1729 pamphlet

Vocabulary to Analyze HUMOR Exaggeration- an overstatement Understatement-opposite of exaggeration; using a statement, often in the negative, to create comedic effect. Farce-form of low comedy designed to provoke laughter through highly exaggerated caricatures of people in improbable or silly situations. Irony-saying/doing one thing while meaning another. When the opposite of what is expected to happen occurs Mockery: An absurd misrepresentation or imitation of something.

About this Pamphlet standard essay format "I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection.“ standard essay format opening that presents the topic and thesis a body that develops the thesis with details a conclusion--states the benefits that would accrue from his proposal. Supports a political position through Satire. Remember that with satire nothing is quite what it seems due to the irony used. The essay was originally printed in the form of a pamphlet. At the time of its publication, 1729, a pamphlet was a short work that took a stand on a political, religious, or social issue—or any other issue of public interest. A typical pamphlet had no binding, although it sometimes had a paper cover. Writers of pamphlets, called pamphleteers, played a significant role in inflaming or resolving many of the great controversies in Europe in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, as well as in the political debate leading up to the American Revolution.  .......In addition to “A Modest Proposal,” Jonathan Swift wrote many political pamphlets supporting the causes of the Tory political party after he renounced his allegiance to the Whig party. 

Historical Influences—causes England Gains Power over Ireland England Protestant-Catholic Conflicts Ireland mostly Catholic Protestant Gains Power ........Over the centuries, England gradually gained a foothold in Ireland. In 1541, the parliament in Dublin recognized England’s Henry VIII, a Protestant, as King of Ireland. In spite of repeated uprisings by Irish Catholics, English Protestants acquired more and more estates in Ireland. By 1703, they owned all but ten percent of the land. Meanwhile, legislation was enacted that severely limited the rights of the Irish to hold government office, purchase real estate, get an education, and advance themselves in other ways. As a result, many Irish fled to foreign lands, including America. Most of those who remained in Ireland lived in poverty, facing disease, starvation, and prejudice. It was this Ireland—an Ireland of the tyrannized and the downtrodden—that Jonathan Swift attempted to focus attention on in “A Modest Proposal” in 1720. PERSECUTION

Historical Influences—effects Laws limit Irish rights to hold government office, purchase real estate, get an education, etc. By 1703 the English owned 90% of the land Irish worked on farms owned by English. English charged high rent. Irish couldn’t afford rent. Therefore… Many Irishmen worked farms owned by Englishmen who charged high rents—so high that the Irish were frequently unable to pay them. Consequently, many Irish farming families continually lived on the edge of starvation. Irish are being taken advantage of but DON’T FIGHT BACK Poverty

Author’s Purpose Author’s Background “Middle State” Split alliances and can see 2 sides to the issue Author’s Purpose To call attention to abuses inflicted on Irish Catholics by well-to-do English Protestants. SATIRE=PERSUADE You should respect everyone. Swift was PROTESTANT but also an IRISH native—what does this tell you? Author’s Background

Themes Exploitation of the Downtrodden Prejudice Irish Inaction .......Beneath Swift’s audacious satire is a serious theme: that English overlords are shamelessly exploiting and oppressing the impoverished people of Ireland through unfair laws, high rents charged by absentee landlords, and other injustices. .......At the time of the publication of "A Modest Proposal," many British Protestants disdained Roman Catholics--especially Irish Catholics--and enacted laws limiting their ability to thrive and prosper.  Swift's satirical language also chides the Irish themselves for not acting with firm resolve to improve their lot.

Passage 1 "Supposing that one thousand families in this city, would be constant customers for Infant's Flesh, besides others who might have it at merry meetings, particularly at weddings and christenings, I compute that Dublin would take off annually about twenty thousand carcasses, and the rest of the Kingdom (where probably they will be sold somewhat cheaper) the remaining eighty thousand."

Passage 2 “It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or ravel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads, and cabin-doors, crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms.”

Passage 3 “The number of souls in this kingdom being usually reckoned one million and a half, of these I calculate there may be about tow hundred thousand couple whose wives are breeders, from which number I subtract thirty thousand couples who are able to maintain their own children, although I apprehend there cannot be so many under the present distresses of the kingdom, but this being granted, there will remain an hundred and seventy thousand breeders.”

Passage 4 “I think it is agreed by all parties, that this prodigious number of children, in the arms, or on the backs, or at the heels of their mothers, and frequently of their fathers, is in the present deplorable state of the kingdom, a very great additional grievance”

Passage 5 “I propose to provide from them, in such a manner, as, instead of being a charge upon their parents, or the parish, or wanting food and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall, on the contrary, contribute to the feeding and partly to the clothing of many thousands.”

