Essay | "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift

A Truly Unmodest Proposal

Satire is the use of wit, especially sarcasm, irony, and ridicule to criticize faults. Arguably the most renowned author of satire is Jonathan Swift, chiefly known for his novel Gulliver's Travels, he also wrote numerous other pieces of literature, many concerning the politics of Ireland. His essay A Modest Proposal also brought him great fame. In it he proposed a vile solution for the problems of Ireland in the 1730's which he described as a plea "for preventing the children of poor people in Ireland from being a burden to their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the public" (Intro; 1). He uses satire to address the terrible living conditions at the time in an indirect way. Through this paper Swift was able to intensify the problem and make it clear to everyone it was an imminent...
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