A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift
A satirical essay written by one of the most renowned satirists, Jonathan Swift, A Modest Proposal expresses the author’s exasperation with the ill treatment of impoverished Irish citizens as a result of English exploitation and social inertia...
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A satirical essay written by one of the most renowned satirists,
Jonathan Swift, A Modest Proposal expresses the author’s
exasperation with the ill treatment of impoverished Irish citizens
as a result of English exploitation and social inertia.
Furthermore, Swift ventilates the severity of Ireland’s political
incompetence, the tyrannical English policies, the callous
attitudes of the wealthy, and the destitution faced by the Irish
people. Focusing on numerous aspects of society including
government exploitation, reckless greed, hypocrisy, apathy, and
prejudice, the essay successfully exemplifies Swift’s satirical
skills. The essay opens with Swift’s recognition of the squalor and
poverty in which the Irish people live, as they are reduced to
beggary, forced to panhandle for food on the streets. He also
addresses the issue of overpopulation, and the problems that arise
due to large families with multiple mouths to feed. Concluding that
the beggar children are a burden to society, Swift seeks to find a
solution to the concerning issue. As a result, he suggests that
children should contribute to the welfare of the nation, and be
transformed into productive members of society. Coming up with what
he believes to be the best possible solution for all parties, he
proposes that parents should fatten their infants, and once they
have passed the undemanding one-year period of infancy, they should
be sold for the purpose of feeding the wealthy. Swift goes on to
support his proposal, as he argues that infants before the age of
one are quite economical, as they only require breast-milk,
therefore they will not present any financial strain on the parents
or society. In addition, he provides several arguments that
validate the efficiency of his proposal and illustrates the
consequential benefits, including providing income to
poverty-stricken families, resolving the issues of unemployment,
and keeping the Irish in line. By presenting such an outrageous
proposal, Swift aims to provoke a reaction from the public and stir
them from their otherwise idle states to finally acknowledge and
deal with the problem at hand. Needless to say, the essay serves as
a witty and clever piece of writing that effectively depicts the
discrepancies of human compassion and attention, while also
attacking the folly of human vices. Employing irony, sarcasm, and
cleverly formulated criticism, A Modest Proposal has rightly earned
the title as one of the most effective satires in history.
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