modest proposal essay structure

A Modest Proposal

Introduction of “a modest proposal”.

A Modest Proposal is an essay written by Jonathan Swift . The full title of the essay is ‘For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick’ and is commonly known as ‘A Modest Proposal’ in its short form. It was published in 1729 anonymously. The essay is labeled as the best example of a juvenile satire , directing its arrow of ironic strictures on the existing personalities and figures of his times. The essay revolves around his suggestion of poor Irish children to be sold for food for the elite class of that time in a very mockingly serious mood . The hyperbolic suggestion, sometimes, evokes highly reprehensible emotions amongst the readers.

Summary of “A Modest Proposal”

Written in the first person, the proposal outlines the problem of the children that Ireland was facing during the time of Jonathan Swift. The problem outlined was related to the women beggars filling the streets of the Irish cities. Some of them have no means to feed their young kids and the kids becoming beggars was another issue facing the country. During this time the Protestant minority English was ruling Ireland neglecting the poor Irish Catholics. Jonathan Swift has tried to invite the attention of the government toward this problem but it seems that after all of his efforts failed, he has chosen this selected and novel way to attract the attention of the authorities.

As a proposer of this suggestion, Jonathan claims that he has a plan to deal with this problem effectively and efficiently. He states that after he has reserved some years of his life to think of the best possible solution to the problem of child beggars, he has come up with a viable set of solutions. He says that some of his plans have not proved workable in the past due to his inability to accurately make calculations. Also, while others have presented their plans they ‘grossly mistaken in their Computation’. However, in the case of this proposal, he has accurately made calculations before offering them in the essay. He says that a child is supported with breast milk and two shillings per year. However, for the child to enter into the professed beggary takes time and the parents are too poor to provide them. He proposes that the parents or guardians will release the child from their care after the presentation of this proposal finding it financially rewarding.

According to this proposal, there are 200,000 Irish parents actively giving birth to children by which means that if 30,000 of the couples can take care of them, 50,000 face miscarriages, leaving 120,000 parents having the inability to bring up their children in an appropriate way. His contention is how to deal with this explosion of the childbirth rate and what to do with this rising number of children, for they cannot be used in agriculture, or cannot be made skillful workers. They are also too young to support themselves, he says, adding that they also cannot be sold as slaves, or else they would fetch a considerable amount of money. Therefore, he has suggested a comprehensive plan to deal with this increasing birth rate.

Jonathan says that he has been assured by his American friend, whom he does not name, has told him that the meat of a year-old child is very delectable Whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled and without any doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout. Therefore, he has made calculations that if they are total 120,000 can be reserved for breeding, and the rest can be reared to sell to the gentry for eating. He states that the wealthy landlords would be the likely buyers.

The reason is that they have already devoured several parents in their greed for more and that they deserve to take lead in this work. He also suggests that by doing this, they would be becoming a source of increasing profits for a considerable number of mothers. He further goes on by mocking the Catholic church that the Catholics produce more children than the Protests who were ruling the country since they are against the birth control that was introduced during that time even though there’s a spike in overpopulation and poverty . If such people, he argues, prove their ability in doing business, they can use the hide and other parts of the children to sharpen their business skills such as they can prepare gloves and shoes from their hide or sell it in the market. Calling his suggestion “innocent, cheap, easy and effectual” Swift states that he has no personal interest involved in this proposal as he has no child and that his wife, too, has passed the child-bearing age.

Major Themes in “A Modest Proposal”

• Exploitation: Although the essay seems a simple satire, the underlying theme is the exploitation of the landlords of Ireland and England who left people with nothing to eat. They were thronging the streets to beg for food. The laws were unfair and maltreated the poor in favor of the rich or the elite class. The rents charged from the tenants and farmers were very high which led to poverty and begging. Therefore, the essay highlights this exploitation in the garb of this suggests that the parents could sell their children to feed themselves and that those children would be used for delicious dishes for the gentry.
• Greed: The essay also shows the theme of greed lurking behind the lines. As it is not obvious, it is shown through the presence of beggars including women and children, who are “forced to employ their time in strolling to beg sustenance.” It shows that they have been forced by their landlords to go hungry or feed themselves and their children by begging. In other words, the greed of landlords brought the poor to the streets. Therefore, the proposal hints at the greed of the landlords.
• Prejudice: The thematic idea, prejudice is not plainly noticeable but it makes up the background of the essay in that the British Protestants used to despise the Roman Catholics and have laws enacted to exploit their vulnerabilities, which left them to roam on the roads in search of food and security.
• Irish Social Apathy: The essay also underlines the Irish social indifference as many people were begging in the streets with children and the government and social responses were almost non-existence as far as the essay shows. That was also a major reason behind his proposal of selling of the children to the gentry for meat and other purposes.
• Poverty: The beginning of the essay shows that poverty was widespread in Ireland on account of the government’s lack of care, the indifference of the upper class and the landlords. 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.
• Colonialism: Although it is not modern colonialism, English rule on its adjoining lands and countries, unlike Asian and African countries, were for extraction of the sources by exploiting the local population making the situation of living worse in the British colonies. The Catholics were subjected to religious torture and legal exploitation, leaving a chunk of the Irish population to face starvation or beg in the streets.
• Misanthropy: If read in literal teams, the essay shows extreme misanthropy of the author that he has discussed in his letter to Pope, yet when taken as a satire, it shows his love for humanity and his concern for the safety and security of the Irish children.

