Pathos In A Modest Proposal

In A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift, the author proposes a plan to help evoke a sense of pity for Dublin’s poor. A satirical tone is expressed throughout as Swift ‘modestly’ proposes a plan to kill underprivileged children. Through the use of ethos, logos, pathos, and kairos, Swift expresses ways to improve his country. Throughout the story, Swift uses ethos to help create a sense of credence towards his ideas. Swift’s proposal describes how Dublin could potentially benefit from it. He states how he has “no children, by which I can propose to get a single penny” from, furthering his creditability (Swift 119). He is solely only trying to help his country. Ironically, Swift has no personal gain from this, only Dublin as a whole does. The
He creates this awful solution to help express and bring attention upon all the problems in Dublin. Swift begins by describing how “beggars of the female sex” will be followed by several children “all in rags” creating a sense of pity (Swift 113). By describing the female as unable to support her children, the reader has a sense of urgency to help her. This further proves how Swift wants to ultimately help his country. Swift then continues to describe his plan in killing the unprivileged children. He says that after death “those who are more thrifty” may keep the skin and “make admirable gloves…and summer boots,” creating an awful emotional response. Swift is also mocking the wealthy by expressing how only extreme measures could potentially make them happy. Swift overall wants to show how the poor could only do extreme measures to create happiness among the upper class. He is essentially trying to create and emotion of pity towards the poor. He wants the wealthy to become more aware to the problems among the lower class and to help instead of letting them fend for themselves. Through the use of pathos, Swift helps create a sense of urgency in helping/changing his
The fact that mothers “are forced…to beg sustenance” for their children makes this plan very appealing to the readers (Swift 113). If he had written his proposal before or after all these problems were at its peak then it wouldn’t have been acceptable, written for satirical purposes or not. The proposal would have no purpose otherwise. Swift is writing this proposal at this time to help raise awareness to all the problems at the time. Swift continues to use a satirical tone throughout as he then goes on to describe how the landlords “have already devoured most of the parents” further describing the problems in Dublin (Swift 115). He wants people to realize the lower class parents are already doing everything they can to support their families, yet are still being “devoured.” This further proves how the kairos of his proposal was essentially the most important factor. Furthermore the kairos of the proposal helped make it more acceptable, allowing him to help his country. In A Modest Proposal, Johnathan Swift creates a plan to help the unprivileged and overall help his country. Through the use of ethos, logos, pathos, and kairos a satirical tone is expressed throughout. Swift mocks the upper class throughout and helps express the problems in Dublin at the moment. Swift writes about these problems to help raise awareness and potentially help his