Proposals

Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” uncovers the laxity of British and Irish Gentry towards the increasing poverty in Ireland and the exploitation of the Irish. With its metaphors that depicts cannibalism as an acceptable solution to hunger, ‘modest’ can only be seen as an euphemism for this egregious suggestion. This satire dictates an economically insightful proposal that alleviate poor parents of their ‘bastard children’. As a result of this proposal, the outcome suggests to hinder children…

An Extreme and Convincing Proposition Brittany Moletz Argument and Research Professor Gardner September 18th, 2015 In 1729, Jonathan Swift released “A Modest Proposal” in order to take a satirical approach to the serious problems that were occurring in Ireland during the eighteenth century. The political pamphlet begins with his version of people walking through the streets of a small Irish town. Unfortunately, the paths are filled with malnourished beggars fluctuating in ages from the…

Swift Analysis In Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” the author exemplifies and focuses on the problem during this time period of the Irish dealing with overpopulation, famine, and extensive poverty. While also attacking Britain on its lack of empathy towards the situation, as well as the unwillingness to create a plausible solution to fix these problems. Swift achieves his position to condemn the British government for not helping the Irish , through the creation of a outlandish, monstrous solution by…

In Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal, he uses a satirical form to exemplify the harsh reality of the treatment of the poor in 1700 Ireland. By proposing the inhumane practice of the selling of poor infants to the rich to be sacrificed to cannibalism, Swift mirrors the devouring nature of the economy by the rich that leaves the poor with nothing. Swift’s objective of such an absurd idea does not serve to be taken seriously, rather than to bring attention to the poor Irishmen by using the idea of…

A Modest Proposal as a satirical way to show people that they have not developed any great ideas to solve social issues such as abortion, overpopulation, and poverty. Throughout his essay, Swift is able to convey his point through sarcastic suggestion of the cannibalism of children as the answer to the social and economic issues that Ireland faces, while still providing facts about the matters at hand. In the beginning of his essay, it is unclear to the readers whether or not his proposal is…

Ireland during the time of the Enlightenment. Swift believes that England is to blame for the poor economic standing of Ireland and that the high social class is abusing the power they have over the lower classes and especially the poor. In “A Modest Proposal” Swift creates a solution to the hatred and finds a way to pay back the poor, although, a little extreme. The Enlightenment was a time that was much like a breath of fresh air after the dark time of the middle ages. The period was drove by…

Political Criticism. “A Modest Proposal” Jonathan swift wrote “A Modest Proposal” to make things worse in Ireland. His work about the rich should eat the poor’s children to benefit both parties, lead economic criticism from 1713-1745. “In the ear, Catholics were not permitted to vote, marry a protestant, or be educated as Catholics abroad.” In the story Swift challenges the status quo by enforcing the poor to sale their children to the rich for food. This benefits by helping the poor with money,…

Children on a Platter and Animals in Parliament: Satire and Symbolism in A Modest Proposal When Jonathan Swift wrote A Modest Proposal, he intended it to be a political commentary on the struggles that Ireland was dealing with in the early 1700s. What Swift did not expect was the reality of the readers at the time: they did not pick up on the juvenalian satire that lied within the essay and took the piece either as a joke or completely seriously, nor did they catch the irony. Thankfully the…

financial situation. By doing so it will bring new culture to Ireland such as new culinary arts and creating more food and less people. Swift argues that the problem they are having is its own solution it will lower unemployment and overpopulation. The proposal is meant to solve social, financial, and political problems more efficiently than any other proposed plan. Conclusions: Turning the problem into its own solutions solves everything that is currently wrong. By selling children to the rich…

In “A Modest Proposal,” Jonathan Swift proposes an absurd solution to poverty in Ireland in 1729. Swift begins the essay by describing his observations of the plight of the poor and how he has thought long and hard about a solution for the widespread poverty. He then proposes his bizarre idea – for the poor to sell their children at one year old – and uses misguided logic to support his proposal. Mimicking the format of a pamphlet proposing an unreasonable solution, Swift parodies the useless…