Writing Style of “A Modest Proposal”

Although the language is quite simple, Jonathan Swift adopted the rhetorical style in this essay to hook his audiences into reading it and applauding his style with detestation. The diction and sentences are formal, implying the proposer of the proposal is serious. However, the use of the trap Swift has exploited to hook his readers is quite unusual and interesting, for he has proposed this solution to end poverty by stressing upon the ills that poverty brings. The use of animal metaphors for human beings in a satiric tone has lessened the impact of misanthropy presented to satirize the Irish authorities of that time. The impact of this satiric-cum-serious tone lies in its impact on the readers.

Analysis of Literary Devices in “A Modest Proposal”  

• Anaphora : The essays shows the use of anaphora . For example, i. Therefore let no man talk to me  of other expedients: of taxing our absentees at five shillings a pound: Of using neither cloaths, nor houshold furniture, except what is of our own growth and manufacture: Of utterly rejecting the materials and instruments that promote foreign luxury: Of curing the expensiveness of pride, vanity, idleness, and gaming in our women: Of introducing a vein of parsimony, prudence and temperance: Of learning to love our country, wherein we differ even from LAPLANDERS, and the inhabitants of TOPINAMBOO: Of quitting our animosities and factions, nor acting any longer like the Jews, who were murdering one another at the very moment their city was taken: Of being a little cautious not to sell our country and consciences for nothing: Of teaching landlords to have at least one degree of mercy towards their tenants. This example shows the use of “Of…” as an anaphora.
• Anecdote : The essay shows the use of anecdote in the below example, It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and cabbin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms. These mothers instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in stroling to beg sustenance for their helpless infants who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country, to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes. This example shows the anecdote used as the hook or attention grabber of this essay.
• Allusion : There are various examples of allusions given in the essay. For example, i. These mothers instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in stroling to beg sustenance for their helpless infants who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country, to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes. ii. As to our City of Dublin, shambles may be appointed for this purpose, in the most convenient parts of it, and butchers we may be assured will not be wanting. iii. 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 . iv. 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. The mention of Pretender of Spain and Barbados in the first, Dublin in the second, Salmanaazor and Formosa with London in the third and Papist and Pretender in the last are examples of geographical and theological allusions.
• Asyndeton : The essay shows the use of asyndeton in the following example, i. I profess, in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavouring to promote this necessary work, having no other motive than the publick good of my country, by advancing our trade, providing for infants, relieving the poor, and giving some pleasure to the rich. The example shows the omission of conjunction between most of the clauses here.
• Dark Humor : The essay shows the use of dark humor in the below sentence , i. 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 . This example shows the use of taboos of cannibalism in a light mood as if they can be exercised freely.
• Ethos : The essay shows the use of ethos . For example, i. It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and cabbin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms. This example shows how the author has established his ethos by presenting a common observable scene.
• Foreshadow: The essay shows the following examples of foreshadowing , i. It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and cabbin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms. ii. There is likewise another great advantage in my scheme, that it will prevent those voluntary abortions, and that horrid practice of women murdering their bastard children. These quotes from “ A Modest Proposal ” foreshadow the suggestions that Swift is going to throw before his readers.
• Hyperbole : Hyperbole or exaggeration occurs in the essay at various places, for example, i. 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; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or a ragoust. The above sentence is hyperbole , and also it shows how the suggestion is horrible and disgusting.
• Imagery : Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example, i. It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and cabbin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms. ii. There is likewise another great advantage in my scheme, that it will prevent those voluntary abortions, and that horrid practice of women murdering their bastard children, alas! too frequent among us, sacrificing the poor innocent babes, I doubt, more to avoid the expense than the shame, which would move tears and pity in the most savage and inhuman breast. iii. Some persons of a desponding spirit are in great concern about that vast number of poor people, who are aged, diseased, or maimed; and I have been desired to employ my thoughts what course may be taken, to ease the nation of so grievous an incumbrance. These examples show different images such as the images of squalor and poverty in the first, of murdering in the second, and of disabilities in the third.
• Irony : The essay shows the use of irony in the below examples, i. There is likewise another great advantage in my scheme, that it will prevent those voluntary abortions, and that horrid practice of women murdering their bastard children, alas! too frequent among us, sacrificing the poor innocent babes, I doubt, more to avoid the expence than the shame, which would move tears and pity in the most savage and inhuman breast. ii. 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. And as to the young labourers, they are now in almost as hopeful a condition. Both of these examples show the use of irony as the meanings are not what the author has written but quite opposite to what he says.
• Kairos : The essay shows the use of kairos as the credentials of the author, references to the domination of the Protestant, colonization of the different parts of the world by Britain, and other historical clues point to the context and temporality of the essay.
• Logos : The essay shows the use of logos in the following sentences, i. The number of souls in this kingdom being usually reckoned one million and a half, of these I calculate there may be about two hundred thousand couple whose wives are breeders; from which number I subtract thirty thousand couple, who are able to maintain their own children, (although I apprehend there cannot be so many, under the present distresses of the kingdom) but this being granted, there will remain an hundred and seventy thousand breeders. ii. I am assured by our merchants, that a boy or a girl before twelve years old, is no saleable commodity, and even when they come to this age, they will not yield above three pounds, or three pounds and half a crown at most, on the exchange; which cannot turn to account either to the parents or kingdom, the charge of nutriments and rags having been at least four times that value. Both of these examples show the use of logos that is to use evidence to support one’s argument to make it convincing.
• Metaphor : “A Modest Proposal” shows good use of various metaphors in the below examples, i. I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children. ii. Whereas the maintainance of an hundred thousand children, from two years old, and upwards, cannot be computed at less than ten shillings a piece per annum. iii. The constant breeders, besides the gain of eight shillings sterling per annum by the sale of their children, will be rid of the charge of maintaining them after the first year. The first example compares landlords to crocodiles as they devour, the second children to things about their maintenance and third parents to animals who are breeders.
• Mood : The essay “A Modest Proposal” shows various moods but the prominent ones are formal, ironic and cynical.
• Narrator : The essay is narrated from a first person point of view , which is the writer, Jonathan Swift.
• Pathos : The essay shows the example of pathos as follows, i. It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and cabbin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms. The example shows how Swift has used pathos to awaken pity and sympathy in his readers.
• Repetition : The essay shows the use of repetition at several places such “I assure you…”, “I am sure…” and “I have been assured…”. These phrases have made it a convincing piece of rhetoric .
• Rhetorical Questions : The essay shows good use of rhetorical questions at several places, for example, i. The question therefore is, How this number shall be reared, and provided for? which, as I have already said. This example shows the use of rhetorical questions posed by the narrator to stress upon the idea instead of asking the question.
• Satire : The essay shows the use of satire in the following examples, i. ..whoever could find out a fair, cheap, and easy method of making these children sound, useful members of the commonwealth would deserve so well of the public as to have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation. ii. I am 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, and I make no doubt, that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or ragout. Both of these examples show the use of satire in the essay.
• Simile : The essay shows good use of various similes in the following sentences, i. I cannot be altogether in his sentiments; for as to the males, my American acquaintance assured me from frequent experience, that their flesh was generally tough and lean, like that of our school-boys. ii. …and the inhabitants of TOPINAMBOO: Of quitting our animosities and factions, nor acting any longer like the Jews, who were murdering one another at the very moment their city was taken… These are similes as the use of the word “like” shows the comparison between different things.
• Tone : The tone of the essay “A Modest Proposal” is satiric, sarcastic, and, at times, ironic.

