so bad that he has to feel some sympathy for them. This keeps …show more content…
Swift also uses this to strengthen his position and overall piece. He uses phrases that will attack what he is supporting or denounce it to actually show and support his position. Swift uses this satirical device when he says “Men would be as fond of their wives, during the time of their pregnancy, as they are now the mares in foal, their cows in calf, or sow when they are ready to farrow; nor offer to beat or kick them (as is too frequent practice) for fear of a miscarriage” (Swift 5). He continues to degrade humans and compare them to animals, but this is strengthening his position. Because people there eat humans like people eat animals so he is referring to how they think of animals as
Irony can be defined as expressing the opposite of what is meant. This is a great technique of the sense of humor and sarcasm used in the proposal. and in the Swift language. One of the voices that are present throughout the story is that of irony. The snares are a snare.
His very different tones throughout “A Modest Proposal” helps the reader realize that the essay’s idea is absurd. Swifts tone at the beginning of the essay is very sympathetic towards the people of Ireland, but his sympathy hastily goes away when he suggests his idea. Swift changes the tone of the essay so drastically it shocks the readers by making “A Modest Proposal” very ironic to its name.
The essay “A Modest Proposal” written by Johnathan Swift takes a satirical view on how to solve the starvation issue in Ireland. Swift suggests an obviously satirical solution to eating children around the age of one. He used irony, ambiguity, and ethos to emphasize the satirical nature of the essay and present a captivating idea to the audience. Swift used irony throughout the essay, beginning with the title, “A Modest Proposal”. The irony of the title gives the audience a false idea of what the essay will be, later on he gives his argument and the title serves as an ironic statement.
The work is a great example of how a text can have more than one thesis, depending on how it is read, or who reads it. In it’s time, A Modest Proposal was taken as serious by the audience of rich men. It caused some hysteria and confusion in upper class communities. Imagine reading an anonymous work which promotes cannibalism! Swift eventually had to reveal himself and his purpose of his pamphlet, which was to exaggerate the steps necessary to stop the Irish famine and poverty epidemic. A Modest Proposal is almost a scare tactic. It brings attention to the distances people will go to stop hunger and homelessness. The audience of rich, land-owning men were planned to take the text to heart. It should shock them into lowering taxes and decreasing the cost of shelter. Jonathan Swift uses irony and sarcasm to hint at his essay not being serious, and uses his writing skill to try and solve a serious problem. And of course, the solution Swift is actually looking for, is not about eating
“A Modest Proposal” was written in 1729 by a satirical author by the name of Jonathan Swift. Swift studied at the University of Oxford and was also know for his popular writing in Gulliver’s Travel. The purpose for his satire “A Modest Proposal” was to enlighten the citizens of Ireland about their hardship and suffering. He informed them about their scares of food, money, and property, but provided a possible solution to their problem. To persuade the people Swift adopts a comforting and friendly tone to his audience for the people to react to his solution.
Irony is a beautiful technique exercised to convey a message or call a certain group of people to action. This rhetorical skill is artfully used by Jonathan Swift in his pamphlet “A Modest Proposal.” The main argument for this bitingly ironic essay is to capture the attention of a disconnected and indifferent audience. Swift makes his point by stringing together a dreadfully twisted set of morally untenable positions in order to cast blame and aspersions on his intended audience. Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” employs despicably vivid satire to call for change in a world of abuse and misfortune.
