What is Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” about?
“A Modest Proposal” is a satirical essay written by Jonathan Swift in 1729. The essay is a response to the severe poverty and starvation in Ireland during the early 18th century, particularly among the poor and the Irish Catholics. Swift’s primary purpose in writing this essay was to criticize the English government’s policies and the indifference of the wealthy towards the plight of the Irish people. The essay is famous for its shocking and graphic proposal to solve the problem of poverty: the suggestion that the poor Irish should sell their children as food for the wealthy. This extreme and bizarre suggestion serves as a means to expose the absurdity and immorality of the social and economic conditions of the time.
The essay begins with a description of the dire situation in Ireland, where the poor are struggling to survive and the wealthy are indifferent to their suffering. Swift writes, “I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well-nourished is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout.” This opening statement is a bold and shocking introduction to the essay’s main proposal.
Swift’s proposal is not only shocking but also deeply offensive to the readers of the time. He argues that by selling their children as food, the poor Irish could alleviate their financial burdens and improve their living conditions. This idea is intended to provoke the readers into questioning the morality of their own society and the government’s policies.
Throughout the essay, Swift employs a variety of literary techniques to emphasize his point. He uses sarcasm, irony, and hyperbole to expose the absurdity of the social and economic conditions in Ireland. For example, he writes, “I am not very well versed in the economics of this country, but I believe that the sale of children would be a great benefit to the state, for it would provide a substantial source of revenue for the government and reduce the number of poor people who are a burden on society.”
In conclusion, “A Modest Proposal” is a powerful and thought-provoking essay that serves as a scathing critique of the social and economic conditions in Ireland during the early 18th century. Swift’s shocking proposal is a means to expose the immorality and absurdity of the time, and to provoke readers into questioning their own society and the government’s policies. The essay remains a classic example of satirical writing and continues to be studied and discussed to this day.
