Analysis Of Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal - 806 Words

A Modest Proposal was written in Ireland in 1729 by Jonathan Swift. Swift wrote many satires in this time period, he was not popular due to these. This time period was known as â€Å"The Age of Reason.†(A Modest Proposal) During this time many of the people from Ireland were Roman Catholic. Jobs that were available to them were; agricultural laborers and tenant farmers. â€Å"Landlords or landowners were paid for the crops that were harvested on their land. Workers that harvested these crops were very poor, and worked at rates that gave them barely anything† (Historical Summary) With the little money they did have they had to give it to their landlords. This caused many beggars and starving children to crowd the streets. Irish people were faced†¦show more content†¦Another status quo talked about in â€Å"The Modest Proposal† is about differences of Religion and Culture. Swift suggests that Religion causes an animosity between the poor and rich. Swift is shown to have hatred towards the Roman Catholics. He mentions that he wants to get rid of these babies, to lower their population in the country.This can be seen in paragraph 13. â€Å"For we are told by a grave author [†¦] that there are more children born in Roman Catholic countries about nine months after Lent than any other season; therefore, reckoning a year after Lent, the markets will be more glutted than usual because the number of popish infants is at least three to one in the kingdom, and therefore it will have one other collateral advantage of lessening the number of papists among us.†(Swift Johnson) Throughout the paper Swift mentions that the Catholic Church has a lot of control over the Irish economy. The church believed that these Irish people were uncivilized, barbaric, savage, and cannibals. This is why they viewed them as less, and could influence them and rule their territory. The last status quo that was mentioned is the use of power the rich have. S wift mentions that the rich â€Å"devour the poor† to get their money and fame. This power and money are at the expense of the lower class. In the final paragraph it mentions â€Å"relieve the poor..but give pleasure to the rich.† (Swift, Johnson) The only time the poor are valued as less is when they profit the rich. â€Å"...aShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal998 Words   |  4 Pagesbest way to eliminate the social issues that are influencing it.Swift starts by taunting and blaming the moms of the children by saying that if they are capable of finding work they should instead of asking for money. Swift, wrote the essay,A Modest Proposal as a sarcastic approach to show people that they are not showing any interest or even coming up with working plans to decrease these social problems, for example, fetus removal, overpopulation, and poorness. Through his terribly twisted ideaRead MoreAnalysis of Jonathan Swifts Essay A Modest Proposal903 Words   |  4 PagesJonathan Swifts 1729 essay A Modest Proposal deals with societal issues contemporary to him and is meant to provide harsh criticism in regard to values promoted by society at the time. The author uses this essay with the purpose of suggesting that he found the solution to financial problems experienced by the Irish during the era. By advising these people to sell their people to wealthy individuals in England, he intends to satirize society by emphasizing the cruel attitudes generally expressedRead MoreCritical Analysis Of Jonathan Swifts Modest Proposal725 Words   |  3 Pagespoor situation and raising children at the time of Irish Potato feminine. In order to change the bad situation, Jonathan Swift wrote â€Å"Modest Proposal† written about his suggestion. I was shocked by reading â€Å"Modest Proposal† because of the gap between the title and contents. The proposal was that people should sell their children for making their life better. The author said that his proposal has six benefits for Irish people. Also, I found that this reading has both negative and positive aspects forRead MoreHumanity versus Inhumanity: An Analysis of Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal1081 Words   |  5 Pagessophisticated proposer, in Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal, the targeted audience, the absentee landlords and parliament of England, and the reader naturally identify with the proposer. The proposer’s rigorous logic, serious and cynical tone deduces the ghastly proposition of cannibalism for economic, political, moral, and nationalistic gain. However, through the targeted audience’s identification with the proposer, Swift is able to propose the ironic humanity of his satirical proposal and thus indict colonialRead 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 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 JailRead MoreJonathan Swift Satire Analysis1108 Words   |  5 Pagesomparing Irony In both Mark Twain and Jonathan Swift’s articles there is an effective use of irony. Irony in satirical writing is normally used for the speaker to convey the opposite intended meaning to which they are stating; along with antiphrasis, the use of a word when the opposite meaning is implied, irony makes a valuable asset to satirical literature. The sarcastic use of irony was input to both readings to express the writer’s disappointment towards their societies teachings during theirRead MoreJonathan Swift s A Modest Proposal1809 Words   |  8 PagesJonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal is a satirical essay that sardonically uses an outrageous solution to the massive poverty in Ireland. He proposes this lengthy idea of eating children as the solution to the society’s problems. His serious yet hyperbolic and satirical style allows Swift an approach to get people engaged in the difficulties the Irish had to do to survive their everyday life. This essay explores Swift’s ability to use literary devices and how these techniques advance his idea aboutRead MoreIt Feels Miserable Without You†¦Almost Like Having You Here1221 Words   |  5 Pageswas found using it, they would be put to death by fire (Roman). Among those who have strong influences, Jonathan Swift wrote a wonderful explanation of satire in his preface to The Battle of the Books. He describes satire as a type of glass; the people looking in typically discover all other personage’s face except their own (Swift). Although it has some of its own hidden satirical elements, Swift’s explanation is a wonderful example of what satire has to offer. There is a probable assumption that