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• A Modest Proposal

Background of the Essay

Historical background.

The essay “A Modest Proposal” was written by Jonathan Swift. It was published in 1729. The full name of the essay was “A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People From being a Burthen to their Parents or Country and for Making them Beneficial to the Publick.” At that time, England was ruling Ireland, and Swift was one of the ruling class members. The people of Ireland suffered a lot during this rule.

The group of English people ruling England was protestant, and the people of Ireland were mainly Catholics. As a result, there was a vast chasm between the two. The protestant elites did not like the catholic citizens and never took steps for their betterment. Instead, they imposed religious restrictions on them. Moreover, the common people of Ireland were left very poor by imposing many restrictions on trade for them. To add to this problem of poverty, the country was also overpopulated.

Jonathan Swift wanted this situation to change. 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. He wrote many letters in this regard but never got any positive response. So, this proposal is another attempt at making the government realize the woes of the people. He uses his skill of satire to show how grave the problems of common people are. At the same time, he was angry with the passivity and apathy of the Irish people and wanted to awaken them.

Literary Background of A Modest Proposal

“A Modest Proposal” is a satirical essay by genre. The author of this essay, Jonathan Swift, is regarded as one of the best satirists in English Literature ever. This essay holds a special place among his satirical writings. Its effect is enhanced by the shocking change of mood in the middle of the essay.

Satirical essays are characterized by the use of irony and shifts of moods. In this essay, too, the author starts with the description of the miserable condition of the beggar women and children wandering and begging in the streets of Ireland. He seems sympathetic and describes the plights of these beggars. At this point, the shock arrives, and the author presents his strange proposal. He comes up with the idea that these poor children of Ireland should be butchered and eaten. His tone remains totally objective as he supports his claim through various statistics. In this manner, he satirizes the method of objective analysis of social matters, which was very common at that time.   

A Modest Proposal Summary

The essay opens with the narrator invoking the usual scene on the streets in Ireland i.e., the melancholy sight of female beggars begging along with their children. He says that these females are forced to beg for food because they are not able to work. The children grow up to become thieves or go to the Americas, searching for a better future.

After this empathy-inspiring description of female beggars and their children, the author goes on to claim that this is a matter of national concern. He says that these children, in particular, are a burden on the already crippled Kingdom. Therefore, he argues that if anyone can come up with a plan that can turn these beggar children into useful citizens, it will be a great service to the country and its people.

At this point, the author starts describing the authenticity and merits of his proposal. This proposal, he says, can solve the problem of beggar children. Moreover, it can also cater for all children of a specific age whose parents, even though they have not started begging, cannot support them in their current financial condition.

As the background of his proposal, the author provides the statistics of Ireland’s population. He argues that the proposals presented by others regarding this problem are insufficient to solve it. They have not considered the ground realities before proposing their schemes.

Having negated other proposals, the author proposes his own solution to the problem. He says that a child can easily be fed for the first year of his/her life. The total cost needed to bring up a child for the first year is no more than two shillings. The major part of the child’s diet in this period is covered through breast milk, which is free.

The problematic phase starts after the first year. The needs of children grow, and so does the cost of upbringing. So, the “modest” proposal provides a solution for one-year-old children. The author says that his proposal will result in making the setback an advantage. The children, who are now a burden on their families and the government, will become a source of food and clothing.

