INFORMATION ABOUT A MODEST PROPOSAL.

Irony, Hyperbole, and Satire in the Service of Truth:

William Shakespeare remains the most important playwright of the Modern English
language. His insights into the human condition is as relevant today as they were more
than four hundred years ago. Jonathan Swift was born in 1667 and wrote Gulliver's
Travels and "A Modest Proposal." Swift lived in Dublin and would have seen the poverty
and the suffering of the Irish around him. Both Shakespeare and Swift were masters of
irony (saying one thing when another is meant), hyperbole (ridiculous exaggeration) and
satire (commenting on social issues through the use of irony and imagery).

Jonathan Swift, a well-known author, in his essay “A Modest

Proposal,” implies that the Irish people should eat children so that
they can better their chances of survival. Swift supports his implication
by describing how his proposal will have many advantages such as,
eliminating papists, bringing great custom to taverns, and inducing
marriages. He comes up with an absurd proposal to eat and sell the
children to the elite so the Irish can have a brighter future. His purpose
is to show that the Irish deserve better treatment from the English.
Throughout his essay, Swift uses sarcasm, satire, and irony.

Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony that mocks, ridicules, or expresses

disapproval. It's really more a tone of voice than a rhetorical device. You're
saying the opposite of what you mean (verbal irony) and doing it in a particularly
hostile tone.
Satire is used in many works of literature to show foolishness or vice in humans,
organizations, or even governments - it uses sarcasm, ridicule, or irony. For
example, satire is often used to achieve political or social change, or to prevent
it. Satire is a technique employed by writers to expose and criticize
foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society, by
using humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule. It intends to improve
humanity by criticizing its follies and foibles. A writer in a satire uses
fictional characters, which stand for real people, to expose and
condemn their corruption.
Swift’s, “A Modest Proposal” outlines the solution for the famine in Ireland in the early
1700’s. The solution proposed by Swift is that poor families should sell their newborn
babies to rich families to eat. He explains how logical it would be for poor families to
make money, have less children to feed, and for rich families to have a high quality
protein source. Swift is as kind as to include different ways and suggested recipes for
cooking these babies.
offers a satirical solution to the problem of Irish poverty and oppression.
IRONY

Ironic, Cynical

The idea that a young child could serve as a snack is just a tad ironic. The
narrator "humbly" proposes his thoughts on cannibalism as if they're perfectly
legitimate, ignoring the fact that they break every rule in the book (9). As
readers, we know that eating children is not going to happen, no way, no how.

But by using an ironic tone, Swift gives us a glimpse at the terrible conditions in
Ireland:

I can think of no one objection that will possibly be raised against this proposal,
unless it be urged that the number of people will be thereby much lessened in
the kingdom. (28)
Notice all that contempt? If Swift were Mr. Freeze, the slumlords of Ireland
would be popsicles right about now. Swift's not shying away from harsh
judgments of his least favorite landowners. But since he's writing satire, there's
a little more leeway for rage.

Furthermore, the logical appeals the author provides along with low-class’
scarce opportunities and government’s futile attempts to improve the
situation, clearly portray the existence of social injustices at the time.
Likewise, the writer’s ultimate goal is also betrayed being it closely related to
the fact that regardless of the cruelty of the actions, the smugness of the
high classes needs to be present at all costs.

By presenting the problem and offering a lot of measures stating that

consuming infants would save their economy it can be inferred that it is a
persuasive piece.

Swift uses irony in this passage to stress how ridiculous this “proposal” is. The
suggestion of eating children to lessen poverty is one of extreme cruelty. By
saying that it is “a little bordering upon cruelty” shows that Swift is not serious in
his suggestion.
“Then as to the females, it would, I think, with humble submission be a loss to
the public, because they soon would become breeders themselves; and
besides, it is not improbable that some scrupulous people might be apt to
censure such a practice (although indeed very unjustly), as a little bordering
upon cruelty; which, I confess, hath always been with me the strongest
objection against any project, however well soever intended.” (Manis, 1997, 8-9)

when he proposes eating children as a way of stopping famine what is

inferred through the use of satire. Subsequently, by providing readers with
certain statistics which are aimed at showing overpopulation, taking heed of
Government disinterest in the matter as well as the urgent need to take
action.

To begin with, the author makes up the hopeless and blatant atmosphere by
setting the onset of the story in the crowded streets of Ireland in which people
are about to starve to death due to the lack of food. He makes use of logical
appeals, in particular statistics, to support the matter mentioning: “ I calculate
there may be about two hundred thousand couple whose wives are
breeders’” and “how this number shall be reared and provided for.”

Henceforward, the author proposes a solution to the aforementioned problem

by elucidating: “I am assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance
in London; that a young healthy child, well nursed, 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 ragout.”
(A Modest Proposal, p. 207) Thusly, Swift grounds the gastronomical side of
his satirical proposal by suggesting that Irish ought to eat their own next of kin
children. Besides, an image of them, either in a fricassee or a ragout, can be
read between the lines not only as something abhorrent but also barbaric in
spite of starting with a description of the creepy situation they used to live, what
might make the reader believe that another workable and peaceful solution is to
be sought instead of mentioning such an atrocious idea.
Secondly,
Another rhetorical device that Jonathan Swift use in his work is irony. He
says ‘I calculate there may be about two hundred thousand couple whose
wives are breeders’ and ‘how this number shall be reared and provided
for’. This suggestion is ironic because he compares women to animals.
Also, this creates a good argument because human beings do not breed
and cannot be reared. He therefore dehumanizes human beings and
creates satire in this statement.

Thusly, Swift mentions the creepy situation of female beggars, teeming with
children around them, being coerced into asking for alms in order to sustain
their defenceless creatures, as illustrated “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” (Manis, 1997, 3). Notably, the use
of the word “forced” therefore embraces the fact that women in those factual
circumstances had no other alternative but to rampantly beseech, were they to
keep their children alive. As a result of this, it is the author that makes the
reader take compassion on both, mothers and children, creating a sense of
sympathy towards them at the same time he roundly criticizes the way of living.