Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels, and "A Modest Proposal" – Work From the Master Satirist of the Restoration and Enlightenment Satire and Arguments for Change Copyright Peter S. Willis

Jonathan Swift ( )  Born in Dublin, Ireland, Swift's family was poor, but a generous uncle funded Jonathan's education at Kilkenny Grammar school.

"Stella," Swift's True Love  Undecided about what career to pursue, Swift went to live and work with retired diplomat Sir William Temple. There he met Esther Johnson, nicknamed "Stella," to whom he dedicated much of his work.  Swift was buried by her side, although their relationship was unsteady.

When in Doubt, Become a Priest  After failing at becoming a poet, he moved to Ireland to become a priest. Two years later, he rededicated himself to becoming a writer.

Meniere's Syndrome  Swift suffered from dizziness and nausea, which was probably Meniere's Syndrome.

Swift and the Human Race  He said he "liked individuals but hated humanity." He did care enough to try to mend the injustices that he saw.

Notable Satirical Works  Swift's satirical works included: The Battle of the Books, A Tale of a Tub, Gulliver's Travels, and the essay "A Modest Proposal."

Satire  A literary work in which irony, sarcasm, or caustic wit is used to attack or expose folly, vice, or stupidity.  Satire uses verbal irony to great effect. Verbal irony occurs when what is said is not the same as what is meant. For example, saying "Nice day, isn't it?" during a rainstorm is an example of verbal irony.

Gulliver's Travels  While a fantastic travel account, Gulliver's Travels is a satire on politics and political morals.

Voyage to Lilliput  Part 1 of Gulliver's Travels is the Voyage to Lilliput where people are 1/12 th the size of Gulliver. They are small-minded and petty.

Voyage to Brobdingnag  Part 2 is the Voyage to Brobdingnag where the people are 12 times larger than Gulliver. They think Europeans were disgusting vermin.

"A Modest Proposal"  Swift used satire in this essay to address the problem of famine in Ireland.  Swift argues, by economic reasoning as well as from a moral stance, for a way to turn starvation into its own solution.  The proposal, once you identify Swift's solution, turns out to be anything but modest…

"A Modest Proposal" – Anticipation Questions Consider the following questions as your read the assigned passages from the text.  What are the problems afflicting Ireland with which Swift is concerned in "A Modest Proposal"?  What is the primary consideration of the writer's argument? Justice, revenge, economics, or political power?  According to the writer in "A Modest Proposal," what are the advantages of his proposal?  What best describes the cumulative emotional effect on the reader of the speaker's presenting the advantages of his proposal one after another?

Gulliver's Travels – Anticipation Questions Consider the following questions as your read the assigned passages from the text.  How does Swift make the fantasy worlds of Lilliput and Brobdingnag seem more believable?  What was Swift's main purpose in writing Gulliver's Travels?  What is Gulliver's attitude toward the Lilliputians?  When the Brobdingnagian prince makes fun of the ways of English society, Gulliver takes what action?

Gulliver's Travels Discussion Questions  After Gulliver describes English society to him, the King of Brobdingnag concludes that the English must be "the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth." Why does he have this opinion of English society? Use details from the story to support your answers.  Think about the character of Lemuel Gulliver. What qualities does he possess that makes him an effective narrator? Which of his qualities add to the satiric and ironic effects of the story? Support your answers with details from the two excerpts.

Jonathan Swift Discussion Questions  Do you think that Swift's judgments of his fellow humans remain applicable or accurate today? Explain your answer.  Toward the end of "A Modest Proposal," the speaker notes alternative solutions to the problems of Ireland. How do these alternatives reflect values that differ from the speaker's values? Why do you think Swift included these alternatives in the essay but then had the speaker reject them?

Jonathan Swift Discussion Questions  What are some things that Swift accomplishes by referring to people in "A Modest Proposal" with such terms as dam, breeders, and salable commodity?  Restate, in your own words, what Baron Lytton meant when he wrote in 1839 that "The pen is mightier than the sword." Then give two reasons that you think this is or is not true today.