To properly analyze the text you need to know a little bit about the history of the Irish people and their ongoing struggles with the British. The largest majority of Irish citizens, at the time, were Roman Catholic, most of who were poor sharecroppers or tradesmen. Where as the British, were primarily Protestant, and most were wealthy landowners. The British were also the ones in power constantly using this advantage to repress the Irish Peoples by slowly stripping them of their rights. Some would even go as far as to say that the British were trying to kill off the Irish although not in an openly hostile way. The Irish citizens were prohibited by British law from owning property, or from being involved in trade and commerce. Therefore most were destitute and homeless. Even those who had a home were barely surviving. Due to the British landlords charging outrageously high rent, and the many taxes they were subject to under British rule.
After a little research, and taking into consideration, that Jonathan Swift was himself of Irish decent; it becomes apparent that his inhumane propositions are made in disgust and with a sense of irony. Also some of the text itself
| |
 |
|
 |
| |
 |
 |
| |
 |
 |
A Modest Proposal
A Modest Proposal. A Modest Proposal is a ... same time. Swiftamp39s motives for writing ampquotA Modest Proposal,ampquot were complex. He felt that ... (878 4
|
| | |
|
A Modest Proposal
A Modest Proposal. Jonathon Swiftamp39s A Modest Proposal A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland from ... (4412
|
| | |
|
A Modest Proposal
A Modest Proposal. ampquotA Modest Proposalampquot Jonathan Swiftamp39s satirical essay ampquotA Modest Proposalampquot on the surface follows the classical ... (2891
|
| | |
|
Modest Proposal
Modest Proposal. Modest Proposal Many years ago during the 1700s, England dominated the falling territory of Ireland. England conquered ... (4102
|
| | |
|
A Modest proposal
A Modest proposal. ampquotA Modest Proposalampquot Jonathan Swiftamp39s proposal was anything but modest. His purpose was to have the audience think ... (3311
|
| | |
|
Modest Proposal
Modest Proposal. A Modest Proposal is everything that a satirical story should be.It includes sarcasm and irony as Jonathan Swift ... (14416
|
| | |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
| |
much as it does having a general knowledge of Irish history.
I can see how this text has become a favorite among scholars when researching irony and satire within literature. Bret Benjamin of New York State University in Albany stated. "The readers might question why Swift spent about 97 of his Proposal trying to convince people that eating children was the best solution if he didn't actually mean it. Well, Swift's audience will have a better understanding of his reasoning after reading Chapter 6 of "The Character of Swift's Satire". According to Richard Feingold, Swift doesn't believe that people are capable of dealing with the problem of poverty in a rational manner. "The ironic game of self-concealment- as in A Modest Proposal- is a sign that the audience has been perceived to be unteachable, incapable of understanding or responding to the grand clarities of ethical discourse as conducted among rational beings". Out of curiosity I researched Richard Feingold"tms book, and found the text most enlightening. I have yet to read his book however I plan to, I have every intention of reading more works by swift and feel this would be a good tool in helping me better understand his mode of writing.
To properly analyze the text you need to know a little bit about the history of the Irish people and their ongoing struggles with the British. The largest majority of Irish c
931
4 
4
931 
4 
1 
)
