On a Modest Proposal
A Very Modest Proposal
During the final years of the seventeenth century, political pamphlets were distributed throughout Ireland to promote the ideas of various intellectuals. However, the general public did not pay attention to them and through them away. Jonathan Swift, author of “A Modest Proposal,” took advantage of the ignored pamphlets, and developed a truly ridiculous proposal. His main objective was to illustrate how deplorable the state of Ireland was, and to show how the distinction between different social classes was abysmal. Swift’s main idea was for the babies of all the poor and desolate to “contribute to the feeding, and partly to the clothing, of many thousands” (Swift 868) in order to improve Ireland’s economy and living standard. His idea originated from the large number of women who kept having children even though they were not able to provide for them. Swift also states that his proposal would make the babies “beneficial to the public” (866). He also states that he is proposing this because of Ireland’s truly low living standards. Thus, he blames the politicians for the poor conditions of the country (specially because the apathy and laziness they present while making decisions to improve the conditions) In “A Modest Proposal”, Swift brilliantly uses irony, sarcasm, and rhetorical exaggeration to reveal his frustration and disapproval at the current behavior of politicians, papists, and citizens of the impoverished Ireland during the late seventeenth century. Nevertheless, there are three important factors that show the reader that Swift’s arguments are not to be taken seriously: The tone of the writing, the insincerity of the author, and the utter absurdity of the proposal.
As mentioned above, in “A Modest Proposal” Jonathan Swift does not exclusively blames the Irish people, but also the politicians, and the English. Swift writes that if a poor young child somehow manages to survive the dangerous childhood years, they would be left whit
During the final years of the seventeenth century, political pamphlets were distributed throughout Ireland to promote the ideas of various intellectuals. However, the general public did not pay attention to them and through them away. Jonathan Swift, author of “A Modest Proposal,” took advantage of the ignored pamphlets, and developed a truly ridiculous proposal. His main objective was to illustrate how deplorable the state of Ireland was, and to show how the distinction between different social classes was abysmal. Swift’s main idea was for the babies of all the poor and desolate to “contribute to the feeding, and partly to the clothing, of many thousands” (Swift 868) in order to improve Ireland’s economy and living standard. His idea originated from the large number of women who kept having children even though they were not able to provide for them. Swift also states that his proposal would make the babies “beneficial to the public” (866). He also states that he is proposing this because of Ireland’s truly low living standards. Thus, he blames the politicians for the poor conditions of the country (specially because the apathy and laziness they present while making decisions to improve the conditions) In “A Modest Proposal”, Swift brilliantly uses irony, sarcasm, and rhetorical exaggeration to reveal his frustration and disapproval at the current behavior of politicians, papists, and citizens of the impoverished Ireland during the late seventeenth century. Nevertheless, there are three important factors that show the reader that Swift’s arguments are not to be taken seriously: The tone of the writing, the insincerity of the author, and the utter absurdity of the proposal.
As mentioned above, in “A Modest Proposal” Jonathan Swift does not exclusively blames the Irish people, but also the politicians, and the English. Swift writes that if a poor young child somehow manages to survive the dangerous childhood years, they would be left whit