Moreover, the proposal will result in lessening the ill-practices of infanticide and abortion because the mothers will not have to worry about the expenses of upbringing the child. He says that many people commit these sins because they fear the expenses of feeding a child.

At this point, some more statistics are forwarded. The population of Ireland is around 1.5 million. Out of these 1.5 million people, around two hundred thousand women are adult enough to conceive a child. Out of these two hundred thousand women, only thirty thousand might be able to bring up their children without any financial worries. This leaves one hundred and seventy thousand breeders—as he calls them. Among these breeders, around fifty thousand children can be supposed to be miscarried or die during the first year of their lives.

So, it is clear that every year around one hundred and twenty thousand children are born in low-income families who are unable to feed them properly. Therefore, the problem needs to be solved. These kids cannot be given employment in the country that neither cultivates lands nor builds new houses. The children cannot be sold as slaves before they reach the age of twelve, and when they are sold after this age, they earn very little money. This money is not equal to the amount spent on their upbringing. All of them cannot become thieves as well before reaching the age of six years.

Having detailed the problem, the author forwards his solution to the problem. He says that an American person has told him that a child of one year is a very delicious and nutritious food. The child can be either boiled, or stewed, or bakes, or roasted.

Building upon this information, he says that a proper plan of action should be devised to dispose of the children born in low-income families. Out of the one hundred and twenty thousand children, twenty thousand should be allowed to live. They will serve the purpose of breeding and maintenance of the population.

However, a proper ratio of one male to four females should be maintained among them. One man will be adequate to serve four women in breeding. The remaining one hundred thousand children should be fed and fattened in order to be sold as a food delicacy. The author also suggests the different types of dishes that can be prepared with the meat of these children.

After giving the general idea of the proposal, the author goes on to explain specific details. The first point discussed is the cost of the meat of the children. An average baby at one year age weighs around twenty-eight pounds. This suggests that the meat will be more expensive than the other types of meat available in the market.

For this reason, the delicacy will be primarily available to the wealthy landlords of Ireland who have already eaten the majority of the parents of these children. Secondly, he points out that the meat will be available in the market all year round as the children are born every day of the year. Usually, there will be a surge in the supply during spring.  

The author moves on to explain the difference between the cost and sale price of the children. On average, a child can be nursed for one year for less than two shillings. On the other hand, the meat of the child will yield ten shillings.

This way, the parents will make an easy profit of eight shillings. At the same time, the buyer will also not be at a loss. He/she will have around four dishes of delicious meat and will have fame in his/her society. Moreover, the skin of the child can also be used as leather when needed. The author says that he is quite sure that there will be many people in Dublin that will be ready to butcher the children and conduct the business.  

The author says that he was advised to refine his scheme by a friend. The advice was that he should include teenagers in his proposal because there is a scarcity of deer meat on the tables of the wealthy landlords.

Furthermore, these teenagers are living a miserable life and are unable to find any employment. He, however, disagrees with this suggestion on two points.

Firstly, the meat of the teenagers is lean and hard, and its taste is also not very good.

Secondly, some people might—unjustly—censure this practice as cruelty. Therefore, it would not be wise to add this suggestion to the proposal.  

The author admits that there are a lot of other poor people that are unable to find work for themselves and are a burden on society. These include sick, aged, and disable people. However, he does not show any worry about them because these people are going to die very soon.

The author admits that he has digressed and comes back to his original proposal. He says that his proposal is beneficial in the sense that the Catholics will lessen in number in this way. The Catholics are disadvantageous to the country as they have very large families. He accuses them of their political activities and calls them the enemy of the state.

Another advantage the proposal will have is that the underprivileged tenants will be able to clear their debts by selling their children. In this way, the economy of the nation will improve. Consequently, a liability will turn into a product of the national level. Moreover, a new dish will also be added to the cuisine of the landlords.  

The benefit of selling their children will not stop at eight shillings only. The parents will not have to pay for the growing expenses of their children after the first year.

Moreover, the business of taverns will also shoot up as the poor people will have pennies in their hands. Morally speaking, the scheme will result in an increase in marriages and maternal love for children. Domestic violence will also go down for the period of the time of pregnancy. There will be a competition among mothers to bring the healthiest child to the sale. Other types of beef will then be exported more and will bring money to the country.

Inside the country, they will have to raise their standards in order to compete with the high-quality meat of the children. The author believes that the landlords in London will eat as much as the one-fifth of the total flesh procured in the whole country.

After explaining the minute details of the proposal, the author preempts any type of objections that can be raised. One such objection can be that the population of the country can be reduced very much in this manner. The author says that the reduction of the population is among the goals of the proposal as the population of Ireland is well above the limit. He says that this scheme was prepared for Ireland specifically and should not be applied in any other country.

The author rejects the already existing plans for the prosperity of the country and calls them unrealistic and naive. He says that he has become tired of such unrealistic schemes in the past and is now excited about his current discovery. This plan, according to him, is highly practical and realistic. This scheme also has the advantage that there is no chance that it will anger England. Rather, England will be happy to import this delicacy from Ireland. He says that there is a country that might be able to eat the Irish nation without preservatives.

The author claims that no substitute plan can equal his plan even if they are similarly easy, innocent, and cheap. The reason is that his proposal considers two main issues that cannot be addressed by any other plan. The first issue it addresses is that of clothing and feeding one hundred thousand useless children. The second issue is the extreme level of poverty. The author says that Irish people are so poor that they would be happy to be able to be sold for food.

