A Modest Proposal A Satire

Unsurprisingly, desperate times call for desperate measures. For example, the despairing people of Ireland turned to a purposely uncouth article, A Modest Proposal, as a guide to the upheaval of landlords. Intending to enrage the people, Jonathan Swift wielded words that related to flesh eating and anything barbaric in nature to rejuvenate Dublin, Ireland when poverty and starvation struck. Despite the piece being nothing short of outrageous, his use of satire and irony revealed his true views regarding poverty, and even relates to today and times to come.

By being so ridiculous, such as comparing poor woman to dams and promoting carnivorous behaviors not in favor of children, Swift highlights key issues and forces the people of Ireland to see that there are, indeed, simpler solutions. At one point, Jonathan suggests that only the rich can eat the children because the meal would be quite expensive. In an attempt to expose the wealthy as wrongdoers, he uses irony and satire. Ironically, the children would be prepared for the wealthy and not the starving who sacrificed them. Nevertheless, he later divulges his remedy. Swifts speaks of rallying each other to create a sense of national pride, to industrialize Ireland, decrease importing luxurious items and dispel the want of them, boost the local economy,

and promote small businesses. Swifts outlook is conservative considering he suggests living simply and honestly, but this would be a radical change for citizens in this time.
Without the constraints of time, swift's writings are still relevant even today.

The people living in Flint fight large powers, slavery continues, the wage gap is real, poverty is still here in America, and innocent people overseas are choking on gas that our President has polluted their air with. There is no doubt, that this piece is relevant. Poverty still cripples nations, people are dying of thirst and starvation, and true dictators rule with fear. North Koreans, regular citizens there, are oppressed purposely so they do not oppose the ruler. Many dictators use food and water to regulate people. Swift is a man of the people and understands what must be

done.
Best said by Edgar Allen Poe, "Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality." The people read A Modest Proposal and realized that they had the power to change their situation. Even dripped in Satire, the uneducated understood what Swift called for. Americans are privileged with the right to vote and we must use our freedoms to benefit ourselves and others. Swifts timeless piece not only emboldened the people of his time, but it continues to invigorate the masses today.