Jonathan Swift's 'A Modest Proposal' Analysis and Critique

This assignment is an analysis of Jonathan Swift's 'A Modest Proposal'. It explores the satirical nature of the essay, examining Swift's use of irony to critique societal issues in Ireland. The analysis highlights the essay's themes of poverty, social injustice, and the author's commentary on the Irish people's passivity and the ruling class's indifference. The essay also discusses Swift's proposed solution – a shocking and controversial proposal to address the economic problems of Ireland by suggesting the consumption of children – as a means to expose the absurdity of the situation. Furthermore, it references the works of Nokes and Swift himself, to support the interpretation and understanding of the essay's context and the author's intentions. The essay concludes with a reflection on the importance of reforms and the need for individuals to take action against injustice.

Running head: WRITE UP
A modest proposal
By
Jonathan Swift
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1WRITE UP
Introduction
Modest Proposal is written by Jonathan Swift in the year 1729 is a satirical essay. In
this writing Swift expresses his grief by stating that the Irish people must raise more number
of children in order to sell them to the rich gentlemen for food (Swift; Nokes).
Discussion
Modest proposal is a satirical essay because through his writing he wanted to suggest
that Irish people must lessen their burden by growing Children and sell them for food to the
Irish economically well established man (Nokes). Swift’s main target is to blame the people
of Ireland who are not taking any initiatives to combat the problems of poverty (Swift).
The position of the narrator’s on the solution is being ironic. He accused the society of
Ireland where the children are being raised in a poverty stricken condition and in order to
give boost to the economy of Ireland, the children should be baked boiled stew and they
should be well used by the economical people of the country (Nokes). Even if the population
reduces out of this, it would be easier for the King to administer the country (Swift).
Over here the author was ironic enough to suggest that the poverty stricken people of
Ireland would not take any steps against the injustices done to them. If it is not the people
who can help themselves out, it cannot be anyone who can help them out (Nokes). The writer
even talked about reforms for not selling the country to the economical people and rejecting
the foreign luxury and work for the country (Swift).
Conclusion
The writer being ironical while judging the poem and Writer in the end expects no
men should talk of reforms unless they are putting them into practice (Nokes)

2WRITE UP
References
Nokes, David. Jonathan Swift: A Hypocrite Reversed. Faber & Faber, 2014.
Swift, Jonathan. "A modest proposal." Cooking, Eating, Thinking: Transformative
Philosophies of Food 704 (1992): 353.