Satire Essay

Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” was originally printed in the form of a pamphlet. In 1729, the year Swift had publicized this story, a pamphlet was a written work that stepped up against political, religious, social, or any other issue of public interest. He had written it to call for change against the abuse inflicted on Irish Catholics by the English Protestants. Swift had noticed that England was exploiting and oppressing his native country, Ireland. He aimed to stir up a revolution by suggesting that the Irish prevent their young children of being a burden to their parents or country by being eaten or sold for consumption. Pamphleteers, such as Jonathan Swift, were significant roles in resolving many of the controversies in Europe in the fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen hundreds. In 1724, Jonathan Swift led the Irish people in the resistance against England. He proposed the satirical idea that the Irish could solve their problems of starvation and overpopulation of the poor by eating their young children. By 1703, English Protestants had acquired a lot more of land/estates in Ireland than the Irish Catholics. The English had acquired 90% of the land and estates of Ireland. While this was happening, legislation was passed that seriously limited the rights of the Irish to purchase real estate, hold any governmental office, obtain any education, or advance themselves in other important ways. Unfortunately, most of the Irish had accepted the abuse rather than calling for revolution themselves. Selling or eating young children was seen as immoral to every person during this time, and Swift figured that if he proposed such an idea that it would spark change in the country of Ireland. If this proposal had been enacted by the people, Irish tenants would not have to be shown mercy by their English landlords due to the fact that they can now pay for their high rents, thanks to the sale of their children. Women would take excellent care of their babies because