Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal And The Daily Show

In the essay “A Modest Proposal” written by Jonathan Swift, the author proposes a solution for hunger, poverty, and overcrowding in Ireland by eating children. Swift uses satire and sarcasm throughout his entire essay in order to grab his audience’s attention. The essay discusses how the British government treats the people of Ireland and compares it to the consumption and trade of human babies. In paragraphs 20 to 26 Swift lists advantages of his proposal, also with rhetorical appeals and rhetorical devices strategies such as metonymy, oxymoron, metaphor, and irony to develop his position in the argument and reveal the real meaning behind his proposal.

The satirical essay “A Modest Proposal” written and published in in 1729 by an Anglo- Irish man named Jonathan Swift, in response to the worsening conditions of Ireland, was one of his most controversial and severe writings of his time. The narrator in Swift’s essay “A Modest Proposal” argues for a drastic and radical end to poverty in Ireland. Swift’s proposal suggests that the needy, poor people of Ireland can ease their troubles simply by selling their children as food to the rich and make them useful, benefitting the public. With the use of irony, exaggeration and ridicule Swift mocks feelings and attitudes towards the poor people of Ireland and the politicians. However, with the use of satire Swift creates a

Throughout this piece Swift uses ethos, pathos and logos to further prove his point of children being a burden to their poor parents and country and by getting rid of them great things can come out of it such as food, clothing and accessories for people. He uses the rhetorical devices to add logic, emotion and credibility to his plan. Johnathan Swift’s purpose for writing “A Modest Proposal” is to inform the public of a solution to Ireland’s poverty in a comedic way.

Since its original publishing in 1729, Jonathan Swift’s pamphlet “A Modest Proposal” has endured for its rhetorical complexity (and sheer satirical absurdities). Through judicious use of ethos (ethical appeal), logos (logical appeal), and pathos (emotional appeal), Swift crafts a sarcastic, insincere, overly embellished argument to address Irelands food shortage and economic crisis meant to simultaneously entice and repulse readers. His audience is explicitly asked to accept the intentionally horrifying idea that the numerous children of Ireland’s poorest class can be made useful predominantly as food, but also as footwear, for wealthier citizens.

When one thinks of the phrase “A Modest Proposal,” does one come to think of fattening babies so they can sell as meat. In Jonathan Swift’s essay “A Modest Proposal,” Swift uses satirical writing to communicate with the reader to expose the critical situation of the poor people of Ireland. Whom besides going through a tough period of famine have to endure the overwhelming taxation rates of the English empire. The author’s proposal intends to convince the public of the incompetence of Ireland’s politicians, the lack empathy of the wealthy, the English oppression, and the inability of the Irish to mobilize themselves against this situation. Johnathan proposed an outrageous solution that the Irish folks eat their children at the age of one or sell them in the market as meet. Finally, he manifests to be open to other suggestions to help overcome the country’s crisis. The proposal was made strategically using several different parts: the text, author, audience, purpose, and setting to persuade the tax to go lower.

In “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift, a solution is presented to assist in solving 18th century Dublin, Ireland’s issue of having too large of a population to feed and care for. The majority of the population was in poor condition. The city’s peasants mostly consisted of female beggars and their large group of young children. These lower-class children often were brought up without a proper education and nourishment, turning them into citizens who beg, thieve, and reap little in society, burdening the nation as a whole. To solve Ireland’s predicament, Swift uses satire to propose his solution: a certain amount of the peasant’s children should be preserved and the rest sold at a year old to the prestigious and the general public for use as a food and clothing source. Swift wrote that his proposal would solve the issue of hunger in the nation, decrease the population of the poor that burden society, and increase the economy and well-being of Dublin. Although Swift, a known satirist, introduces a moderate solution in his essay, he does so in a jest not many understand, making his proposal a hazard to society as individuals can misinterpret the meaning and enact it for their betterment.

In 1729 Ireland was overpopulated and riddled with poverty. Women and children lined the streets begging for food or money. In his disturbing satire, A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift suggests a unique solution to this dire situation. Swift uses specific language and calculated arguments to vent his anger with the Irish government and to create an effective argument that makes readers aware of the severity of the situation. Swift takes a cold and distant approach to his argument.

