Jonathan Swift “A Modest Proposal”

Introduction

Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal is an ironic answer to great problem Ireland had been experiencing during the beginning of the eighteenth century. This problem that Swift attempts to answer is referred to as the Irish Question. The author first states this problem, and then later in the essay goes on to his version of solution, this way turning to a more persuasive style of writing. In the first several paragraphs of A Modest Proposal he describes Irish streets of the eighteenth century that are teemed with beggars and hobos. The worst part, however, of this picture is that those beggars, who are mostly women (not that there are no men beggars, just they are lying drunk somewhere), have several kids each. These kids, as dirty and bear-footed as their mothers, wander around and beg just like their mothers. In general these begging mothers have two to six children each, and every single little brat needed food, warm, and home at least. The actual problem of Ireland those days consisted in this very quick multiplication of beggars, because a beggar's kid has only a few options: become a thief or a beggar, or “leave their dear native country to fight for Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes.”

Analysis

The real historical background of this grievance is the relationship between England and Ireland. Collision of churches in the second half of the seventeenth century led to a war between the Irish and the English, which broke out in 1690. The Irish were defeated, and as a result their Catholic Church was defeated as well. Later during the beginning of the eighteenth century the English exercised their power in Ireland, and legislated many acts between 1700 and 1720 that deprived Irish Catholics many rights (Swift, pp 23-189). Those who were noble Catholics in Ireland, later became literally paupers. Wealthy Catholics were deprived of their wealth, property, social and religious status, virtually everything. Irish Catholics suffered even more when in 1720 English Parliament was granted authority to pass laws in Ireland. Then Irish Catholics were deprived of even more rights. They could run business, or work in legal jobs. Their possessions were confiscated, and they were not even allowed to vote. These very changes have filled the streets of Irish towns with beggars and paupers (Phiddian, pp 603-621).

Jonathan Swift used his opportunity to write an ironic piece of fiction that would offer a unique and efficient solution to the problem of accelerating growth of beggars and their kids (let's admit that there is a mite of conscious hint; every joke is partially true), and on the other hand, that would be amusing to a reader outside Ireland (Swift, pp 23-189). It is not a surprise that a writer did not know current statistics of Ireland, and the numbers he provided in the story are more-or-less close to reality. Nevertheless, he was wrong in number he offered. When his “calculations passage” began, he suggested that “the number of ...