The author says that this proposal is forwarded in the interest of the common people, and he seeks no benefit out of it. His own children have passed this age and can, therefore, not be sold. He just wants to advance the trade of the nation, relieve the unprivileged, provide for the kids, and give some pleasure to the landlords. 

A Modest Proposal Analysis

In the essay “A Modest Proposal,” Jonathan Swift satirizes the elite class of Ireland and their British colonizers. At the same time, he vents his disgust at the Irish people for not doing anything for themselves. It also mocks the cold and inhumane methods of problem-solving in the eighteenth century. At that time, people used to give solutions to the grievous problems of humanity on the basis of irrelevant statistics.

In order to catch the attention of the audience and to convey his point, Swift makes his proposal sound barbarous without a tinge of human empathy. He talks of human slaughter and cooking like he is talking about cattle or poultry. He takes the path of utilitarianism and talks about solving the problem of poverty and overpopulation in an indifferent economic manner. His proposal can benefit society at the cost of a few humans. Through this technique, he shows how irrelevant utilitarianism is to human problems.   

The Pattern of Rhetoric

In this essay, Jonathan Swift uses the traditional system of rhetoric to organize his argument. In this system, the argument is presented in five steps.

The first part of the argument introduces the subject and is called exordium.

The second part of the argument narrates the ground facts and realities. This part is called the narratio.

The third part of the argument confirms the claims of the argument through proofs and is called confirmatio.

The fourth part of the argument refutes any possible objections to the argument. This part is called confutatio.

The last part of the argument employs pathos and appeals to the audience. It also sums up the whole discussion and is called peroratio.  

In the exordium part of the essay, the author describes the usual scene of the streets of Ireland. He says that the sight of women beggars, along with their children, is very common on the streets of Ireland. These kids are shabbily dressed and are malnourished. This description introduces the problem of hunger, begging, and poverty.

To this problem, the author presents his cheap and effortless solution. The solution is of nursing the babies of these low-income families for one year and then butchering them to be sold as meat to the landlords.   

In the next part of the argument, the author presents the ground realities. He says that among the 1.5 million people living in Ireland, there will be around two hundred thousand breeders. Out of these two hundred thousand breeders, around one hundred and seventy thousand will be poor. If they give birth to children, they will not be able to bear the expenses.

Therefore, they become a burden on the country and their families. Subtracting another fifty thousand children who might die during the first year, a total of one hundred and twenty thousand poor babies are left. Among these children, the author proposes to leave twenty thousand for breeding and to butcher the remaining one hundred thousand for eating.

In this manner, they will bring income to their families and delicious meat to the tables of landlords. Moreover, it will help in controlling the population of the country.

In the confirmatio part of the argument, the author lists the benefits of his proposal. His proposal will help the poor people get rid of their poverty as they will get a profit of eight shillings and will not have to bear the expenses of children after the first year.

Moreover, they will be inclined to marry early and will leave behind the ill doings like abortion and infanticide. On the other hand, the elites will have a new delicious dish on their tables. The economy of the country will also move forward. At the same time, the number of Catholics will be reduced as they are not liked by the ruling class.

In the confutatio part of the argument, the author refutes any possible objection to his proposal. He says that some people might object that this proposal will result in lessening the population of the country. He replies by saying that it was one of his goals while he was forwarding his proposal as the country is overpopulated.

In the last part of the argument, the author employs pathos and says that his proposal is not based on any self-interest. Rather, his sole motive is the common good. He wants to relieve the burdens of ordinary people. As for his part, he says that he cannot benefit from this scheme as his youngest child is already nine years of age.

A Modest Proposal as a A Satirical Essay

The satire in this essay is of a very wide spectrum and ranges from the people of Ireland to the colonizers of England. Following is a brief account of the ways these different groups are satirized.

On the Irish Government

The government of Ireland is satirized for being apathetic and ignorant of the problems of the people of Ireland. They are also satirized for the religious restrictions they have put on the Catholics of Ireland.

On the Irish People

The people of Ireland are satirized for their inability to see and solve their own problems. They are shown to be so dull and lazy that they would even kill their own children but would not stand up for their rights.

On the English Rulers

The colonizers of England are satirized for their inhumane behavior towards the colonized people. The rulers of England are said to be ready to eat the whole nation. It is also said that England will have no objection to this trade of human flesh.

On Utilitarianism

The philosophy of utilitarianism is satirized for its inability to solve the problems of humans. The speaker of this essay employs a utilitarian approach in his proposal, and the ineptness of the approach becomes visible from the very start.

Tone of the Essay

The tone of the essay is thoroughly ironic and satirical. The author presents his proposal in a manner that the audiences are supposed to disagree with. He intends to mock the type of solution which his proposal has. In this way, the author does exactly what he wants to tackle. The inhumane speaker of the essay is the caricature of the followers of utilitarian philosophy.

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A Modest Proposal

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Summary and Study Guide

Summary: “a modest proposal”.

A Modest Proposal For preventing the Children of Poor People From being a Burthen to Their Parents or Country, and For making them Beneficial to the Publick is a satirical essay published anonymously in 1729 by Irish author Jonathan Swift . Using irony and hyperbole , the essay mocks heartless attitudes toward the poor among English and Irish elites by proposing that impoverished families sell their infant children to be killed and eaten by the rich. One of the earliest and most influential examples of satire in the English language, A Modest Proposal continues to serve as a reference point in political debates over issues as varied as climate change, abortion, and health care. The book also helped birth the term “Swiftian,” which is used to describe similarly hyperbolic political parodies.