Both of these paradoxes true to the form of satire are a mockery of an underlying contextual societal issue that the creator feels threaten our humanity. Swift's use of humor shows his proposals detachment from reality, by the use of irony. For example the idea that women and children are the greatest threat to the nation, “For first, as I already observed, it would greatly lessen the number of papists, with whom we are yearly overrun, being the principal breeders of the nation as well as our most dangerous enemies.”(Swift 318) As well as the use of sarcasm, “I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children.” (Swift 317) Contrasted to Kubrick’s work, also relies on humor to distance the film from reality by use of the same techniques. Through the use of irony; as used here by President Merkin Muffley, “Gentlemen you can't fight in here! This is a war room.” (Kubrick) As well as the use of sarcasm as displayed by General Buck, “Gee, I wish we had one of them doomsday machines.” (Kubrick) These works also manage to severe ties to the plausible by relying on discreditable and facetious sources. In A Modest Proposal, Swift cities his knowledge on cannibalism from a friend who heard it from Psalmanazar, a well-known literary imposter. The fact his information was
...ture the attention of the audience by means of “political pamphleteering which is very popular during his time” (SparkNotes Editors). The language and style of his argument is probably why it is still popular till this day. By using satire, Swift makes his point by ridiculing the English people, the Irish politicians, and the wealthy. He starts his proposal by using emotional appeal and as it progresses, he uses ethos to demonstrate credibility and competence. To show the logical side of the proposal, he uses facts and figures. By applying these rhetorical appeals, Swift evidently makes his argument more effectual.
In “A Modest Proposal”, Jonathan Swift addresses the troubles Irish have and many literary elements such as irony and satire. Jonathon uses many literary elements in his story that help conduct it, they are used to make the story more enjoyable. The other elements help the story in a way many people like their story such as, Swift adds imagery which lets us picture things and makes us enjoy the story even better. This story is important because it makes you think of the past and what could have happened or what some people might have joined in on.
This essay will have no value unless the reader understands that Swift has written this essay as a satire, humor that shows the weakness or bad qualities of a person, government, or society (Satire). Even the title A Modest Proposal is satirical. Swift proposes using children simply as a source of meat, and outrageous thought, but calls his propo...
In 1729, Jonathan Swift published a pamphlet called “A Modest Proposal”. It is a satirical piece that describes a radical and humorous proposal to a very serious problem. The problem Swift was attacking was the poverty and state of destitution that Ireland was in at the time. Swift wanted to bring attention to the seriousness of the problem and does so by satirically proposing to eat the babies of poor families in order to rid Ireland of poverty. Clearly, this proposal is not to be taken seriously, but merely to prompt others to work to better the state of the nation.
Sarcasm and Irony in Swift's Modest Proposal. In his lengthy literary career, Jonathan Swift wrote many stories that used a broad range of voices that were used to make compelling personal statements. For example, Swift, A Modest Proposal, is often heralded as his best use of both sarcasm and irony. Yet taking into account the persona of Swift, as well as the period in which it was written, one can prove that through that same use of sarcasm and irony, this proposal is actually written to entertain the upper-class.
Throughout A Modest Proposal Swift uses verbal irony, diction, and sentence structure to achieve his purpose. His purpose of calling attention to all the terrible things England has done to Ireland is clearly stated throughout A Modest Proposal with the help of these three devices. His purpose of drawing attention to the problems throughout society has been described through A Modest Proposal. The dire poverty in Ireland is clearly expressed in the satire A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift.
In “A Modest Proposal,” Swift employs a satirical tone to mock both the callous attitudes towards the poor and the poor themselves. Swifts “modest” solution to the fiscal and social issues going on in Ireland is nothing but the opposite, as he proposes that the impoverished should sell their infants as food for money. In using the word “modest” to describe his proposal of eating Irish infants and/or offering their flesh as a source of clothing, Swift makes the sarcasm of his story evident from the beginning. By using such an inconspicu...
Jonathan Swift employs satire, irony, and humor in his political pamphlet A Modest Proposal in order to bring attention to, and in some cases lampoon, many different issues in his country of Ireland. The chief issue among these being the growing disparity between the rich and the poor. Swift’s “modest proposal” turns out to be anything but, and he masterfully creates a long running joke throughout his pamphlet that never concretely delivers the punchline until the very end. This underlying, sapling, humor forces his audience into taking his ironic proposal seriously until the final moments of the proposal, making the irony throughout all the more effective. A Modest Proposal introduces such a horribly ironic plan that the reader’s natural instinct