Passage 6 “always advising the mother to let them suck plentifully in the last month, so as to render them plump and fat for a good table. A child will make two dishes…and when the family dies alone, the fore or hind quarter will make a reasonable dish and seasoned with a little pepper or salt will be very good boiled…”

Swift’s Proposal ?  Intended Result Lessen # of Papists Irish infants be sold as food at age one, when they are plump and healthy, to give the Irish a new source of income and the English a new food product to bolster their economy and eliminate a social problem. “I think it is agreed by all parties, that this prodigious number of children, in the arms, or on the backs, or at the heels of their mothers, and frequently of their fathers, is in the present deplorable state of the kingdom, a very great additional grievance” a reduction in the number of Catholics in Ireland, since most Irish infants—almost all of whom were baptized Catholic—would end up in stews and other dishes instead of growing up to go to Catholic churches. .......In “A Modest Proposal,” Swift satirizes the English landlords with outrageous humor, proposing that Irish infants be sold as food at age one, when they are plump and healthy, to give the Irish a new source of income and the English a new food product to bolster their economy and eliminate a social problem. he is satirizing the prejudice of Protestants toward Catholics.  Intended Result Lessen # of Papists

Aren’t children already valuable? Irony Aren’t children already valuable? “It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or ravel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads, and cabin-doors, crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms.” The Irish live in extreme poverty. They sell their children as delicacies—thus the children are valuable. The rich pay high prices. The poor gain money Intended Result Give the Poor Valuables

Economic Hardship alleviated "Supposing that one thousand families in this city, would be constant customers for Infant's Flesh, besides others who might have it at merry meetings, particularly at weddings and christenings, I compute that Dublin would take off annually about twenty thousand carcasses, and the rest of the Kingdom (where probably they will be sold somewhat cheaper) the remaining eighty thousand." “I propose to provide from them, in such a manner, as, instead of being a charge upon their parents, or the parish, or wanting food and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall, on the contrary, contribute to the feeding and partly to the clothing of many thousands.” The poor gain money by selling their children. There are fewer mouths to feed (less gov’t and church aid). Decrease overpopulation; decrease poverty This could become an export. Intended Result Financial Gain

Breeders burden lifted Overpopulation “The number of souls in this kingdom being usually reckoned one million and a half, of these I calculate there may be about two hundred thousand couple whose wives are breeders, from which number I subtract thirty thousand couples who are able to maintain their own children, although I apprehend there cannot be so many under the present distresses of the kingdom, but this being granted, there will remain an hundred and seventy thousand breeders.” There is so much poverty in the country among Catholics Catholics a procreating and are unable to care for their children English landlords are raising the rent annually and then kicking their tennets to the street Intended Result Breeders burden lifted

IRONY Intended Result Increase restaurant business and appeal Verbal irony: Saying the opposite of what is meant. "I rather recommend buying the children alive, and dressing them hot from the knife, as we do roasting pigs." disease, famine, and substandard living conditions threaten to kill great numbers of Irish=a positive development: is it really positive? “always advising the mother to let them suck plentifully in the last month, so as to render them plump and fat for a good table. A child will make two dishes…and when the family dies alone, the fore or hind quarter will make a reasonable dish and seasoned with a little pepper or salt will be very good boiled…” Swift's masterly use of this device makes his main argument—that the Irish deserve better treatment from the English—powerful and dreadfully amusing. Intended Result Increase restaurant business and appeal

Increase Marriage Rate Domestic issues “ this would be a great inducement to marriage, which all wise nations have either encouraged by rewards, or enforced by laws and penalties. It would increase the care and tenderness of mothers toward their children, when they were sure of a settlement for life, to the poor babes, provided in some sort by the public to their annual profit instead of expense. We should see an honest emulation23 among the married women, which of them could bring the fattest child to the market, men would become as fond of their wives, during the time of their pregnancy, as they are now of their mares in foal, their cows in calf, or sows when they are ready to farrow, nor offer to beat or kick them (as it is too frequent a practice) for fear of a miscarriage.” Men will want to marry women for the financial benefit Women will want a good man to help her raise the plumpest children Men will respect women as much as they respect their livelihoods and beat their women less Intended Result Increase Marriage Rate

Okay…that seems OUTLANDISH… Is he serious????

NO!!! A satirical essay is a piece of prose writing that ridicules the faults and shortcomings of individuals, groups, institutions, or humanity in general. Exaggeration “A very worthy person, a true lover of his country, and whose virtues I highly esteem was lately pleased, in discoursing on this matter, to offer a refinement upon my scheme.” Understatement “I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection.” Verbal Irony/Sarcasm “landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children.” While a satirical essay is often written to be humorous, the main purpose is to encourage readers to bring about change. Writers of satire may use a variety of strategies.

Finally… 1. While the topic of “A Modest Proposal” is serious and the proposal shocking and terrible, the essay does have humorous elements. What makes it humorous? 2. The target of Swift’s satire is the poverty in Ireland. What makes the satirical essay an effective method for drawing attention to this problem? 3. Today, as in Swift’s time, the satirical essay can be a potent weapon in calling for social change. What present-day situation or event would make a good subject for a satirical essay? How could the subject be satirized?

Make a judgment The proposal in “A Modest Proposal is/is not effective satire because…

Satirical Essays Questions after Reading Article pg 5 packet Summary: Is it satire? If yes, what folly (foolishness) or vice (serious flaw) is being ridiculed? Are there several follies or vices ridiculed?

Let’s look at the arguments/evidence… Okay, our outlandish satirical essays are funny, and serious, but not serious due to irony…BUT they make some excellent (albeit ridiculous) points! Let’s look at the arguments/evidence…

Argument 1 for Packet Essay Not knowing Geography is not the student’s fault Highlight the evidence for this argument seen in the essay.

A Modest Proposal for the Educational System Questions page 3 of your packet What does Megan Pankiewicz compare students in schools to? What is she literally saying about schools? What is her tone? What change in schools is she trying to inspire?

Your Modest Proposal for the Educational System You will be assigned a group and a topic Your task is to create a satire to inspire change in society’s way of thinking about that topic. You can use whatever media you choose Cartoon Essay Multimedia You will present your satire to the class

Sample What does the cartoon literally state? What change is it calling for? Is it effective Satire? Explain.