The major goal of writing a work of satire is to subversively expose social ills through exaggerations. The satirist holds a social and moral responsibility to inspire resistance, and that responsibility is to draw attention to failings of the government and often the people. Generally, people learn through absurdities. It is the absurdities that are memorable, because they offer a new perspective on issue that would otherwise not be given second thought. Swift’s A Modest Proposal highlights how absurd language can be an effective educational and revolutionary tool as it speaks to the audience both emotionally and intellectually. The mind may be tricked by the absurdities, but the emotions of the reader created a sort of disequilibrium. The …show more content…
satirist is one of the most effective public educators because of their ability to use humor to offer a critical perspective on other wise familiar and uncontested aspects of society. These exaggerations bring the reader’s attention to issues which they may be unconsciously be a part of. Awareness begins with humor and Revolution often begins with awareness. The historical moment of Swifts, a modest proposal is during a period of exploitation of Irish land, and Irish People (Historical Context in A Modest Proposal). At this time the lower class of Ireland was plagued with famine and poverty at the gain of the English. However, Swift presents this rampant poverty and starvation from the perspective of those witnessing the poverty from the outside when he claims, “It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and the cabin doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for alms (Swift 1). Swifts, carefully selection of words creates the image that these children are plaguing the streets. Swift makes it seems as though poverty is something the individual is guilty of rather then something society is guilty for enabling. In satire the reader is given the chance to perceive a familiar society in the same way as they would a foreign one. This image is created through words like object. The word object makes the poor individuals seem as though they lack agency, this relates to an idea that bell hooks states in Talking Back, that objects typically are acted upon rather then actors. The fact that swift highlights that the sight is melancholy for the observers and not the individuals suffering from poverty and famine highlights the goal of the satirist to create a new perspective; to observe one’s culture or society through the perspective of an outsider. Regarding the poverty and the starving women as a sight to see rather then a sight that should be unacceptable. Swift also also portrays the poor as a social pest, through creating the image of the children begging for alms.
The criticism that seems to be targeting the poor, is actually drawing attention the poor and inhumane treatment of the impoverished. Swift further articulates this mass maltreatment by using numerical diction in discussing his economic plan to cure the nation of poverty. Theorist Robert Phiddian argues that use of polytonality of the voices of Swift himself and swift as an economist works because these voices “center the text securely outside the reader” (Phiddian 608). The observation of poverty from an outside position helps to offer a perspective indifference which mirrors thos Individuals are typically are not open to criticize themselves so this text offers and alternative perspective of criticism is disguise as an absurd proposal for social …show more content…
reform. Satire has the ability to awaken people to issues which they would otherwise be unware of by presenting them in an unlikely way. In “Notes on Allegory and Satire” Elleb Leyburn highlights the connections between Allegory and Satire. One of the major point addressed in the article is the concept of satire as being a “social mirror” (Leyburn 323). This is the idea that Humor allows for conviction with out placing blame entirely on a single individual because of this satire is the epitome of passive aggressive. Satire uses “indirection” to make social commentary. in writing as Leyburn cites a claim made by swift himself saying, “Satire is a sort of glass, when in beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own” ( Leyburn 323). Essentially Swift is making the the argument that in looking for the faults with other people in a common society the individual is able to receive criticism without feeling personally targets. Satire provides the lens through which critical consciousness can be achieved. The target of consciousness are the areas in which society is collectively failing in a given aspect of morality. Swift relies on the rhetorical appeal of pathos, end ethos in creating “A Modest Proposal”, even if the shared collective values are morally wrong.
