A modest proposal rhetorical analysis essay. Rhetorical Analysis of A Modest Proposal Essay, Essay Get Sample 2022-10-14
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"A Modest Proposal" is a satirical essay written by Jonathan Swift in 1729. In this essay, Swift proposes a solution to the problem of overpopulation and poverty in Ireland by suggesting that the Irish should sell their children as food to the wealthy.
Swift's use of rhetorical devices is central to the effectiveness of his argument. One of the most prominent rhetorical devices used in "A Modest Proposal" is irony. Swift's proposal is clearly absurd and grotesque, and he uses irony to highlight the absurdity of the situation in Ireland. For example, he writes, "I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled." This statement is meant to be outrageous and shocking, and it highlights the absurdity of the situation in Ireland, where children are being treated as a commodity rather than as human beings.
Another rhetorical device used by Swift is satire. Throughout the essay, Swift uses satire to expose the absurdity and absurdity of the Irish society and its treatment of the poor. For example, he writes, "But my intention is very far from being confined to provide only for the children of professed beggars; it is of a much greater extent, and shall take in the whole number of infants at a certain age, who are born of parents in effect as little able to support them, as those who demand our charity in the streets." This statement is meant to be satirical, as it exposes the fact that the Irish society is unable to provide for its own citizens, and that even those who are not considered beggars are living in poverty.
Swift also uses rhetorical devices such as rhetorical questions and rhetorical exclamations to further drive home his argument. For example, he asks, "Who would not be a little startled at so unexpected a proposal?" This rhetorical question serves to emphasize the shocking nature of his proposal and to draw the reader's attention to the absurdity of the situation in Ireland.
In conclusion, Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" is an effective satirical essay that uses rhetorical devices such as irony, satire, rhetorical questions, and rhetorical exclamations to expose the absurdity and cruelty of the Irish society and its treatment of the poor.
A Modest Proposal Analysis Essay
This is a sarcastic attempt by Swift to make the proposal look attractive, but his statement has an underlying meaning of making the idea look repulsive. Swift makes it clear that more often than not citizens were passive about the present problems. The writer's intent is to make permanent change for a problem or fight a cause in a society that otherwise looks away in ignorance. However, I found it really difficult to organize these ideas. Swift started out his proposal with what seemed as great concern for the Ireland citizens and their overpopulation issue, but when it became more clear of his idea to fix the problem readers quickly questioned his proposal. He proceeds and make fun of the mothers that they will get eight shillings profit to use until they will able produce another child.
But then, in the latter parts, the author becomes unsympathetic and directed attention more towards the problems that the society faced at the time. This use of this specific persona contributes to the suspense towards the reveal of the proposal. With an in-depth analysis of literature, the perplex intentions of a writer that use such techniques can be revealed. Jonathan Swift employs the use of logos to help him throughout his proposal. Swift espouse an ironic approach that guarantee a surprise ending. This technique strongly supports his claim by asserting that it is better to be dead than poor.
To prove his theory, Jonathan Swift creatively incorporated modes of persuasion into his writing to convince that the Irish were being treated poorly by the English. Additionally, Swift uses the absurd thesis of A Modest Proposal to attack contemporary English and Irish politics. Jonathan Swift's reasoning behind this proposal is that many women were having children that they were unable to care for. It also reveals his own eloquent education; eventually being an appeal to other educated individuals in society, like him to arouse to action. Jonathan Swift places himself as a villain who is willing to do evil deeds to answer hard questions. Swift goes so far as to think of recipes and ways to make the skin into gloves and handbags.
A Modest Proposal Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example
He is able to use a combination of a reason-based approach and set a tone of humor and slight disgust to appeal to the patriots, the religious, the rich, the commoners, and the beggars of Ireland. A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends. Therefore this speaker is not at all the trustworthy man he tried to make himself seen, not only because of the crazy idea he is proposing, but because he is identical to the men proposing similar grandiose ideas. Responses, while they may be normal, can also challenge the status quo of the time period. Firstly, the plan will greatly reduce the number of Papists Catholics in Irelandâa wicked group. He captures the minds and hearts of his audience, the British people, by posing a solution to apparent human issues of society, only to use ridiculously horrid ideas to show the true state of Irish treatment. Also, please try to make the sources you chose scholarly, making the reading that i attach by Jonathan Swift the primary source.
In this paper, Dr. Through this concession of ideas, Swift shows his overall opinion about how absurd the upper class people are, and specifically how absurd their proposals are. Colonialism is never benevolent, and under the English yoke poverty and its attendant social evils ran rampant among the Irish, especially Irish Catholics. A logical proposal to help the country, would consider the positives and negatives of the entire countries people. This dehumanizes the children to be like animals.
Rhetorical Analysis of A Modest Proposal Essay, Essay Get Sample
Psalmanazar was widely known to be an imposter, a Frenchman pretending to be a native of Formosa Taiwan , but the Proposer seems unaware of this. Get your paper price 124 experts online He first sympathizes with the poor people in Ireland and makes himself appear sensitive and empathetic. His appeal to morality is effective because it strikes readers in a sensitive spot, this so called practice is absolutely wrong and Swift argues that his proposal will help in ending it. This helps to make himself seem significant and worthwhile to listen to by the upper class people. The laws were enacted to crush the poor class, the reason that all women, children, and even men of this section of the society had been forced to come into the streets to beg for sustenance. He notes down that a young healthy child is a delicious food to be roasted, stewed and boiled to be served and eaten.
One of the most impacting satirical methods Swift utilizes is the statistical analysis he provides in an effort to enhance his satire. The sarcasm in this statement is whether it is a burden for him, having to see homeless along the streets every day. The Modest Proposal is an Juvenalian essay written by, Jonathan Swift. He pulls his statistics out of thin air, and yet he seems to trust in them utterly. This was able to make readers appreciate the author for his emotions towards the Irishmen.
Both of these examples show the use of satire in the essay. Swift proposed that the poor children 's guardians should give birth to however many number of children as would be possible and offer them for sustenance. This idea is ridiculous to an extent that children will not only be a delicacy, but their body parts will be used to make ornaments. By giving infants a set of instructions and guidelines, in analogy to livestock, Swift tries to make it seem as if he has no emotional attachment to the Irish children. 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.
Essay on Rhetorical Analysis of a Modest Proposal by...
Jonathan swift in his scheme of supporting his argument, he is sarcastic that certain body parts of a child are good to eat. For first, as I have already observed, it would greatly lessen the number of Papists, with whom we are yearly over-run, being the principal breeders of the nation, as well as our most dangerous enemies, and who stay at home on purpose with a design to deliver the kingdom to the Pretende. Now the Proposer begins to list in detail the many advantages of his plan. When one see their town with no nothing to show for but mass amount of poverty across the streets, there is act to save the town from being distinguished. Many people threw these pamphlets away and did not pay attention to them.
Rhetorical Analysis of Jonathan Swiftâs âA Modest Proposalâ Free Essay Example
It appeals to the moral side of people. Pathos, an appeal to invoke countless emotional responses from the readers, and logos, the appeal of logic-statistics that the above subject carries to persuade an audience by reason. This is easily seen in his proposal of eating children. He essentially proposes that famine and poverty could be reduced all while generating revenue by selling babies as food. He uses logical fallacies, metaphors, repetition and parallelism as well as humor, sarcasm and satire tone to highlight these negative attitudes.
