Publication Year and Historical Context of “A Modest Proposal”
Swift’s 1729 work, A Modest Proposal, satirized the tense Anglo-Irish relationship and the declining standard of living among ordinary people. The Norman invasion in the late 12th century marked the start of 700 years of interaction between the two islands, which are geographically close but geographically distinct (the greatest distance between them is roughly 150 miles) (Stamp).
When a revolt led by the Lord of Kildare challenged royal hegemony in 1541, the Irish Parliament conferred the title of King of Ireland on Henry VIII, symbolizing the English Crown’s complete rule over the island (Stamp). Thousands of Protestant immigrants from England and Scotland drove out many Catholic landowners, setting the stage for intermittent sectarian and military strife that would last generations (Stamp). William of Orange’s victory against James II at the Battle of Boyne in 1690 is still remembered and lamented as a defining moment in Protestant supremacy, which was established through the wars of the middle and late 17th centuries (Stamp).
Ireland had hit hard times politically and economically in 1729. This can be seen in the proposal through the first lines: “the streets, the 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 lines 3-6). As England had ruled the nation for over 500 years, the economy and society naturally suffered (Lamoureux). Trade restrictions had severely damaged the economy, and the resulting unemployment had resulted in widespread poverty and hunger (Lamoureux). Beggars were a regular sight on the streets. The bleak circumstances were exacerbated by overpopulation and congestion, and there was no reason to believe they would ever improve (Lamoureux).
Jonathan Swift was an Anglo-Irish writer born in Dublin in 1667 to Anglican parents (Lamoureux). Swift, a ruling class member, became actively engaged in Irish politics in the early 1700s (Lamoureux). He was concerned with drawing attention to the terrible effects of England’s unjust politics on the Irish people. He repeatedly pleaded with the Irish Parliament to enact populist legislation but to no avail. He took to writing as an outlet after becoming frustrated with the slow pace of improvement.
To make matters worse, an English Protestant minority governed over a mostly Roman Catholic Ireland (Lamoureux). Many Irish people were quite angry with the English because of this. In contrast, anti-Catholic animosity was widespread in Protestant-dominated England at that period.
Main Idea of Swift’s Proposal for Improving Conditions in Ireland
The core of Swift’s argument is that the Irish Parliament should do more to help people experiencing poverty. Swift also accuses landlords of being exploitative toward people with low incomes because of the high cost of the rent. As the well-off and the well-established do not face the same difficulties as the impoverished, Swift aimed his idea at them. His plan was written in a language that could be understood by the affluent and the politicians, but people with low incomes could not. This way, he could attack the rich and politicians, pointing out their hypocrisy and corruption. It can be seen clearly in the first lines where he illustrates beggars as a nuance demonstrating the hypocrisy of the wealthy (Swift lines 1-3).
In lines 13-15, Swift similarly emphasizes this aspect, “cheap and easy method of making these children sound and useful members of the Commonwealth, would deserve so well of the public, as to have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation.” Swift wanted to draw the attention of the government and the affluent to the plight of people experiencing poverty so that something might be done to improve their living circumstances (Bowers). He intended to cease exploiting people with low incomes and stop perceiving them as a commodity.
Rhetorical Strategy Used by Swift in His Proposal
Swift used satire to condemn the affluent for their ineffectual and self-centered solutions to Ireland’s poverty problem and to stress that no morally appropriate answer would put the interests of the poor first. His use of rhetorical devices like hyperbole, reversal, and appeals to fairness and morality serve to emphasize his arguments. Swift contends that the issue of poverty may be solved by eating underprivileged children to end their daily pain.
Swift writes early on that “delicious, nutritious, and healthful meals” (Swift line 59) best describe children. Since no decent human being would ever advocate for cannibalism as a way to aid the impoverished, the essay’s central argument is a gross exaggeration. The youngsters being devoured are only one example of how Ireland’s poor are exploited for the advantage of the country’s affluent.
Swift spends most of the article demonstrating how the rich may get the most out of the poor without feeling any guilt about the plight they have put themselves in. Since his solution’s primary goal was to aid people experiencing poverty, he goes into detail on how to “flay the carcass, the skin of which, artificially dressed, will make admirable gloves for ladies and summer boots for fine gentlemen” (Swift line 94) and stresses its efficacy throughout these sections. This exemplifies how Swift utilizes hyperbole to condemn the ineffectual and selfish character of remedies presented by the affluent to Ireland’s poverty crisis and to stress that no morally good but practical answer would put people experiencing poverty first.
The advocacy of an extreme course of action shows the urgency of finding a reasonable answer to the problem of poverty. The fact that even Swift’s extreme assertion was taken into account demonstrates that the ruling elite in Ireland had gone too far to find a moral solution that would aid people experiencing poverty is telling in itself. Nonetheless, Swift exaggerates to condemn the affluent for their inadequate and self-serving answers to Ireland’s poverty.
Personal Reaction to Swift’s Proposal
In my view, this satirical piece by Swift is the perfect example of how dire the situation between the two countries was and the people in each of those countries. It is upsetting to contemplate the possibility of such a dismal future for both the people and the society. My response to it was slight confusion and horror, even though Swift’s plan is close to a darkly hilarious technique of informing the rulers and the affluent of the dreadful situation.
While I get the comedy, reading about such a proposal is scary and makes me feel horrible, even though I appreciate the attempt at wit. The detailed closing lines express how he was forced to write such menacing. He says, “I profess, in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavoring to promote this necessary work” (Swift line 234). Consequently, for me, this work is associated with difficulty and suffering.
Works Cited
Bowers, Terence. “Swift, Jonathan.” Enlightenment Revolution. Web.
Lamoureux, Aimee. “Eating Kids as a Solution to Food Shortages: Why One Famous Writer Once Proposed It in ‘A Modest Proposal.’” All That’s Interesting, All That’s Interesting. 2018. Web.
Stamp, Gavin. “Neighbours across the Sea: A Brief History of Anglo-Irish Relations.” BBC News, BBC. 2014. Web.
Swift, Jonathan. A Modest Proposal.(1729). RS Bear, 1999.