It seems to me that Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” is the satire everyone knows. And the reason why everyone knows it is not just because everyone studies it in school, but because it is awesome! Hopefully, as you have read it again, you have found new reasons to love it.
The first thing I noticed this time is how the work sneaks up on you. The title does not give any clue about its satirical bite. You think about the woman and her children, and you cheer along with the writer, “yes, someone should do something about that!” The writer then sounds very technical, giving us some statistics and making this sound rather objective. Sure, it is odd to describe people like that, but, hey, it is a big problem and we need some good, clear thinking. And then comes the punchline on the second page when the writer gives an almost absurdly long list of different ways to cook and prepare children. And did you see how I tried to imitate the writer by putting “children” at the end of that sentence as a punchline?
The long list of reasons why this is a good idea is just as absurd, but my favorite is this line:
I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children.
This is really biting satire, saying that the landlords are already eating the parents, so why not the children.
What is your favorite part of the satire? What seems particularly biting to you?
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I had never read this piece before so it was a little confusing the first time I read it. I did not really understand the message it was trying to convey until I read the line “As to our City of Dublin, shambles may be appointed for this purpose, in the most convenient parts of it, and butchers we may be assured will not be wanting; although I rather recommend buying the children alive, and dressing them hot from the knife, as we do roasting pigs.” I had to read it multiple times to fully grasp what he was suggesting. I think that is what makes it so biting. It is so subtle that it is hard to fully understand the message until one reads closer into it. If it was more outright message of “lets eat the kids” I think people would not think of it as funny but as disturbing. That is the one thing I love about satire in general. It could be a disturbing message, but it is hidden so well in humor that it is no longer offensive.
I agree with Dr. Tucker here. The opening is so technical and analytical of the population size, you feel as though it will undoubtedly be a reliable and intellectual piece. Statistics are provided, and there is a legitimate issue at hand. Then, the solution is provided. Eating the children will solve the problem. This seems to be a logical solution in every way, other than the fact that it is absolutely repulsive and almost unimaginable. I have read this before, and my thoughts remain the same. If the reader was to consider a surplus of pig, and the solution was a commitment to indulging in the swine for food, there would be no second thought. Everything about this “proposal” is committed with pure logic, other than the obvious fact that eating children is absurd and completely disgusting and horrid. The humor comes from the logical support for the solution, but morality and everything natural and human go against this ridiculous solution.
I was so excited when I saw we were reading a an excerpt from this satire. Back in middle school I got to read this in my history class, and I was taken away by his use of sarcasm and wit. I found it funny how he began to show compassion and pain for the poor class of Ireland, but he then gives them a way to “get rid of their children” to make their lives easier. He makes the most exaggerated idea of eating the kids. His comical use in the satire just proves how funny the proposal is. As a parent you can’t think that it’s possible to just throw away kid to make your life easier.
Now that I’m older reading this satire I see a similarity with this proposal to the way children are being treated today. You can almost argue that this satire has a hidden message, and can relate to the idea of abortion. In our political system the idea of abortion has become a big issue. In no way am I making a stand on this issue, but this satire seems to look down on parents who get rid of their children in exchange for an easier life. Just something to think about…
This was my first time reading this piece and it was such a wonderful surprise. When I started, like Dr. Tucker said, I was in total agreement that someone needed to fix this issue with poverty and children. Then all of a sudden it was talking about selling and eating these children! I was in complete shock. The entire idea is so ridiculous that you can’t help but laugh. My favorite part was when he was comparing a pig’s bacon to human bacon and said pigs were “no way comparable in taste or magnificence to a well grown, fat yearly child.” The extremes that this satire went to in order to prove a point is shocking, but also refreshing. I think that many forget that children are individuals and tend to treat them like property or pets. Hogarth clearly doesn’t not want to roast children like pigs.
It is funny that A Modest Proposal has such a serious tone throughout with precise calculations indicating how much of a burden children are and the benefits of sacrificing them at one year to be eaten. The satire goes to extreme measures with detailed descriptions of how delicious the children will taste to demonstrate how absurd this idea is. I think the assumption that sacrificing a child would lead the mother to be more tender towards their child and men to be less likely to beat their wives during pregnancy to be particularly biting. It is crazy to think that parents would care more for their child if they knew he or she would eventually be eaten to ‘benefit the pubic.’ It is ironic because most parents make countless sacrifices for their children and do everything in their power to protect them. It is also weird to picture a husband becoming more fond of his wife during pregnancy in the same way “as they are now of their mares in foal, their cows in calf, or sow when they are ready to farrow.” While most men do become more protective over their wives during pregnancy to ensure that their baby is healthy, now that type of care is compared to farm animals and the desire for a healthy baby is only for selfish profits.
I got the chance to study abroad in Ireland this past winter term and I remember reading this one day after visiting their writers museum and reading the summary about Jonathan Swift. One line that I found to be amusing is “A very worthy person, a true lover of his country, whose virtues I highly esteem, was lately pleased in discoursing on this matter to offer a refinement upon my scheme.” I remember talking to my professor about it and use agreeing that it had to do with an Englishman, as he is a true lover of his country. He even goes on to suggest eating the teenage kids, as then they won’t be able to produce more children chopping the problem at the source of the issue. To me this line almost suggest that the entire Englishman group would support this cause, which is saying something as the Irish and the English at this time didn’t necessarily like each other, at all.