A Modest Proposal By Jonathan Swift

Freedom of speech is an important human right that should be respected. But many authors have been stripped from this right throughout history. In the 17h century, authors were exiled from their home for critiquing their leaders and their behavior but also for criticizing the behavior of the society itself. This brought many writers to write satire and irony to conceal their critiques in a comical way. A great work of satire in the 17th century is called "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift. In which he wrote a solution to Irelands problem with poverty, by suggesting that they eat the children of the streets and create gloves out of their skin. Swift wrote most of his work anonymously in fear of being exiled from his country. The work …show more content…
Upon realizing that Swift was critiquing their lives and choices, many people wanted to ban his work. Irelands problem with "absentee landlords" who were among Protestant English was not any better and many people suffered hunger and cold. Beggars roamed the streets and children slept on the floors of the streets waiting for food. Irelands poverty level was so severe that more than half of the country lived in poverty. Many authors proposed solutions the problem, but they often spoke with a bias to their own gain. Swift first tried to take a direct approach to the subject although he was heard at first his words were quickly forgotten. This brought Swift to write satire to address Irelands poverty. Although strange at first, he suggested to eat the children roaming the streets but declares that his proposal was non sense. He states "I profess, in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavoring to promote this necessary work, having no other motive than the public good of my country, by advancing our trade, providing for infants, relieving the poor, and giving pleasure to the rich"(Swift 1). Swifts explanation is brief but nothing less it explains what his true intentions were. Although his work became famous, Swift was afraid to be exiled and released his writing anonymously, keeping his identity a secret to prevent harm to …show more content…
But an author whose exile brought great controversy was the author of a series of poems called Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso and who name was Dante Alighieri. Alighieri's work was written to expose the corruption of the church and its leader. Alighieri's series of poems begin with Inferno in which he writes of the nine circles of hell and the sinners that reside in them. Such sinners as Cleopatra, Tristan, Helen of Troy and Pope Nicholas III and Judas, each circle proceeding held sinners of much worse evil. Alighieri's work was highly criticized by the church officials of Italy who were angry that he spoke badly about the church and its members. He was exiled from Italy by Black Guelph and banned from seeing his family. Alighieri continued to write philosophical poems about the sins and corruption of church officials and his moral values. Alighieri's exile although tragic it brought him to write more philosophical poems and articles and was heard louder than ever