Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal
Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal Analysis In the year of 1729, an Irish satirist named Jonathan Swift wrote a political and satirical pamphlet called A Modest proposal. This pamphlet was written to promote Swift’s ideas about how they should improve the economy of Ireland and solve the problem of poverty in their country. In this pamphlet, Swift suggests that the children of the poor should continue raising as many children as they can so that they can be sold for clothing and food which is a ridiculed plan that will benefit the community. He also states that this plan would help the improvement of the economy and the standard of living. Jonathan Swift uses powerful rhetorical devices such as pathos, logos, ethos and satire to put focus
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Swift uses the technique of pathos when he writes, “…the roads of cabin doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms” (Swift, pg 334) to put an image of females trying to raise not just one kid but more on the streets. The use of pathos was Swift’s way to gain the courtesy of the readers giving attention to recognize the problem in the country quickly. Swift puts more into his proposal when he persuades his audience to also recognize the benefits of selling children for food and clothing. Here he uses logos by stating, “…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 feeding and partly to the clothing of many thousands” (pg 335) to create a persuasive tone that his plan of vending children is very helpful to the feeding of thousands of people who are suffering from starvation. Swift gives a reason that since these children seem to be just burdens to their parents, why can’t they be the source of the solution? By the end of Swift’s proposal, he mentions the fact this plan was never for his benefit as he states, “I profess in the sincerity of my heart that I have not the least personal interest in endeavoring to promote this
Swift uses the technique of pathos when he writes, “…the roads of cabin doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms” (Swift, pg 334) to put an image of females trying to raise not just one kid but more on the streets. The use of pathos was Swift’s way to gain the courtesy of the readers giving attention to recognize the problem in the country quickly. Swift puts more into his proposal when he persuades his audience to also recognize the benefits of selling children for food and clothing. Here he uses logos by stating, “…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 feeding and partly to the clothing of many thousands” (pg 335) to create a persuasive tone that his plan of vending children is very helpful to the feeding of thousands of people who are suffering from starvation. Swift gives a reason that since these children seem to be just burdens to their parents, why can’t they be the source of the solution? By the end of Swift’s proposal, he mentions the fact this plan was never for his benefit as he states, “I profess in the sincerity of my heart that I have not the least personal interest in endeavoring to promote this