A Modest Proposal Essay - 2330 Words

Have You Eaten Yet?: Swift’s Final Solution amp;#9;As a lately favored eighteenth century essay, Jonathan Swift’s amp;quot;Proposalamp;quot; has been canonized as a satirical model of wit. As will be discussed shortly, Swift’s essay is often seen as an allegory for England’s oppression of Ireland. Swift, himself and Irishman (Tucker 142), would seem to have pointed his razor wit against the foreign nation responsible for his city’s ruin. Wearing the lens of a New Historicist, however, requires that we reexamine the power structures at work in Swift’s society. We must delve into not only Swift’s amp;quot;Proposal,amp;quot; but also into other of his correspondence, and even into discourse of the epoch in order to gain a thick†¦show more content†¦There are major impediments to this approach. amp;#9;The Proposer is amp;quot;clearly in Ireland, addressing an Irish audience with an account of circumstances which are as real as they are horrible.amp;quot; (Rosenheim 204) England’s consumption of Ireland is mentioned expressly, but in a single clause which certainly does not inform but transiently exploits the great central conceit at work in the amp;quot;Proposalamp;quot;: amp;quot;†¦although I could perhaps name a country that would be glad to eat up our whole nation without it [preserving the flesh of the infant carcasses].amp;quot; (Swift) The structure and progress of the Proposer’s argument, both as a whole and in it particulars, seem in no way derived from any analogical or allegorical perception. Rather, at least some of Swift’s irony, if not the largest portion thereof, is directed at Ireland, not England. amp;#9;The proposer states that amp;quot;Infants flesh will be in season throughout the year†¦amp;quot; and that a large quantity of infant flesh will be consumed. He indicates that cooks will vie with each other in preparing new dishes of this food which is amp;quot;a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food.amp;quot; (Swift) The proposer next exhausts theShow MoreRelatedModest Proposal1066 Words   |  5 PagesA Modest Proposal was a satirical essay written by Jonathan Swift depicting the horrific conditions of Ireland and the lives of the Irish people in 1729. Swift writes the satire disguised as a social planner of the time who as Swift satirizes were known to be overly rational rather than compassionate. The author portrays and attacks the cruel and unjust oppression of Ireland by its oppressor, the mighty English and ridicules the Irish people at the same time. However, Swifts opposition is indirectlyRead MoreA Modest Proposal1096 Words   |  5 PagesAssignment 1 : Swift’s â€Å"A Modest Proposal† Dr. Anthony McCormack Strayer University World Culture II Gladys A. Reyes July 25, 2015 In the satire â€Å"A Modest Proposal’, Jonathan Swift expresses his feelings of frustration with regard to the aggravation and political issues in Ireland. He describes being frustrated with the indifference of Ireland politicians, the wealthy, the English tyranny, and the degradation and poor conditions in which many poor, Irish women and children have been forcedRead MoreA Modest Proposal Essay1095 Words   |  5 PagesJonathan Swift’s satire, â€Å"A Modest Proposal†, Swift writes about the starving people of Ireland in the early 1700’s. He makes a wild and absurd proposal to help remedy the problems of overpopulation and poverty. Swift wants to make a political statement by using the â€Å"children† as satire to grasp the attention of the audience - the English people, the Irish politicians and the rich – and make them aware of the political, moral, and social problems. In â€Å"A Modest Proposal†, Swift’s arguments are presentedRead MoreAnalysis on a Modest Proposal1421 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish Commentary – Digression â€Å" A modest proposal† by Jonathan Swift is a rhetoric piece that satirizes the dismal political, social and economic conditions in 18th century Ireland. As a solution, the preposterous proposal suggests that the Irish eat their own babies; as it is logically viable, and economically profitable: a condition adhering to the rational mentality of the age of reason. Swift develops his argument on two levels: A seemingly intellectual persona, caricaturized on a stereotypicalRead MoreAnalysis of A Modest Proposal873 Words   |  4 Pages Jonathan Swift, the writer of the satirical essay A Modest Proposal, grew up and lived in Ireland during times of famine and economic struggles (Conditions). Growing up with a single mother and no father, Swift knew what hard times and struggles were like (Jonathan Swift: Biography). His essay proposes an easy solution to the economic problems going on in Ireland for both the wealthy ruling classes and the poorer classes, although his intention s and the meaning behind his words are not what wouldRead MoreSatire In A Modest Proposal2026 Words   |  9 Pagesand no one else had anything to do with it. This was a common theme centuries ago, and it still a common theme today, though which particular characterizes makes someone privileged continues to change over time. In Jonathan Swift’s essay â€Å"A Modest Proposal,† Swift uses the elements of satire to ridicule Irish oppressors, specifically the Catholics and the rich. LITERARY ANALYSIS One of the most commonly used elements of satire is irony, which Swift uses freely to show the monetary and religiousRead MoreSummary Of A Modest Proposal 1304 Words   |  6 Pageseconomical problems such as poverty and overpopulation. Throughout Swifts writing we are able to recognize many things such as his purpose for writing â€Å"A Modest Proposal† and how it’s achieved, the form of emotional and logical appeal he uses to draw in his readers, along with his strongest and weakest elements in his text. Although Swift proposes his modest idea of selling children into the meat market, that is not his real solution, it is simply an idea that he proposes to get his point across that ifRead MoreJonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal949 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by Jonathan Swift takes place in Dublin Ireland in the 18th century. The narrator is a very ironic character. His â€Å"modest† proposal is anything but modest. This short story takes place during a famine. Since there was a famine, Swift proposes the idea that people sell their one year old children to the rich so they would not be a burden to their family. One important way in which the author engages the audience’s attention and tries to help his readers see deeper politicalRead MoreA Modest Proposal By Jonathan Swift860 Words   |  4 PagesWhen I was informed to read â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by Jonathan Swift as an assignment for creating annotated bibliographies, I began to develop an interest on how Swift came about the matter of his request into rebuilding Ireland s economy and way of life. I believed that Swift added cannibalizing children to the subject matter to give his proposal a more profound and eye-opening effect, but my readings further piqued my interests on the topic. As a result, I researched Jonathan Swift’s motives andRead MoreSatire Modest Proposal Essay837 Words   |  4 Pagesupon deaf ears and change can be slow or non-existent. However some social commentators, such as Jonathan Swift in his pamphlet A Modest Proposal, use clever, targeted, and ironic criticism to bring the social state of Ireland to the attention of indolent aristocrats. He accomplishes such criticism through satire, specifically Juvenanlian satire. Swift’s A Modest Proposal stands as a perfect example of the type of satire that plays upon the audience’s emotion by creating anger concerning the indifference