Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”

Background Knowledge 390-461: St. Patrick brings Christianity to Ireland 1170: Long-term British involvement in Ireland begins 1541: Henry VIII of England, a Protestant, declares himself King of Ireland 1649: Oliver Cromwell crushes Irish opposition 1703: Protestants own 90% of the country’s land

Background Knowledge 1695-1738: Penal Laws passed: Prevented Catholics from bearing arms or owning horses worth more than 5 pounds Restricted Catholics’ rights to education Banned Catholics from serving in the army, holding public office, entering the legal profession, and voting

Jonathan Swift Born in 1667 in Ireland to English Protestants He is considered one of the greatest satirists in the English language He believed in the cause for Irish economic and political freedom and wrote, “Whole People of Ireland, by the Laws of God, of Nature, of Nations, and of your own Country, you are and ought to be as Free a People as your brethren in England.”

Structure of “A Modest Proposal” I. Description of the Problem and Background Information II. Description of the Proposed Solution III. Benefits of the Proposed Solution IV. Rebuttal to Objections and Summary

I. Description of the Problem and Background Information What does the title suggest to you? What kind of predictions might a first-time reader make about the text, based on the title? What sight becomes a “melancholy object” for Swift and others who walk through the towns and cities? What will give the people reason to put up a statue for the “preserver of the nation” (line 14)? What problem would he solve to attain such an honor? Summarize the problem the narrator will address with his proposal.

II. Description of the Proposed Solution What does the narrator propose to do with poor children once they turn one year old? What does the narrator say that his proposal will prevent? What reasons does the narrator give for proposing his plan for children at age one? What would be involved in implementing the proposal? Who are the people who appear to endorse the proposal? What examples does he provide to support the proposal?

III. Benefits of the Proposed Solution Who does the narrator say, this food will be ” somewhat dear” for (line 76)? Why? What have they already done? How does the above line reveal Swift’s rhetorical purpose? Briefly paraphrase the 6 main solutions that Swift’s proposal would solve. Swift writes: “The number of popish infants is at least three to one in this kingdom, and therefore it will have one other collateral advantage, by lessening the number of papists among us” (lines 83-85). What is Swift criticizing? What can “thrifty” people do with the children? Why is this suggestion key to understanding Swift’s satire?

IV. Rebuttal to Objections and Summary Why might “scrupulous people” protest his proposal (line 114)? What is the narrator’s response? Why does the narrator say that he is not overly concerned with “the vast number of poor people, who are aged, diseased, or maimed” (lines 130-139)? On page 11, Swift states “let no other man talk to me of other expedients (a convenient, but immoral way to achieve something).” What are some of the expedients he mentions? How do they differ from the narrator’s proposal? According to the narrator, why is his proposal more appropriate and appealing than these other “expedients”? Towards the end of the essay the narrator makes a challenge to ”those politicians who dislike my overture (offered plan).” What does he tell them to do? At the end of the essay the narrator argues his credibility. Why should his audience find him credible and trustworthy?