Swift’s A Modest Proposal. Literature & Language Essay

Swift’s A Modest Proposal
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Swift`s A Modest Proposal
In 1729, Jonathan Swift anonymously wrote and published an essay on the poor Irish families. A Modest Proposal has long been considered the best and finest example of satire in the world of literature. It was presented in the form of a pamphlet, which would never have attracted the attention of the world if the story was ordinary or fabricated. In fact, in this essay, the writer highlighted the problems of Ireland, claiming that the only way for the poor’s survival was selling their children to the rich and wealthy people. In Ireland, a large number of people were living a miserable life in the 17th century. Most of them did not have food for their families or money to meet their expenses. In such circumstances, the poor and needy people used to sell their kids, and this became a trend at that time (Oldenburg, 2014).
Eventually, this satirical hyperbole mocked negative behaviors and heartless attitudes toward Ireland. The way Jonathan Swift has written and presented this essay urged the British government to implement favorable strategies. A Modest Proposal proved to be a manifestation of his outrage at what he believed was a major political and economic issue that needed immediate media, public and government attention (Keeler, 2015). Throughout the essay, the writer has used harsh words to describe himself and to talk about the lifestyles of those poor. He has made the wise use of literalized metaphors and ironic techniques, as well as many examples, to share his thoughts and ideas. Is it fair to sell children for the sake of money? Unfortunately, no government or society permits it as this is against the ethical, religious and moral values. However, centuries ago, Irish peo...