Free Essays on A Modest Proposal

A Cry for Attention â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by Jonathan Swift is an example of satire, which is a work of literature that uses great wit to point out in a mocking manner the frailties or maliciousness of individuals, groups or mankind usually in order to prompt a correction or a response from the reader. â€Å"A Modest Proposal† is a fine example of satire because of the way Swift incorporates great use of irony, sarcasm, and satire to point out the problems in Ireland to the English people. The irony Swift uses starting in the first paragraphs opens the way for his seemingly â€Å"modest† proposal. He begins in the first paragraphs by stating the problem of poverty in Ireland and then professes to have a legitimate solution to help. (Swift 1113) The irony begins on the next page as Swift talks about how babies are cheapest to care for in the first year as they are still nursing from their mothers. After this year, Swift proposes that they be taken from their mothers and will contribute to the feeding and clothing of them, instead of being burdens. (Swift 1114) All of Swift’s solutions are very ironic because it would almost certainly help the people of Ireland have fewer mouths to feed and more food to eat, however, the way he proposes to do it is so outrageous that no one would ever consider putting his solution into effect. The satire in â€Å"A Modest Proposal† is so outlandish it is funny. Who would ever think of writing about raising human babies as food so that the country would be a better place? Swift tells the reader of how a â€Å" young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Swift 1114) If the readers had been falling asleep by this point, this sentence should surely wake them up. Swift goes on the tell the readers of different ways the children could be cooked and about how a certain percentage of children born should be saved so that they could be bred for futu... Free Essays on A Modest Proposal Free Essays on A Modest Proposal Criticisms in Jonathan Swift’s ‘A Modest Proposal’ A satire is a literary work in which human foolishness and vice are criticized. Satire employs humor and wit to ridicule human institutions or humanity itself, in order that they might be remodeled or improved (Random House). A Modest Proposal, by Jonathan Swift is a prime example of a satire. Throughout the piece it is difficult to know exactly whom and what Swift is criticizing. This is because Swift criticizes three groups of people and uses metaphors to make the satire work. Swift ridicules the English for economically oppressing the Irish, the Irish for being passive and allowing the English to oppress them, and the reader of the piece for representing all the wrong doings in society. Many of the images that Swift paints for the reader are images that he witnessed firsthand while he was in Ireland. He was able to feel what the people were going through and he put that feeling into his work. The main group of people that Jonathan Swift indicts is the English. Swift blames the English for creating the environment that the Irish are living in. He witnessed the Irish people living in poverty while their absentee landlords were acquiring great wealth. â€Å"The poor tenants will have something valuable of their own, which by law may be made liable to distress and help to pay their landlord’s rent, their corn and cattle being already seized, and money a thing unknown† (Swift). Swift illustrates how the British politicians were making laws, to govern the Irish, from afar. Rather than directly accusing the English of economically oppressing the Irish, Swift implies it. He uses metaphors to convey his thoughts. The entire and significantly horrible idea of cannibalism is a metaphor that Swift uses. The British felt that the laws that they were passing were good and just laws, when in actuality all they were doing was making the landlords gain more wealth. â€Å"I grant this food w ill be... Free Essays on A Modest Proposal A Cry for Attention â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by Jonathan Swift is an example of satire, which is a work of literature that uses great wit to point out in a mocking manner the frailties or maliciousness of individuals, groups or mankind usually in order to prompt a correction or a response from the reader. â€Å"A Modest Proposal† is a fine example of satire because of the way Swift incorporates great use of irony, sarcasm, and satire to point out the problems in Ireland to the English people. The irony Swift uses starting in the first paragraphs opens the way for his seemingly â€Å"modest† proposal. He begins in the first paragraphs by stating the problem of poverty in Ireland and then professes to have a legitimate solution to help. (Swift 1113) The irony begins on the next page as Swift talks about how babies are cheapest to care for in the first year as they are still nursing from their mothers. After this year, Swift proposes that they be taken from their mothers and will contribute to the feeding and clothing of them, instead of being burdens. (Swift 1114) All of Swift’s solutions are very ironic because it would almost certainly help the people of Ireland have fewer mouths to feed and more food to eat, however, the way he proposes to do it is so outrageous that no one would ever consider putting his solution into effect. The satire in â€Å"A Modest Proposal† is so outlandish it is funny. Who would ever think of writing about raising human babies as food so that the country would be a better place? Swift tells the reader of how a â€Å" young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Swift 1114) If the readers had been falling asleep by this point, this sentence should surely wake them up. Swift goes on the tell the readers of different ways the children could be cooked and about how a certain percentage of children born should be saved so that they could be bred for futu... Free Essays on A Modest Proposal Jonathon Swift â€Å"A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland from Being a Burden to their Parents or Country, and for Making them Beneficial to the Public,† or, now simply known as â€Å"A Modest Proposal†. Published by, Jonathon Swift has become one of the most controversial writings of all time. This work has a stream of literary techniques including: satire, irony, and criticism. Jonathon Swift’s home country in Ireland was suffering from poverty and he felt someone needed to accept blame. Swift felt that the British held the responsibility of the colony of Ireland. The people of Ireland were starving and dying, even though no one seem to observe or to be concerned. Until Swift stepped in it, nothing could get the attention of the British. He knew the only way to get attention would be to do something extreme and unbelievable. Swift’s proposal suggested Irish poverty would be solved by the sale of the poor stricken children for consumption. This way, no one would be famished, and Swift guaranteed that children were the finest of food. â€Å"I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout.† Although Swift was not earnest when he wrote this piece. This style of writing is called satire. Swift is simply pointing out British shortcomings by using sarcasm and irony. He does not truly believe what he wrote, nor did he have the same values as the â€Å"persona† he has created in the essay. The passage is also about criticism. Swift goes to great lengths to imply the British government is greedy, hypocritical and insensitive. Greedy by recognizing the problem, and still charging high rents, and taxes. Swift feels the British governm...