Jonathan Swift Satire

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The dictionary definition of satire is the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices. Particularly, in the context of contemporary politics or other topical issues. If one were to examine contemporary culture today they would notice that it is becoming more and more satirized. One could argue this by turning on any program and listening for hidden messages alluding to some cause or political reference. Satire appears in many forms and may be used to shock the reader or targets into changing their behavior.
For instance, in Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal he highlighted the poor conditions in Ireland. Additionally he talked about the English and Irish people’s poor approaches to the situation. Swift then mocked them all by suggesting that people sell and eat their children to fix the situation. A solution that would have been beneficial to both parties. Swift had many satirical pieces similar to A Modest Proposal, but none are as well known as his 1726 classic tale Gulliver’s Travels. In Swift voiced his opinions by describing the vices, of society through a man named Lemuel Gulliver. Gulliver, the main character, is often looked at as the first bit of mockery shown in the book. Specifically because Gulliver looks and sounds similar to gullible.
Swift started his satirical novel by using this name to show that humans are very gullible. As proof one could look at the original audience of this book. Swift’s targets had no idea he was mocking them; they assumed he just wrote a children’s book which is why the name, Gulliver, fit perfectly. Besides Gulliver the next characters Swift introduces are the Lilliputians. Swift uses the Lilliputians to to highlight man’s sense...

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...ident under McCain, and Clinton as presidential candidate.
TINA FEY / SARAH PALIN: “But tonight we are crossing party lines to address the now very ugly role that sexism is playing in the campaign.”
AMY POEHLER AS HILLARY CLINTON: “An issue which I am frankly surprised to hear people suddenly care about.”
TINA FEY / SARAH PALIN: “You know, Hillary and I don’t agree on everything…”
AMY POEHLER AS HILLARY CLINTON: (OVERLAPPING) “Anything. I believe that diplomacy should be the cornerstone of any foreign policy.”
TINA FEY / SARAH PALIN: “And I can see Russia from my house.”

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift was an attack on societal issues in British culture at the time. Jonathan Swift uses the literary devices of mockery, sarcasm, understatement, mockery, irony, and mock heroic to make fun of Britain and everything the country stood for during that time.

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