“A M ODEST P ROPOSAL ” BY J ONATHAN S WIFT Original/long title: “A Modest Proposal 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."

H ISTORICAL BACKGROUND Ireland was under the control of England for close to 500 years and was denied union with England when Scotland received it in As a result, Ireland continued to suffer under trade restrictions and lack of resources. This situation led Swift to write this satirical essay.

P AMPHLETS During this time, many writers wrote and published pamphlets with proposals to solve the economic problems in Ireland. Swift’s essay parodied the style and method of these others. His purpose: to capture the audience whose indifference he believed was to blame for the situation and make them think of solutions.

O VERALL ANALYSIS Swift satirically expresses his anger towards Ireland’s colonial rule under England, as well as the hypocrisy of the wealthy. He feels that Ireland is suppressed by English rule and ambivalent in their actions against their rule. It bothers him that Irish politicians, as well as the masses of poor, fail to mobilize on their own behalf.

S ATIRE : As we determined when we studied Chaucer, blends a critical attitude with HUMOR and WIT for the purpose of improving human institutions or humanity. True satirists are conscious of the frailty of human institutions, and attempt through laughter not so much to tear them down as to inspire a remodeling. Irony and sarcasm are often used in satire. “Industrial Revolution Provides Millions of Out-of-Work Children with Jobs” provides-millions-of-outofwo,2877/ provides-millions-of-outofwo,2877/ Motifs featured in both this article and Swift’s essay are similar—the exploitation of children for the benefit of adults, the loss of childhood innocence, harsh conditions for children. Thematic connection: because the government is not listening to the working class, harsh conditions are resulting for children because they are being exploited by adults, and thus losing their innocence.

PROCEDURAL TEXTS: Along with Satire, Swift’s response to the grim conditions in Ireland becomes a procedural text. Identify a problem Think about audience and purpose Propose a solution Provide support for proposed solution in the form of reasons and evidence Note other problems and solutions

V OCABULARY : Some of the unfamiliar terms in the Modest Proposal are explained below: Chair: (Here) a Sedan Chair - a covered chair supported by poles, carried by two bearers. Episcopal: To do with (here appointed by) a bishop - the adjective refers to church administration at the time Swift wrote. Gibbet: Place where criminals are hanged. Mandarin: Important official serving an Asian(originally Chinese) ruler, or any high official today. Papists: Supporters of the Pope, an insulting name for Catholics. Pretender: James Stuart, a Catholic who pretended to be English and eventually claimed the English and Scottish thrones. He is sometimes known as the Old Pretender, while his son, Charles Edward Stuart, is known as the Young Pretender (or Bonnie Prince Charlie) Shambles: Place (usually in a town) where animals are slaughtered and butchered. Solar year: A year in the ordinary sense (as measured by the earth's going once around the sun).

M ORE V OCABULARY Other words to know: importune emulate raiment expedient repine parsimony gibbet animosity vintner overture

P ARAGRAPHS 1-7 A NALYSIS

W HAT SOCIAL CHANGES DO YOU PROPOSE ??? Generate a list of social issues. Pick an issue. Think of an outlandish solution to that problem. Include a paragraph introducing and describing the issue itself. Include a paragraph in which you propose your absurd solution. Include a paragraph on the people or groups of people who specifically will benefit from the absurd solution. Include a paragraph like Swift’s in which you introduce solutions that are actually reasonable and workable. However, also explain why the reader should not speak to the writer of such untenable solutions. You may need to do some research on your issue, too. Please do not forget to write parenthetical citations in your composition where appropriate. **I will go over how to do these next class. Length: shoot for a well-organized page.

W HAT SOCIAL CHANGES DO YOU PROPOSE ??? This pamphlet should be: Typed Double-spaced 1-inch Margins MLA heading Due date: Monday, 2/24/14 or 2/25/14 Need not be analytical in nature- this is not a “paper” assignment. Write it as if you are Jonathan Swift, and you feel the need to “comment” on a need that you have observed. Emulate his work! Use Irony, Sarcasm, Emotionally charged language, etc.

W HAT SOCIAL CHANGES DO YOU PROPOSE ???