This guide refers to the Dover Thrift edition first published in 1996.

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Swift’s narrator begins his essay in apparent earnest, bemoaning the abject poverty that afflicts families in Dublin, Ireland, and the surrounding countryside. Of particular concern to the narrator are impoverished infants, for whom he sees no future aside from a life of thievery. He therefore resolves to put forward a “fair, cheap, and easy method of making these children sound useful members of the commonwealth” (52).

The narrator goes on to make a diligent accounting of the number of infants born annually in Ireland to indigent mothers, concluding that out of the country’s 200,000 wives of reproductive age, 170,000 are unable to care for their children. From this sum, he subtracts 50,000 to account for miscarriages and infants who die within a year. Here, the narrator’s analysis takes a startling turn, as he offers his thoughts on how best to handle the majority of these 120,000 infants. He writes:

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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 and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout (53).

Having established that Ireland would be best served by cannibalizing its poor infants, the narrator supports his argument using the same measured tone as before, despite the barbarity of his proposal. He even puts forth cooking, seasoning, and serving methods to make the most out of an infant carcass. In the interest of thrift, the narrator proposes that buyers also flay the infants and use their hides to make ladies’ gloves and men’s boots.

Concerning why older children should not also be consumed—an idea attributed here to George Psalmanazar , a noted French imposter and contemporary of Swift’s—the narrator cites his aforementioned “American acquaintance” who assures him that schoolboys are too tough to serve as suitable sources of meat, and schoolgirls are too valuable as “breeders” (55). As for the old and infirm, the narrator is satisfied to report that they are presently dying of starvation and cold as quickly as one can expect.

In summary, the narrator lists six major advantages of his proposal: First, it would thin out the number of Catholics in Ireland, given that Catholic infants outnumber Protestant infants three to one. Second, it would give poor tenants something of value to use to pay their landlords. Third, the money normally spent raising children past age two would instead circulate in the local economy. Fourth, each mother would earn a salary of eight shillings a year, should she be in a state of constant breeding. Fifth, infant meat would be a boon to chefs who stand to earn great renown for their unique preparation techniques. Finally, given the profit potential of newborns, men would become as fond of their pregnant wives “as they are now of their mares in foal” (57).

With these benefits in mind, the narrator can see no legitimate objection to his proposal. He is quick to dismiss a series of alternatives, including a tax on absentee landlords, a reliance on goods manufactured in Ireland, abandoning factionalism in favor of unity, and a series of other more sensible reforms and attitudes. Here, the narrator hits on one more advantage of his proposal: It in no way inconveniences England. Finally, the narrator assures the reader that he has nothing to gain financially from such a proposal, given that his youngest child is nine years old and his wife is past her reproductive age.

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Seeking Social Justice Through Satire: Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal"

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Jonathan Swift's 1729 pamphlet “A Modest Proposal” is a model for satirizing social problems. In this lesson, students complete multiple readings of Swift's essay: a guided reading with the teacher, a collaborative reading with a peer, and an independent reading. The online Notetaker tool helps students restate key ideas from Swift's essay as they read and elaborate upon these ideas postreading. After independent reading, pairs of students develop a mock television newscast or editorial script, like those found on Saturday Night Live's “Weekend Update,” The Daily Show with Jon Stewart , or The Colbert Report , including appropriate visual images in PowerPoint.

Featured Resources

“A Modest Proposal” : Based upon the text taken from Project Gutenberg, Swift’s essay has been edited to conventionalize spelling and usage, with explanatory footnotes to provide historical and social contexts.

Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment : This printout guides students in the development of their own satiric television newscast or editorial script based on a contemporary social issue.

Evaluation Rubric for Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment : This rubric helps in the evaluation of students’ newscasts and editorial scripts.

From Theory to Practice

• To address students’ needs, teachers should cyclically return to a variety of instructional practices that include (among other things) use of modeling, guided practice, collaboration, and independent practice.
• Pearson and Gallagher’s (1983) gradual release of responsibility model includes three parts: modeling and guiding acquisition of new content, collaborating to refine students’ understanding of it, and presenting opportunities for students to try out new content independently (p.75).

The teacher’s use of guided reading provides students with a model for critical reading and for the sharing of the moves that an experienced reader uses to comprehend a difficult text.

• Langer’s (2002) call for balancing instruction includes separated, simulated, and integrated instruction.
• Separated instruction presents students with concepts, simulated instruction allows students to apply the concepts in specific contexts, and integrated instruction provides students with opportunities to apply their learning within a large and purposeful context of their own creation.

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• Computer with Internet access and projector
• Computers with word processing (such as Word) and presentation (such as PowerPoint) software
• “A Modest Proposal”
• Guided Reading of “A Modest Proposal”
• Commonly Used Satiric Devices
• Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment
• Evaluation Rubric for Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment
• Rubric for Assessing Guided Reading

Preparation

• Print and review the printouts for the unit: “A Modest Proposal,” Guided Reading of “A Modest Proposal,” Commonly Used Satiric Devices , Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment , Evaluation Rubric for Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment , and Rubric for Assessing Guided Reading .
• Download and make a copy of the deer cartoon from Narrative Magazine: Literary Puzzler: Famous Last Words . Work through the “Analyzing a Single-Panel Cartoon” section of the Guided Reading of “A Modest Proposal” printout.
• Select a mock newscast from a recent episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart , The Colbert Report , or the “Weekend Update” segment of Saturday Night Live for your students to view. Schedule any audio-visual equipment you may need to present it to the class. Work through the “Viewing an Episode of a Satiric Television Program” section of the Guided Reading of “A Modest Proposal” printout. Take note of the metacognitive moves that enable you to appreciate the humor of the broadcast.
• Review the websites providing background information on satire on Hodgart on The Conditions of Political Satire and on Swift’s biography and career at Jonathan Swift.biography .
• Read Swift’s “A Modest Proposal,” noting the essay’s overall structure and Swift’s use of various satiric techniques.

