A Modest Proposal Rhetorical Analysis
Jonathan Swift, in the satirical essay “A Modest Proposal”, claims that Ireland and its people are being force into poverty by the English and because nothing productive has been done to change this he proposes the satirical solution of selling the poor Irish babies to rich Englishmen as food. Swift supports his proposal by taking on the persona of a rich Englishman and uses irony and sarcasm to make the proposal seem as horrendous and dehumanized as possible to the Irish so that they will stand up and rise out of poverty.
Firstly, Jonathan Swift uses irony to bring out the evils of the Englishmen’s proposals to fix the problem of poverty. In paragraph five for instance, Swift writes that a great advantage to his proposal is that it will prevent the horrid practice of abortion. Swift is stating that, instead of killing an unwanted child through abortion, you can sell them to someone of worth to be eaten. In a like manner, in paragraph seventeen, Swift describes a man whose virtues he highly esteems. This man goes on to explain his take on the modest proposal, which is that the lack of venison in the kingdom could be replace with “the Bodies of young Lads and Maidens,” to support his position ( A virtuous man wishing to supply the citizens of the kingdom …show more content…
with the bodies of poor children for sustenance). Swift speaks these things in the persona of an Englishman to truly show to the Irish how truly barbaric the English can be.
Secondly, Swift uses sarcasm to bash the English in the eyes of the Irish.
For example, in paragraph thirteen Swift writes that infant’s flesh will be in season throughout the year, but more plentifully after Lent. In addition, Swift writes in paragraph twenty-three that “the Nation’s Stock will be thereby increased fifty thousand pounds per Annum, besides the profit of a new Dish”. The reason Swift choose to write these things is to show the long lasting consequences that could come to pass if the Irish choose to continue sitting idly by. Swift also writes in this way not only to rally the Irish, but also to attack the English because they are doing nothing to ease or fix the problems that the Irish are
facing.
In conclusion, Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” was written for many reasons. Swift was an Irishman who lived England, and was able to see both sides of the poverty problem and was not pleased with either the English or the Irish. Swift wrote his satirical essay to attack the English for doing nothing to fix the problem and criticize the Irish for sitting by and doing nothing for themselves. Swift does this by using irony and sarcasm throughout his essay to bring out the atrociousness in both sides.
Firstly, Jonathan Swift uses irony to bring out the evils of the Englishmen’s proposals to fix the problem of poverty. In paragraph five for instance, Swift writes that a great advantage to his proposal is that it will prevent the horrid practice of abortion. Swift is stating that, instead of killing an unwanted child through abortion, you can sell them to someone of worth to be eaten. In a like manner, in paragraph seventeen, Swift describes a man whose virtues he highly esteems. This man goes on to explain his take on the modest proposal, which is that the lack of venison in the kingdom could be replace with “the Bodies of young Lads and Maidens,” to support his position ( A virtuous man wishing to supply the citizens of the kingdom …show more content…
with the bodies of poor children for sustenance). Swift speaks these things in the persona of an Englishman to truly show to the Irish how truly barbaric the English can be.
Secondly, Swift uses sarcasm to bash the English in the eyes of the Irish.
For example, in paragraph thirteen Swift writes that infant’s flesh will be in season throughout the year, but more plentifully after Lent. In addition, Swift writes in paragraph twenty-three that “the Nation’s Stock will be thereby increased fifty thousand pounds per Annum, besides the profit of a new Dish”. The reason Swift choose to write these things is to show the long lasting consequences that could come to pass if the Irish choose to continue sitting idly by. Swift also writes in this way not only to rally the Irish, but also to attack the English because they are doing nothing to ease or fix the problems that the Irish are
facing.
In conclusion, Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” was written for many reasons. Swift was an Irishman who lived England, and was able to see both sides of the poverty problem and was not pleased with either the English or the Irish. Swift wrote his satirical essay to attack the English for doing nothing to fix the problem and criticize the Irish for sitting by and doing nothing for themselves. Swift does this by using irony and sarcasm throughout his essay to bring out the atrociousness in both sides.