A Modest Proposal

“But, as to my self, having been wearied out for many years with offering vain, idle, visionary thoughts, and at length utterly despairing of success, I fortunately fell upon this proposal….” Clever, brilliant and humorous satire and treatise here from Jonathan Swift that takes many a shot at several different aspects of how society handled the problems of poverty and starvation in Ireland as well as the rich among other areas. I find it amazing how Swift could take irony to a new level and for such an extended length of time in his essay, not only poking holes at aspects of society, but carrying it through. He begins his essay by setting up the problems and crisis of poverty in such a deadpan manner that the “solution” is such a shock (and quite funny). He argues so…well…swiftly and effectively, and elaborates quite thoroughly for his “plan” that I think, dear reader, you just might be convinced as well. There are some definite laugh out loud moments from Swift’s essay. Here are a few gems below: “they shall, on the contrary, contribute to the feeding, and partly to the clothing on many thousand…” “I grant this food will be somewhat dear and therefore very proper for landlords, as they have already devoured most of the parents…” “…so much wasted among us by the great destruction of pigs, too frequent at our table; which are in no way comparable in taste of magnificence to a well grown, fat yearly child, which roasted whole will make a considerable figure at a Lord Mayor’s feast.” And Swift says all this with a straight face. This one is so good you’ll be eating it up.

Wonderful/ While this could apply to the current state of affairs some people might find it hard to read/ Like my current congressman

This was my first exposure to sarcasm in literature. I remember reading it and being ex-Catholic, found it especially funny. It still delivers.

The full name of Jonathan Swift’s pamphlet is A Modest Proposal For preventing the Children of Poor People From being a Burthen to Their Parents or Country, and For making them Beneficial to the Publick. This work is a Juvenalian satire which is a type of satirical writing that uses extreme hyperbole to mock or criticize some aspect of human behaviour, society, or government. A Modest Proposal mocks heartless attitudes towards the poor, as well as British policy towards the Irish in general. The title is itself ironic because Swift’s proposal is not at all modest but is disgusting and absurd. The essay starts by lamenting the sad fate of the children of the poverty-stricken Irish who live in squalor because their parents are too poor to keep them fed and clothed. Swift argues that the problem of too many children could be turned into a boon if the children of the poor were fattened up and sold into a meat market at the age of one year old. He uses hard-edged economic reasoning to support his proposal and lists six advantages to selling Irish babies as food, namely, reducing the number of Catholics, allowing the poor to pay rent, improving the menus at eating establishments, relieving poor parents of the financial burden of raising children, improving marriage and family life for the Irish by making the children assets of value and the mothers’ contributors to the financial wealth of the family, and enriching the Irish nation. Swift goes on to cite statistics in support of his argument in the form of specific data about the number of children to be sold, their weight and price, and the projected consumption patterns of the purchasers. He also suggests recipes for the preparation and cooking of the children. His essay concludes that his proposal would solve Ireland’s complex social, political, and economic problems. The purpose of A Modest Proposal is to comment on England’s legal and economic exploitation of Ireland. While the essay sometimes argues that the Irish themselves are partially to blame for their country’s problems, his main viewpoint is that the English were responsible for destroying Ireland’s economy and culture. A Modest Proposal is a shocking but excellent piece of writing that highlights political and social injustices by using logical extremes to make a ridiculous argument for solving the problem of poverty in Ireland in 1729 when the piece was published. A Modest Proposal is still relevant because extreme poverty still plagues many countries in the world. Quotes from A Modest Proposal “I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or a ragoust.” “I have already computed the charge of nursing a beggar’s child ... to be about two shillings per annum, rags included; and I believe no gentleman would repine to give ten shillings for the carcass of a good fat child, which, as I have said, will make four dishes of excellent nutritive meat. Those who are more thrifty (as I must confess the times require) may flay the carcass; the skin of which artificially dressed will make admirable gloves for ladies, and summer boots for fine gentlemen.” “whoever could find out a fair, cheap and easy method of making these children sound and useful members of the common-wealth, would deserve so well of the public, as to have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation.”

I have repeatedly tried to log in following the prompts and no matter what I do I cannot log in to Audible to listen to this. I could not tell you how the recording is because I CANNOT listen to it because after following the prompts 3 times to change my password and even though the system tells me it has been successfully updated with Audible, I CANNOT log in. I cant even log in to contact someone because you have to log in to get any help. What a horrible program!

classic

Before you consider purchasing the Kindle version of this title, check the preview. It appears to me to be nothing more than a typewritten copy of the title essay. It is not the Penguin edition at all. It does not, for example, include the satire, Meditation on a Broomstick, for example. Caveat emptor.

Helps

Short and to the point, this is political satire at its best. While some background of Irish history is helpful, what I most like about Mr. Swifts arguments is that they can apply to any society where the group in power frets over what to do with the poor. I was in the middle of a book on the history of the Civil Rights movement in the American South when I read this, and what struck me was how Swifts satire lined up with the events a continent and centuries away from the original subject.

I know this is a satire but it was still uck to read! Excuse me while I go puke!