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; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or a ragoust. (ll. 58-61)

• Complete a copy of the printout Commonly Used Satiric Devices based upon your reading of “A Modest Proposal.”
• Using the division headings on the Guided Reading of “A Modest Proposal,” jot down your own paraphrases of Swift’s ideas with the online interactive Notetaker .
• Review the PowerPoint Tool Tips .
• Review the Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment and the Evaluation Rubric for Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment .

Student Objectives

Students will

• Enhance their comprehension of an edited and footnoted text of Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” through multiple readings: guided, collaborative, and independent
• Identify Swift’s use of specific literary techniques in “A Modest Proposal” through collaboration
• Collaboratively identify a contemporary social problem, analyze it, and develop an outrageous satiric solution to resolve it
• Write the script for a fake newscast—supported by a PowerPoint presentation as a substitute for the blue screen graphics seen in broadcasts—as a means of presenting a satiric solution for a social problem to an audience

Session 1: Introduction to Guided Reading

• To introduce the idea of guided reading to students, begin by presenting a copy of the single-panel cartoon of two deer from Narrative Magazine: Literary Puzzler: Famous Last Words , and work through the first section, “Analyzing a Single-Panel Cartoon,” on the printout Guided Reading of “A Modest Proposal.”
• As you work with students, ask them to share what specific cognitive steps they used to understand the joke. You may need to share your steps first; however, emphasize that there are likely to be many sets of steps involved, all resulting in getting the joke.
• Introduce the idea of satire to students by presenting, reviewing, and discussing the website Hodgart on The Conditions of Political Satire .
• Ask students to give examples of books, essays, movies, and radio or television programs that employ satire. Ask them what issues these media criticize through the use of satire.
• Prepare students for their viewing of the episode of the satiric television program that you selected by reviewing the “Viewing an Episode of a Satiric Television Program” section of the printout Guided Reading of “A Modest Proposal.”
• Watch the program and discuss students’ various responses, again encouraging students to share the cognitive processes that allowed them to comprehend the satire.

Sessions 2 and 3: Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”

• Distribute the edited text of “A Modest Proposal.” Have students read background material on Swift’s life and career from Jonathan Swift.biography.
• Direct students to turn to the edited version of Swift’s pamphlet that you just distributed, pointing out the title, date of publication, and footnotes and how to use them.
• Complete the Guided Reading of “A Modest Proposal” printout. For each section, pose the question(s) before reading, and allow students to read the section and record their responses before asking them to share their understandings. Be prepared to answer their questions about how you, as an experienced reader, process Swift’s ideas. Use the Rubric for Assessing Guided Reading to evaluate students’ understanding.

Session 4: Techniques Commonly Used in Satire

• Distribute and review the printout Commonly Used Satiric Devices .
• Divide the class into pairs of students. Working collaboratively, have each pair fill in the printout with personal examples.
• Have each pair work collaboratively to locate examples of the techniques within Swift’s “A Modest Proposal.” Note that students’ responses are likely to vary widely. They may not find examples within Swift’s essay for all of the techniques.
• At the end of class, have students share their responses in either small or large groups.

Session 5: Independent Reading

• Have students review their responses to the Guided Reading of “A Modest Proposal” and their work on Commonly Used Satiric Devices .
• Working independently and using the section headings from the Guided Reading of “A Modest Proposal,” have each student paraphrase the major ideas of each section of “A Modest Proposal.” Have them use the online interactive Notetaker .

Session 6: Prewriting for Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment

• Distribute and review the Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment and the Evaluation Rubric for Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment .
• Divide the class into pairs, and have each pair complete the prewriting section of the first printout. Note that you may wish to prescreen specific episodes of the television programs that students viewed and analyzed during Session 1 now in this prewriting section, which repeats the analytical questioning used in Session 1.
• If time permits, have students begin drafting the announcer’s script.

Sessions 7 and 8: Drafting the Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment

• Have students begin or continue drafting their scripts, consulting the Web for supporting information as necessary.
• Once students are satisfied with their drafts, have them begin determining and locating appropriate visual images to accompany the script. (Note that the Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment printout provides suggestions for locating these audio-visual components.)

Session 9: Refining and Rehearsing Their Presentations

• Have students revise and edit their scripts.
• While sitting at computers, have students quietly rehearse their presentations, incorporating their PowerPoint content. Direct students to the PowerPoint Tool Tips printout if they need extra guidance using PowerPoint.

Additional Sessions for Presentations

• Determine the order of students’ presentations. You may wish to have the pairs of students draw numbers to do this. Once students are prepared and know when they’re expected to present, you should be able to complete 5–6 presentations in a class session. For example, for a class of 24 students making 12 presentations, you’ll need two to three class periods.
• To encourage better listening, ask students to complete their own Evaluation Rubric for Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment printouts to evaluate each presentation.

