The Modest Proposal Analysis

In The Modest Proposal published in 1729 by Dr. Jonathan Swift, he feels pity for the Irish in the sense that they have destroyed themselves by having children who cannot contribute to society. For example, Swift proposes that the Anglo-Irish should pity those when “ they see the streets, the roads and cabbin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags.” The purpose for this was to show how children and mothers are unable to survive as men who have fathered the children have left, therefore people of higher class should be saddened by this sight. Next, Dr. Swift insists that the Irish “can neither employ them in handicraft or agriculture” most definitely meaning that the poor Irish peasants are not intelligent enough to find a suitable job to take care of their families. Likewise, this is caused by
Additionally, Swift continues this crazy proposal as he recommends that people should be“buying the children alive, and dressing them hot from the knife, as we do roasting pigs.” Dr. Swift keeps up this foolish act of advocating cannibalism in order to seem like he is truly for the act in the satirical piece. Also, he is relentless with the satire opening with “the skin of which, artificially dressed, will make admirable gloves for ladies, and summer boots for fine gentlemen.” The purpose of this was to show that fixing the population and poverty issues would allow the upper class nobles to also live in fashion. All of these quotes tell of how he will go to produce absurd schemes that are meant to be satirical but makes them sound like he is serious about cannibalism and skinning the dead