For instance, Swift argues that one of the benefits of his economic plan is, “that it will prevent those voluntary abortions, and those horrid practices of women murdering their bastard children” (Swift 2). Here reading the passage literally it becomes apparent that reproductive rights for women was not favored in the society. Swift prevents abortions as nuance in the same way that he presents the begging children as pests to societies. The use of the word” horrid”, and the need to prevent the birth of bastard children. Highlights the attitudes held by those in 1720 England about female reproductive rights. The women are presented as “Murders to children”. Through this use of language
swift
The main rhetorical challenge of this ironic essay is capturing the attention of an audience. Swift makes his point negatively, stringing together an appalling set of morally flawed positions in order to cast blame and criticize
In the first 7 paragraphs, Swift is using qualification. He starts of by saying “female sex” rather than saying women. This promptly reveals a clinical and technical perspective. This statement is also dehumanizing because it is very offensive to women. It makes them sound more like a material in a lab rather than a human being. He then talks about the problem of poverty through numbers, which reveals his overall qualification. He questions the “computation” of “projectors” which continues his technical diction. In the fourth paragraph he refers to a mom as a “dam” which could imply domestic animals. Paragraph 6 provides a model of exposition, supplying evidence and logical explanations. He then discusses some of the costs to sell children into slavery. Through all of the examples that were just provided, it shows the qualification through his
The essay “A Modest Proposal” written by Johnathan Swift takes a satirical view on how to solve the starvation issue in Ireland. Swift suggests an obviously satirical solution to eating children around the age of one. He used irony, ambiguity, and ethos to emphasize the satirical nature of the essay and present a captivating idea to the audience. Swift used irony throughout the essay, beginning with the title, “A Modest Proposal”. The irony of the title gives the audience a false idea of what the essay will be, later on he gives his argument and the title serves as an ironic statement.
In the time frame that Swifts’ A Modest Proposal was written Ireland was going through political, economic, and religious struggles. In 1729 England had contrived, with the help of Irish venality, to wreck Ireland’s merchant marine, agriculture, and wool industry. Prostitutes in Swift’s paper are having kids like senseless people, but yet they can’t afford to feed them. Jonathan Swift proposes that his people should sell the babies and eat them. He thinks this would help solve the problem of over population. Swift tried to give his people pamphlets on how to fix the problem that was plaguing their country, but they ignored them. Swift says “These mothers, instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in strolling to beg sustenance for their helpless infants.”(1) Swift proposes that the mothers sell the babies for 8 shillings; the rich would find the child to be a delicacy and the extra money would go to the landlord. So everyone would benefit from this proposal. He does this as a way of making his people aware of what is going on in their
One of the other voices that is present throughout the entire story is that of sarcasm. In order to understand this further, a reader has to comprehend that Swift, becoming infamous after Gullivers Travels, was a member of the upper-class. Right from the first paragraph Swift attempts to fool his readers by the sarcasm of the dreary scene that Swift presents. For example, he mentions that it is a melancholy sight to see beggars and their children on the street. The sarcastic paradox in this statement is whether it is a melancholy object for him, having to see homeless people every day, or for the beggars lifestyle? Upon first reading this one may be led to believe that Swift is a compassionate writer attempting to feel the pain of the beggars. But as the story continues, a reader can look back and note that he is using a sarcastic tone and the only sad sight that he sees is the fact that people of his status have to deal with commoners.
In 1729, Jonathan Swift published a pamphlet called “A Modest Proposal”. It is a satirical piece that described a radical and humorous proposal to a very serious problem. The problem Swift was attacking was the poverty and state of destitution that Ireland was in at the time. Swift wanted to bring attention to the seriousness of the problem and does so by satirically proposing to eat the babies of poor families in order to rid Ireland of poverty. Clearly, this proposal is not to be taken seriously, but merely to prompt others to work to better the state of the nation. Swift hoped to reach not only the people of Ireland who he was calling to action, but the British, who were oppressing the poor. He writes with contempt for those who are oppressing the Irish and also dissatisfaction with the people in Ireland themselves to be oppressed.
Swift develops a somber tone throughout the essay that contrasts with a cheery or delightful mood. The introduction of his proposal opens with a somber tone of poverty and disparity that is demonstrated by incorporating language such as “melancholy object” and “helpless infants.” He further demonstrates the poverty and issues by alluding to Barbados, a place where the Irish immigrated due to poverty. The citizens are illustrated to live in famine as stated in “wanting food and raiment for the rest of their lives.” This example illustrates the situation of the people in the country and raises awareness of the despicable situation with such blunt diction. Ironically, the poverty got worse as Swift describes it as a “deplorable state of affairs.” In addition, irony created in this juxtaposition in describing children as a “prodigious number” which elevates their status and leads the tone to be one of del...