As a means of publication, digitally record and post several of the presentations to the website for either your class or your school. Be certain to secure written consent from your students’ parents first.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Observe student participation in the guided reading sessions. Collect students’ Guided Reading of “A Modest Proposal” printouts. On these, make comments about students’ work and address any individual questions that students pose. Because students’ responses to the activities are designed to scaffold their reading of satire, view these responses as pieces of expressive discourse where the emphasis is upon exploring ideas and understandings, not upon getting correct answers or writing well. With this type of writing, it’s better to ignore grammar, usage, and mechanics. To guide assessment of student participation in these activities, see the Rubric for Assessing Guided Reading .
• Collect, quickly review, and briefly comment on students’ work on Commonly Used Satiric Devices. Check for completion and in order to monitor students’ understanding and application of concepts.
• Use the Evaluation Rubric for Mock Television Newscast or Editorial Assignment to evaluate both students’ scripts and their presentations.

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English Language and Literature ETDs

The rhetoric of swift's "a modest proposal.".

Nancy Jean Conrad

Publication Date

The recognition of Swift's rhetorical method in "A Modest Proposal" is an initial premise in most criticism of the essay. The satiric effect of the method is generally assumed; however, incomplete or inconclusive definitions of the essay's rhetorical structure have resulted in unsatisfying and unsatisfactory commentary on its satire--one critic finding it totally destructive, others failing adequately to account for the constructive purpose they claim to see. A formal rhetorical analysis of "A Modest Proposal," aimed at reconstructing the essay's argumentative structure and determining the structural bases for its effects, is the purpose of this paper. Because it is basically functional and because it is fundamental to the rhetorical tradition in which Swift received his training, Aristotle's Rhetoric is the primary critical tool. Using Aristotle's three-part division of rhetoric into speaker, reasoned argument and audience, the analysis involves essentially a distinction between the rhetoric of the persona-author of the "Proposal" and Swift's own rhetoric, defining in the process the parts and proofs of each. What the analysis reveals is a dialectic of conflicting attitudes, ideas, and proposals, and a three-part logical development, with a literal level of argument, a refutation of that argument, and a real meaning, becomes apparent. First, there is the persona's proposal for relieving famine and poverty in Ireland by the sale and consumption of infant flesh. The persona's rhetoric relies heavily upon convincing his audience of the intellectual integrity of his argument and of his own virtue, sagacity, and goodwill. However, an underlying pattern of fallacy in his overall approach and general reasoning and in his specific proofs undercut and, by undercutting, refute the argument, at the same time, calling into question the intellectual competence and integrity of the persona as rhetorician. Since Swift as the real rhetorician creates as well as attacks this rhetoric of the persona, the literal level of argument together with its implicit refutation may be seen as a demonstrated untruth or a mocking rhetoric from which the real meaning of the essay, an appeal for moral reform and the adoption of reasonable and humane economic expedients, is to be inferred. The identification of the rhetoric of "A Modest Proposal" as a mocking rhetoric places the essay in the satiric tradition of the Dunciad, MacFlecknoe, and the Shepherd's Week. Swift has "mocked" classical rhetoric by adhering to its structure but filling that structure with debased or perverted material. By shading this satire with the morality and superior intellection of the supra-level of refutative and real argument, Swift as mocker is able to turn the mock rhetoric of "A Modest Proposal" back into a true rhetoric with an ultimately positive and constructive meaning.

Degree Name

Level of degree, department name, first committee member (chair).

Hoyt Trowbridge

Second Committee Member

Joseph Marshall Kuntz

Third Committee Member

Edith Buchanan

Document Type

Recommended citation.

Conrad, Nancy Jean. "The Rhetoric Of Swift's "A Modest Proposal."." (1972). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/engl_etds/325

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A Modest Proposal

Jonathan swift, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Satire and Sincerity

Today we regard “A Modest Proposal” as a seminal work of Western satire—satire being the use of humor or irony to reveal and criticize the evils of society. Though Swift wrote the tract in response to the specific social conditions afflicting his native Ireland, its bitter humor shocks and delights as much now as it did in 1729, when it circulated the streets of Dublin as an anonymous pamphlet. The power of Swift’s satire resides…

Colonialism, Greed, and Inhumanity

Beginning in the 12th century, England ruled its neighboring island Ireland, essentially treating it as a colony. English rule grew increasingly oppressive as it became a Protestant country, while the vast majority of the Irish remained Catholic. By 1729, Irish Catholics, though greater in number than their Protestant rulers, owned less of the land, and they couldn’t vote. To put it simply, a minority of wealthy, Protestant Englishman held all the power over a disenfranchised…

Society, Rationality, and Irrationality

Not only does “A Modest Proposal” satirize the casual evil of the English rich and the hopelessness of the Irish poor, it also satirizes the culture of pamphleteering and political grandstanding that flourished in response to the crisis in Ireland. In 18th-century England and Ireland, it was common practice for the civic-minded to write short essays on all matters of politics, which they would then distribute among the public in the form of cheaply printed…

Misanthropy (Hatred of Humankind)

In a letter to his friend, the poet Alexander Pope, Swift famously wrote, “I have ever hated all nations, professions, and communities, and all my love is toward individuals: for instance, I hate the tribe of lawyers, but I love Counsellor Such-a-one, and Judge Such-a-one: so with physicians—I will not speak of my own trade—soldiers, English, Scotch, French, and the rest. But principally I hate and detest that animal called man, although I heartily love…