“A Modest Proposal” uses ironic and cruel humor to target Ireland’s corruption and poverty. Jonathan Swift bizarre way of announcing his discontent in regards to the British and how Ireland is going down the hill, makes his audience uncomfortable but aware that there is an issue. Subsequently, Swift presents the idea of selling babies as food in order to stabilize the country’s condition. Morbid as it sounds, Swift continues to deliberately explain why this idea would be the perfect solution by stating that these children and their parents begging are “a very great additional grievance” (Swift, 2) and furthermore continues to state that the country should fine a way to make these children ‘useful’. Throughout the text, Swift makes a serious argument on why

A Modest Proposal ,by Jonathan Swift, is a rather strange piece of work that encompases a proposal of eating babies. Swift did not intend to for people to actually follow his proposal and eat babies, but to showcase the abuse Irish Catholic’s encounter from Protestants in society. Swift oddly uses the proposal of eating Irish babies in his work to showcase how the Irish Catholics are treated. A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift is an obsolete work filled with modern day humour and irony in various ways to compose an essence of satire.

In A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift, Swift writes about a solution to the poor and starving people in Ireland in 1729. His solution is to fatten up the poor kids and sell their meat to the rich. Swift backs up his opinion with data and statistics that support his solution. All the rescreach and numbers almost makes the solution seem like a real solution. However, this is an extreme version of satire. While most people who read A Modest Proposal recognize the satire, other works do not make it so obvious. Satire can be used in many different types of ways and it can be the driving piece in a novel. Satire is mostly used to exploit problems in social or political issues. In A Modest Proposal, Swift is using satire to put the political issues

In modern times, satire is widely used to denounce injustices done by the government. TV shows such as The Daily Show and its spinoff, The Colbert Report make use of this technique in order to criticize the rampant, moral corruption found in today’s society, newspapers humor the situation with grotesque and out-of-proportion caricatures, and online article sites like The Onion orchestrate the most ridiculous scenarios to make their point across. These types of satire would have not been possible without the influence of Jonathan Swift, A well known Irish satirist of the 18th century. Published in 1729, A Modest Proposal is perceived to be the “most savage of all his pamphlets.” [portable swift citation] by many. In it, Swift proposes the sale

“ A modest proposal” by Jonathan Swift is a rhetoric piece that satirizes the dismal political, social and economic conditions in 18th century Ireland. As a solution, the preposterous proposal suggests that the Irish eat their own babies; as it is logically viable, and economically profitable: a condition adhering to the rational mentality of the age of reason. Swift develops his argument on two levels: A seemingly intellectual persona, caricaturized on a stereotypical upper class Englishman who promotes cannibalism through the use of subtle euphemisms. And the other, as himself, cleverly veiled in the caustic undertones of the pamphlet who is appalled at the plight of the Irish. Swift uses this dual

Satire can be a risk of misinterpretation as seen in The Weekly: Nation Security hosted by Charlie Pickering. “The Weekly with Charlie Pickering picks over the bones of the week’s news and shines

When we watch the news, the events in the world of politics are discussed, we would hear about the showdown in Capitol Hill about a vote to appeal tax benefits or the President of the United States getting involved in the siege of war between two countries. But with a serious tone including humorous effects, political satire is expressed in comic strips in the back of your Sunday paper. Satire isn’t only relegated to comic strips but also it is found in TV shows such as the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the Colbert report, and Saturday night live and their fake news segment called “Weekend Update” are prime examples of political satire; they use the current events

Satire is constantly evolving in order to maintain with the times. As technology, culture and humanity change and grow, satire is forced to grow with it. Satire of our modern time is more likely to be found on our phones than on print, more likely on a television than a telegram. By merging with pop culture, in forms of Family Guy and Comedy Central news shows, these forms of satire are able to stay relevant. But, despite the change in medium, the purpose of satire and effect of satire holds true. Modern satire, just as that of past satire, sheds light on the problems of our society through ridicule and mockery, without reinforcing and further cementing the stereotypes and prejudices they are trying to expose.