Imagine reading an anonymous work that promotes cannibalism! Swift eventually had to reveal himself and the purpose of his pamphlet, which was to exaggerate the steps necessary to stop the Irish famine and poverty epidemic. A Modest Proposal is almost a scare tactic. It brings attention to the distances people will go to stop hunger and homelessness. The audience of rich, land-owning men were expected to take the text to heart.
Swift's opposition is. indirectly presented in the report. The author uses satire to accomplish his objective not only because he is able to conceal his true identity but also because it is the most effective way to awake the people of Ireland into seeing their own deprivation. Firstly, the narrative voice begins the essay by describing the horrible conditions in which the Irish peasants live. He demonstrates there is a serious problem with a great need for a solution.
Swift begins his argument by stating his view on the situation and displaying his annoyance. He states, "It is a melancholy object to those who walk through this great town or travel in the country when they see the streets, roads, and cabin doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms" (Swift 1). He uses melancholic imagery for the readers to sympathize with the suffering children and to understand their situation. Similarly, Swift displays his disgust for the wealthy by stating that "There is likewise another great advantage in my scheme, that it will prevent those voluntary abortions, and that horrid practice of women murdering their bastard children… which would move tears in the most savage and inhumane beast" (1). He talks about abortion and shows how ghastly and disheartening the practice is. Clearly, Swift makes use of pathos to slowly gain the reader’s confidence in preparation for his appalling proposal. He knows that many will be emotionally affected by his proposal because no one would want their own c...
Humor can come in many different forms. Many people are aware of the blatant humor of slapstick, but it takes a keener mind to notice the subtle detail in sarcasm or satire. In A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift was able to create a piece of literature addressing the faults of the Irish culture while embedding in a humorous essay. Swift’s satire allows for the gravity of the Irish standings to be exploited under the disguise of a proposal for economic benefit.
... Proposal as a Horatian satire. The tone is only good humored to an extent and is laden with sarcasm such as “therefore let no man talk to me of expedients: of taxing our absentees”, as well as absurd, morally distasteful logic. Furthermore, as construed above, the use of the urbane voice of the proposer is not a supplement to a sophisticated argument, but one cleverly used in unison with irony and sarcasm. This use of clever diction helps to promote effective discussion among aristocrats and peasants alike in the hope of deciphering the real meaning of Swift’s proposal. The point of the essay was to uniquely grab the attention of observes who have been indifferent to the plight of the lower class. Through the aforementioned reasoning, Swift does this through the clever implementation of Juvenelian satire in way that the straight forward Horatian satire could not.
In “A Modest Proposal,” Swift employs a satirical tone to mock both the callous attitudes towards the poor and the poor themselves. Swifts “modest” solution to the fiscal and social issues going on in Ireland is nothing but the opposite, as he proposes that the impoverished should sell their infants as food for money. In using the word “modest” to describe his proposal of eating Irish infants and/or offering their flesh as a source of clothing, Swift makes the sarcasm of his story evident from the beginning. By using such an inconspicu...
Jonathan Swift employs satire, irony, and humor in his political pamphlet A Modest Proposal in order to bring attention to, and in some cases lampoon, many different issues in his country of Ireland. The chief issue among these being the growing disparity between the rich and the poor. Swift’s “modest proposal” turns out to be anything but, and he masterfully creates a long running joke throughout his pamphlet that never concretely delivers the punchline until the very end. This underlying, sapling, humor forces his audience into taking his ironic proposal seriously until the final moments of the proposal, making the irony throughout all the more effective. A Modest Proposal introduces such a horribly ironic plan that the reader’s natural instinct
“Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own” (Swift). Such beholders, as Jonathan Swift astutely emphasizes, are intended, through guidance of satiric narrative, to recognize social or political plights. In some satires, as in Swift’s own A Modest Proposal, the use of absurd, blatant exaggeration is intended to capture an indolent audience’s attention regarding the social state of the poor. Yet even in such a direct satire, there exists another layer of meaning. In regards to A Modest Proposal, the interchange between the voice of the proposer and Swift’s voice introduces another medium of criticism, as well as the opportunity for readers to reflect on how well they may fit the proposer’s persona. In such as case, the satire exists on multiple levels of meaning—not only offering conclusions about moral problems, but also allowing the audience to an interpretation of their place among the criticism.