The Modest Proposal Literary Analysis

Decent Essays
The Modest Proposal is a rather interesting piece of work by Swift, which he wrote in 1729, and is a famous work of the satire genre. In this short story, Swift is addressing the great famine that is threatening the people of Ireland, due to English landlords taking away too much money away from the Irish people, which in turn takes away funds to buy food. Swift is one of the few who want to stand up and and tell the people of Ireland to rise against their landlords. But knowing his fellow Irish country people who indeed won’t listen to his problem solving idea of revolting against the English, then disguises his plan, with a sarcastic and an overexaggerated plot. Since people are starving and Swift sees that there is a overpopulation with

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    A Modest Proposal was written by Jonathan Swift and published as a pamphlet in 1729. The proposal was submitted anonymously by Jonathan in an attempt to find a quick and simple solution to the poverty in Ireland. The author uses a number of rhetorical devise to appeal a rational and or emotional response of the audience. Right from the start of the proposal looking at the title, the author is using irony to introduce his proposal being hardly a “Modest Proposal”.…

    • 818 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    With regards to, A Modest Proposal it is very intriguing to read and discover the irony that is implied in the disturbing suggestion that is offered in Swift's piece. Evidently, it is human nature to be disgusted with cannibalism; so much that, Swift's callous expression was to encompass the reader to feel a sense of discomfort in what is immoral, but only to draw the attention of what is occurring in the nation. Even though, this piece of writing includes a very sardonic and ridiculing tone, it is the purpose of understanding the satire and quizzical humor that is emphasized in order to comprehend the reality and morality of the situation. In a like manner, Jonathan Swift sincerely does not desire to kill and consume babies; however, Swift's…

    • 544 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In the satirical piece “A Modest Proposal” (1729), Jonathan Swift addresses the troubling economic and social conditions in Ireland. He adopts a persona, known by scholars as the Proposer, who suggests a “fair, cheap, and easy Method” to rid Ireland of poverty (Swift 230). Instead of proposing a logical and practical solution, however, the Proposer offers a horrifying plan: selling the babies of poverty-stricken families into the food market to lessen the number of beggars on the street. With the majority of Irish children being used for food consumption and a small percentage retained for breed, overpopulation would no longer be an issue and the upper-class would have a constant food source. The Proposer goes on to list even more advantages of this solution: the “nation’s stock will be thereby increased fifty thousand pounds per annum,” parents would be more nurturing to their children and employment…

    • 1601 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Also, he states that he is not bent on his real ideas alone to fix the problem. Therefore, he says if there are any better ideas, that others should do it. He did not refute the opposing claims to leave room for those who may have better ideas than Swift and therefore, he is not so bent on his ideas. The weakness in Swift’s argument is that it does not account for how the people would feel about helping the poor. They may not feel the need to do anything for the poor; such as feeding them or giving them food.…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    ”A Modest Proposal” is a satirical writing known by many by Dr. Jonathan Swift. This piece is about the betterment of the county on behalf of the beggars. This story, being a satirical writing, shows much humor. This story, I thought, was going to be lighthearted turned somewhat dark. In the story Swift talks about his own proposal on how to help the children of professed beggars, the beggars themselves and how to make the children beneficial to the rich in a dark and serious.…

    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Jonathan Swift, author of “A Modest Proposal,” tries to present different ideas in order to change the situation of Ireland. Through his proposal, he is able to get his point across. He wrote this essay to show how undeveloped and bad the state of Ireland is and the social classes. Throughout the essay he tries to make the readers to accept his idea of selling kids for food, all the while mentions some facts he think it is right. The idea is trying to make children of Ireland into useful members of the community.…

    • 907 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Jonathan Swift writes A Modest Proposal, a haunting satire taking place in 1720-1730 Ireland. Rather than making jokes of the treatment of the poor Irish, he chooses to be scathing, condemning and dead serious. Using effective character use and diction he creates a character that proposes the slaughter at the age of 1 year’s old to solve the poverty of Ireland. Firstly, the seriousness of the character that Swift keeps up throughout the essay severely frightens the reader. The proposition he makes I absolutely revolting.…

    • 951 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In his work, “A Modest Proposal”, Jonathan Swift argues why his solution to Ireland’s poverty problem is the best. He backed up his claim by encourages cannibalism to get rid of weak. He supports this by outlining the opportunity cost of raising a child made for consumption. In addition, he predict that more people will have money from the sales of infants, which will help reduce Ireland’s recession. Jonathan Swift calls attention to the Ireland’s poverty by satire.…

    • 133 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    An education holds the key to your child’s future and it can help them reach their ultimate goals in life. The more education that a child gets the more opportunities and chances that they get to really figure out what they want to do for the rest of their life. The trick to this is that an education from the very start should be a least somewhat pleasant to participate in. When children are in school their education interest is not at an all time high. Big factors that determine why the childhood education interest is low are because of the environment of schools and the separation of people of social classes.…

    • 1093 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Swift Vs Mccourt

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The historical situation in A Modest Proposal is in poor Ireland during the 18th century, filled with terrible famine, overcrowded conditions, and freezing weather. The historical situation…

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A Modest Proposal is a satirical piece written by Jonathan Swift which uses the idea of satire to convey a message. His use of this literary device exaggerates the main message to comment on both the social and political hardships of overpopulation and poverty with Irish immigrants. There are multiple examples of irony that Swift uses, but these are about four of these pieces of evidence within the text that effective show his mastery of this literary device. The first example of Irony is within the title itself.…

    • 568 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After all, if Swift was not quite informed of the subject and of other proposals and willing to consider all other proposals if his proposal was not sound and also the best option for Ireland, then he would have no reason to introduce and share it. “A Modest Proposal” was Jonathan Swift’s satirical proposition on how Ireland should solve its economical and hunger problems. Swift was able to convince the readers of his pamphlet that while it may seem absurd, the idea of consuming infants could truly be advantageous for Ireland. Through his tone, diction, and careful word choice, Swift was able…

    • 1113 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In clergyman Johnathan Swift’s essay, A Modest Proposal, Swift presents a proposal that small children should be sold for food. Swift supports his proposal by providing examples of how selling the small children would be beneficial, describing how his proposed system would be set up, and also by supporting his proposal with logical evidence that shows he spent time creating a well-crafted argument. Swift’s purpose is to present an absurd proposal in order to show how absurd the poverty level in Ireland. He hopes to inspire an improvement in the country with the repeal of many penal laws set by Ireland’s mother country England.…

    • 922 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    A Modest Proposal, written by Jonathan Swift, is a satirical essay from 1729. In the essay, Swift describes the circumstances and the amount of Irish people throughout Great Britain living in poverty, along with the lack of assistance from the English. He writes about how the Irish’s situation could have improved if they were willing to sell their children (especially babies) as food for the people of wealth in Great Britain. Unlike in the Wizard of Oz, the Irish females in A Modest Proposal don’t experience self-realization. They have no confidence in themselves or want to improve their lifestyles whatsoever.…

    • 1440 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    2016 A Modest Proposal in Neoclassical Literature A Modest Proposal is a satirical essay which was written by an author, Jonathan Swift in 1729. The essay criticizes the economy and culture of English and Irish in the eighteenth century. The purpose of the essay is to address the seriousness of the social concern and problems in Irish. The author Swift uses literary techniques, irony and satire, to maximize the seriousness in Irish.…

    • 850 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays