A modest proposal summary. A Modest Proposal Summary & Analysis 2022-10-21
A modest proposal summary
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"A Modest Proposal" is a satirical essay written by Jonathan Swift in 1729. The essay proposes a solution to the problem of overpopulation and starvation in Ireland: to eat the children of the poor. Swift uses irony, satire, and rhetorical devices to mock the lack of compassion and empathy for the suffering of the poor in Irish society.
The essay begins by discussing the problem of overpopulation and the financial burden it places on the wealthy landowners of Ireland. Swift then presents his solution: to fatten up and sell the children of the poor as food to the wealthy. He argues that this would not only solve the problem of overpopulation, but also provide a financial benefit to the poor parents, who could use the money to buy more children to sell.
Throughout the essay, Swift uses a tone of mock seriousness and employs various rhetorical devices to make his argument seem logical and reasonable. For example, he cites statistics and offers practical details about how to breed and raise the children for slaughter. He also suggests that the children could be sold as exotic delicacies in foreign countries.
Despite the ridiculous nature of the proposal, Swift's use of irony and satire highlights the callous and indifferent attitudes of the wealthy towards the suffering of the poor. By presenting his proposal in a way that appears logical and reasonable, he exposes the absurdity and cruelty of such attitudes.
In conclusion, "A Modest Proposal" is a satirical essay that uses irony, satire, and rhetorical devices to mock the lack of compassion and empathy for the suffering of the poor in Irish society. Swift's proposal to eat the children of the poor may seem outrageous, but it serves to expose the heartlessness of those who are indifferent to the plight of the disadvantaged.
A Modest Proposal Paragraphs 1
Before introducing his proposal, Swift critiques others' solutions to the problem. His father, a Protestant Englishman who moved to Dublin during a period of increasing English settlement in Ireland, died just months before Swift was born. The modest proposal, humbly presented and drafted at great length, argues for the many advantages of the Irish people raising their children as food to be sold at great profit to the landlords throughout the kingdom. Summary The Opening He follows this hook by introducing the first step of his argument: something should be done to fix this terrible situation. Classical rhetoricians used the device of diminution, referring to something by a lesser name to diminish its status.
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A Modest Proposal Analysis
Swift ends this list with a general claim: he could list many more benefits, such as how other meat would be improved. His tone remains totally objective as he supports his claim through various statistics. His solution would prevent abortion. He thought humanity was not innately good. Landlords would become more popular, because for once money would flow from them to their tenants. But I am not in the least pain upon that matter, because it is very well known, that they are every day dying, and rotting, by cold and famine, and filth, and vermin, as fast as can be reasonably expected.
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A Modest Proposal Summary and Response
In his proposal, Swift vents his growing aggravation at the incompetence of Ireland's politicians, the hypocrisy of the wealthy, the tyranny of the English and the squalor and degradation in which he saw so many Irish people living. He died in 1745. The last date is today's date — the date you are citing the material. They cannot get work, and consequently pine away from want of nourishment, to a degree, that if at any time they are accidentally hired to common labour, they have not strength to perform it, and thus the country and themselves are happily delivered from the evils to come. But, while 'A Modest Proposal' bemoans the bleak situation of an Ireland almost totally subject to England's exploitation, it also expresses Swift's contempt for the Irish people's seeming inability to stand up for themselves. At this point, the shock arrives, and the author presents his strange proposal. Swift's language here reverses the prevailing sentiment of his day, which held that if beggars were poor, it was their own fault.
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A Modest Proposal Study Guide
The third part of the argument confirms the claims of the argument through proofs and is called confirmatio. Diminution fits well with satire's goals: in this case, Swift shows the ruling class treating the poor worse than they would animals. Rhetoric is the ancient art of persuasion through writing and speaking. He opens with pathos, painting a harrowing verbal picture of the countless poor people suffering in Ireland. During this period he became increasingly invested in English politics. You know women in passion never mind what they say; but, as she is a very reasonable woman, I have almost brought her over now to your opinion; and having convinced her, that as matters stood, we could not possibly maintain all the nine, she does begin to think it reasonable the youngest should raise fortunes for the eldest: and upon that foot a man may perform family duty with more courage and zeal; for, if he should happen to get twins, the selling of one might provide for the other. To those who would be so bold as to attempt a rebuttal to his plan , the Proposer makes only one request: that they ask the impoverished parents of Ireland if they would have rather been sold and eaten at the age of one than endure the endless series misfortunes that have marked their lives.
