A Modest Proposal Rhetorical Analysis

Sell your children for money! Children caused a great burden to their poor parents in Ireland, and to lift that burden, there was proposed by Jonathan Swift to convert the overpopulation of infants born of the poor into a benefit to the public. In his essay, A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift is reacting to the circumstances of his time. Jonathan Swift was a protestant and a satirical Irish writer, native to Ireland, who lived from 1667-1745. In the late 1720’s Ireland had political, economic and religious struggles, which had caused it to become a virtual English colony. Swift came and caused uproar to condemn the arrogance and greed of the rich English men, and the religious fanatics. Here is posed the question, what three specific things were going on when Swift wrote A Modest Proposal?

One circumstance that was going on during that time was the poor irish family conditions. There were a great number of poor people, such as mothers with children, in that land, and they were starving, earning little for money and reaping what they could from begging. “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: who as they grow up either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes.” This was a grave situation since there were thousands of these circumstances all around.

Ireland was very populated in the cities and towns, and since there were so many people, resources began dwindling.

This lack of resources came from the overpopulation of children from catholic parents. Families of these children were just too poor to take care of them, feed them, and keep them clothed. Jobs are few for young children also. “Each year, several hundred thousand babies are born to Irish parents. If you subtract those who are born to well-to-do parents, those who are stillborn, and those who die after birth as a result of disease or accident, you are still left with about 120,000 babies who have to be supported by poor parents.” This leaves them to be cared for and fed by the economy, which wasn’t strong. Therefore they were only a burden to those taking care of

them.

The last circumstance going on during Swift’s time was economic and social problems. Ireland, with so many poor people, would have to rely on economic growth for support. The problem was that there were too many people to take care of. People used money. Swift’s solution of selling infants as food for an income would have gained money, provided an income for poor people, and eliminate taxes on the rich to support the poor. Prejudice was cultivated against the catholics of the time, and Swift was calling attention to the abuses placed upon them.