2. Background/Context
Political – “The Irish Question”:
• In the 12th Century Anglo-Norman (British) groups
invaded Ireland.
• The English established their own laws and created a
parliament.
• King Henry VII (ruled 1485-1509) established strict laws
for Ireland.
• King Henry VIII (ruled 1509-1547) attempted to transform Ireland from a Catholic
country to an Anglican country.
• Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, and King James all forced the Anglican religion on
the Irish.
• Oliver Cromwell (Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and
Ireland) invaded Ireland in 1649 with an army of 10,000 men. He executed 2,000
Irish and banished Catholic land owners.
3. Background/Context
Penal Laws - Several rafts of penal laws (laws explicitly designed to reduce
Catholicism’s standing as the dominant religion in Ireland) were introduced.
• When Swift published “A Modest Proposal” in 1729, the most recent of these laws
Were from 1695. Remember, Swift points out that ‘the number of popish infants is at
least three to one in this kingdom,’ so these laws affected most of the population.
Penal Laws, 1695: A Sample
• Catholics banned from Public Office or Parliament
• Catholics banned from intermarriage with Protestants
• Catholics disenfranchised (no vote)
• Catholics banned from University entrance
• Catholic inheritances could be claimed by Protestants
• Catholics banned from owning a horse worth more than 5
pounds
•Catholic churches to be built from wood, not stone, and not
on main roads
• And so on…
4. Occasion & Purpose
Published in 1729 after years of drought, exacerbated
by crop failure, caused 1000’s of Irish to starve to
death.
Suffering of poor & starving Irish ignored by English
landowners.
This satirical essay was Swift’s response to the
tragedy.
Purpose: to bring attention to the problem – that it is
dire enough to warrant extreme measures for
resolution.
5. Subject & Summary
Swift proposes a solution to the problem of
overpopulation, poverty, & starvation in Ireland.
Literal level: Sell children for food as a delicacy so
that the poor can make & save money and to
improve the country’s economy. Swift enumerates
the practicalities and advantages of such a solution.
Figurative level: Bring attention to the problem,
indict those in power ignoring the problems, and
point out practical solutions being ignored.
6. Author/Speaker
Jonathan Swift
Born in 1667 in Ireland to English parents
Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin
Prolific poet, satirist, & pamphleteer.
Essays on behalf of Irish causes had great impact &
were masterpieces of political irony.
Speaker: uses detached distance from the subject to
aid in satirical tone.
7. Intended Audience
Direct audience: people of 1729 Dublin, Ireland
Indirect audience: English politicians who have
power to do something about the plight of the poor
Irish
Ethos: Speaker appears sincere, logical, fair-minded,
knowledgeable, professional
Pathos: Speaker suggests an unethical & untenable
solution meant to outrage his audience
Logos: Speaker presents his solution in a seemingly
logical manner. Also, he mentions other, more
tenable solutions at the disposal of the politicians
8. Tone
Satirical
Structural irony: pervasive irony created by a
structural feature such as a naïve protagonist whose
viewpoint is consistently wrong & shared by neither
author nor narrator
Swift’s “modest proposer” is the most famous
example of structural irony.
Language used: formal, cold, objective, declarative,
authoritative, detached, factual
9. Techniques
Inductive Argument
Swift describes in factual detail the problem,
outlining, through specifics and consequences, the
burden of the problem rather than jumping to a
broad description of the problem and his solution.
Elevated diction: “a melancholy object” … “beggars
of the female sex, followed by three, four; or six
children, all in rags and importuning every
passenger for an alms” (63)
10. Techniques
Uncontested Facts
“The number of souls in this kingdom being usually
reckoned one million and a half, of these I calculate
there may be about 200,000 couple whose wives are
breeders; from which number I subtract 30,000
couple who are able to maintain their own children
(although I apprehend there cannot be so many,
under the present distress of the kingdom); but this
being granted, there will remain 170,000 breeders…
There only remain 120,000 children of poor parents
annually born. The question therefore is, how this
number shall be reared and provided for?” (64)
11. Techniques
Clear Claim (& reference to “expert” opinion)
“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 broiled; and I make no doubt that
it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout” (64).
“I profess, in the sincerity of my heart, that I have
not the least personal interest in endeavoring to
promote this necessary work, having no other
motive than the public good of my country…” (69).
12. Techniques
Logical Advantages of his Solution
Decrease # of Catholics in the country
Poor people have a way to make money.
Good for the economy
Cheap to breastfeed child for 1 year & parents avoid
expense of raising child after 1 year.
Chefs at restaurants can offer rare delicacy & try
variety of recipes (thus charging more for dishes).
Increase marriage rates & value of women esp. in
pregnancy
Also, use skin for gloves & boots.
13. Techniques
Addressing an opposing point of
view/Counter-argument
Swift considers the possibility of eating older children,
but decides against it - the boys would be tough and lean,
while the girls would be near to the time when they could
“become Breeders themselves,” and it would be best to
let them do so.
14. Techniques
Irony: Solutions that Politicians have Ignored
“Therefore let no man talk to me of other expedients: of
taxing our absentees at 5s. a pound: of using neither
clothes nor household 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…” (68).
“Therefore I repeat, let no man talk to me of these and the
like expedients, till he has at least some glimpse of hope
that there will be ever some hearty and sincere attempt to
put them in practice” (68).
15. Discussion
When did it first become apparent to you that Swift's
proposal was not serious? How did you respond?
Why do you think Swift chose to express his
frustration with this societal issue in this way, rather
than a straight-forward argument?
What relevance does “A Modest Proposal” have for
contemporary social and political issues? Can you
think of historical or current situations that pose
similar problems about ends and means?
16. Modern Satire: The Onion
The Onion is
• an entertainment newspaper and
website
• features satirical articles reporting
on international, national, and local
news
• comments on current events, both
real and fictional
• parodies traditional newspaper
features on a traditional newspaper
layout with an AP-style editorial
voice.
17. Modern Satire: The Colbert Report
American political satirist, writer,
comedian, television host, and
actor
Host of The Colbert Report, a
satirical news show in which he
portrays a conservative pundit,
much like Bill O’Reiley
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/
401380/november-02-2011/the-word---bite-the-
hand-that-feeds-you
