Essay on Analysis of A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift

Analysis of A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift In his biting political satire called ?A Modest Proposal,? Jonathan Swift seeks to create empathy for the poor through his ironic portrayal of the children of Irish beggars as commodities that can be regulated and even eaten. He is able to poke fun at the dehumanization of the multitudes of poor people in Ireland by ironically commenting on what he sees as an extension of the current situation. Swift?s essay seeks to comment on the terrible condition of starvation that a huge portion of Ireland has been forced into, and the inane rationalizations that the rich are quick to submit in order to justify the economic inequality. He is able to highlight the absurdity of these attempted†¦show more content†¦like animals, he is in fact improving their lifestyle, for the voluntary abortions that these women are forced to commit ? would move tears and pity to the most savage and inhuman beast.? His use of diction relating to livestock as well as his cold, calculated tones and con stant appeals to foreign authority mirror and comment upon the elite?s absurb rationalization for their abuse and exploition of the dredges of society. He constantly likens beggers to animals, even comparing children to ?sheep, black cattle or swine? and even speaking of them interms of ?fore and hind quarter?s. His tone is so disturbingly uninvolved and methodical that he is able to calculate exactly how many meals a baby will serve and even pictures cannibalism as a socially acceptable occurence when ?entertaining friends.? Throughout the piece Swift constantly seeks to jusify his proposal by mentioning the suggestions he has received from his influential friends in foreign countries. This illustrates that the narrator?s mind is even farther removed from the immediate crisis and famine. As people read through the passage, Swift is able to sneakily encourage people to question the authority of their elitist leadership. As he continues writing Swift uses a constant barrage of ironic juxtapostions of ideas and sarcastic comments to convey the sheer ludicressness of the narrator?s arguement. Swift?s satirical purposes firstShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis Of Modest Proposal By Jonathan Swift1777 Words   |  8 Pagesbring more attention than just talking about them. In â€Å"Modest Proposal† written by Jonathan Swift, he uses humor to talk about the famine that was happening back then and proposes an economical idea. By using the word â€Å"Proposal† in his title, he gives a reasonably suggestion to aid the Irish, Swift mentions them one by one the many benefits and counters the objections many may have, uses rhetorical reasoning and proves his humanitarian views. Swift has written in detail over the degree of poverty inRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of A Modest Proposal By Jonathan Swift854 Words   |  4 PagesA Modest Proposal† is an essay by Jonathan Swift that gives some type of a solution to the hunger problem in Ireland. Swift espouse an ironic approach that guarantee a surprise ending. At the beginning of the essay, he cornerstones his proposal t hat will be good for the public and diminish economic troubles. The proposal that Swift advances concerns the selling of poor Irish children to the rich, so that they could suffice as food. In addition, he points out that this will ease the pressures on theRead MoreAnalysis Of Jonathan Swift s A Modest Proposal956 Words   |  4 Pagesissue for the Irish and became a topic of satire ridicule for writers. Specifically, Jonathan Swift demonstrates mockery of this time in one of his written works, â€Å"A Modest Proposal.† The speaker proposes to shift the issues of over population and poverty to a business like mentality by paying woman to bare children and then after a year, gaining a profit by selling and eat their children. The speaker’s proposal to consume the children of Ireland demonstrates a satirical solution to the Irish’s economicRead MoreEssay on Rhetorical Analysis of a Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift639 Words   |  3 PagesJohnathan Swift wrote M odest Proposal with the idea to better humanity.. When you first read it you miss what the true message is. You think â€Å"Man this guy is a monster!† or â€Å"He’s sick!†, but once you reach the end the true meaning of the proposal hits you. When Jonathan Swift wrote a Modest Proposal he tried to get his audience to see the problem by taking it and providing an unethical and inhumane solution then using rhetorical devices to bring out people’s emotions. Of the many devices he usedRead MoreAnalysis of Jonathan Swift ´s A Modest Proposal Essay532 Words   |  3 Pagesdone, the issue hasn’t been fazed a bit. From Jonathan Swift’s Modest Proposal, he clarifies the poverty issued throughout Ireland in the early 1700’s and how one suggestion could change it all. Elaborated from the Literary Reference Center, â€Å"A Modest Proposal, like Gulliver’s Travels, transcends the political, social, and economic crisis that gave birth to it, woeful as they were. Packed with irony and satirical revelations of the human condition†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Swift wasn’t just writing a masterpiece, but an intendedRead MoreAnalysis Of Jonathan Swift s A Modest Proposal And Li Ruzhen s Flowers994 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many uses of satire in Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal and in Li Ruzhen’s Flowers in the Mirror. Both of these readings address social issues during the 17th and 18th century and addres s them with various uses of satire to help emphasize their thoughts of dislike and carry that to their readers. Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal proposes using poor bastard children as food to help the poverty level along with other social issues that come with poor women carrying children and havingRead MoreJonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal949 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by Jonathan Swift takes place in Dublin Ireland in the 18th century. The narrator is a very ironic character. His â€Å"modest† proposal is anything but modest. This short story takes place during a famine. Since there was a famine, Swift proposes the idea that people sell their one year old children to the rich so they would not be a burden to their family. One important way in which the author engages the audience’s attention and tries to help his readers see deeper politicalRead MoreLiterary Analysis : Jonathan Swift1425 Words   |  6 PagesEllen Griffith Freshman Comp. II Oct. 27, 2015 Literary analysis The author I decided to write about is Jonathan Swift for he had a keen sense for effective sarcasm. As Jonathan Swift said â€Å"The proper words in the proper places are the true definition of style.† Though he was known in different ways, he was mostly popularized through his gift in writing, particularly his satire, or his use of humor and irony, essays. Through out swift life, there has been plenty of events where I believe shapeRead MoreA Modest Proposal Analysis Essay1465 Words   |  6 PagesA Modest Proposal Literary Analysis By J--- ----------- J--- ----------- Mr. H----- Period 6 2 May 2011 Jonathan Swift’s Use of Satire and Exaggeration Satire is a form of literature in which an author tries to demonstrate his or her point of view by ridiculing. The author uses heavy irony and sarcasm in order to criticize a social issue. A perfect example of a work of satire is Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal. In this satirical essay, Jonathan Swift attacks on the issue of theRead MoreSimilarities between Martin Luther Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail and Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal1358 Words   |  6 Pages Even the most cursory analysis of Letter From Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. and A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift reveals glaring differences between the two essays. Surprisingly, a side-by-side comparison also yields many similarities between the two works. The most obvious similarity between the two essays is the overarching theme of the subject matter. In both essays, the writers address deeply-entrenched social injustices. For example, in Letter From Birmingham Jail