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Summary: A Modest Proposal
But in order to justify my friend, he confessed, that this expedient was put into his head by the famous Salmanaazor, a native of the island Formosa, who came from thence to London, above twenty years ago, and in conversation told my friend, that in his country, when any young person happened to be put to death, the executioner sold the carcass to persons of quality, as a prime dainty; and that, in his time, the body of a plump girl of fifteen, who was crucified for an attempt to poison the Emperor, was sold to his imperial majesty's prime minister of state, and other great mandarins of the court in joints from the gibbet, at four hundred crowns. Bernard Mandeville's "A Modest Defence of Publick Stews": Prostitution and Its Discontents in Early Georgian England. As a result, many children lived in squalor, which often lead to poverty as well. In this system, the argument is presented in five steps. Summary of 'A Modest Proposal' 'A Modest Proposal,' written by Jonathan Swift in 1729, begins by deploring the sad fate of the poverty-stricken Irish who have to spend all their time trying to feed their large families. . He says "some scrupulous people" might find the scheme cruel, as he has.
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A Modest Proposal
Poor Irish babies could be sold as food. Swift was born in Dublin, Ireland November 30, 1667 - October 19, 1745. Secondly, The poorer tenants will have something valuable of their own, which by law may be made liable to a distress, and help to pay their landlord's rent , their corn and cattle being already seized, and money a thing unknown. The modest proposal is of course anything but modest: it is savage, frightening, perhaps even insane. He just wants to advance the trade of the nation, relieve the unprivileged, provide for the kids, and give some pleasure to the landlords.
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A Modest Proposal Plot Summary
The essay progresses through a series of surprises that first shocks the reader and then causes her to think critically not only about policies, but also about motivations and values. Everyone at the webinar the other day thought the little baby was such a cute, darling, little thing, and I agree, life is beautiful. He stands to gain nothing personally from his plan, as his own child is no longer an infant, and his wife is now too old to bear more children. One man named Jonathan Swift provides the hand. He says that this proposal will in no way encumber England, as the infants will not be able to be exported, as their flesh is not easily preserved for later consumption. Infant's flesh will be in season throughout the year, but more plentiful in March, and a little before and after; for we are told by a grave author, an eminent French physician, that fish being a prolifick dyet, there are more children born in Roman Catholick countries about nine months after Lent, the markets will be more glutted than usual, because the number of Popish infants, is at least three to one in this kingdom, and therefore it will have one other collateral advantage, by lessening the number of Papists among us. He uses his skill of satire to show how grave the problems of common people are.
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A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift Plot Summary
The first sentence gives a fairly straightforward and un-ironic description, but by the second sentence the author begins to offer judgments and explanations about this rampant beggary: the mothers are unable to work, and have been "forced" into their current poverty and disgrace. The reader must feel morally insulted and develop an irresistible disgust towards the author after finishing the first few paragraphs, but he is nevertheless enticed to find out why the author would come up with such an outrageous idea. If they give birth to children, they will not be able to bear the expenses. He made many attempts to persuade the government of that time to take steps for the progress of the country and the prosperity of the people. A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends, and when the family dines alone, the fore or hind quarter will make a reasonable dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt, will be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter. Only 30,000 of that number can support their own families. Swift considered Defoe his biggest literary rival.
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A Modest Proposal Summary
Therefore, it seems like a good idea that the people of Ireland simply eat the infants when they reach the age of one year. I can think of no one objection, that will possibly be raised against this proposal, unless it should be urged, that the number of people will be thereby much lessened in the kingdom. This proposal, he says, can solve the problem of beggar children. The author also suggests the different types of dishes that can be prepared with the meat of these children. To this problem, the author presents his cheap and effortless solution. A Modest Proposal Context Jonathan Swift was born in Dublin in 1667 to English parents. First, it must indicate how 100,000 "useless Mouths and Backs" are to be fed and clothed.
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