Swift’s A Modest Proposal

Jonathon Swift moved between London and his native home of Ireland for the first portion of his life, but having offended the Queen with the sharpness of his commentary in A Tale of a Tub, he was forced to stay in Ireland for the latter half of his career. There, he took up Irish causes. He wrote to the writer Alexander Pope, “What I do is owing to perfect rage and resentment, and the mortifying sight of slavery, folly, and baseness about me, among which I am forced to live” (Tillotsen, 1969, p. 359).

Read A Modest Proposal. What does the work tell us about the social situation of the time? Describe elements of the essay that might have served as a catalyst for change in society (cite examples from the essay.) Remember, English society was ruled by the monarchy, so consider the effects of such writing on the common people as well as on the rulers. How does Swift employ satire to strengthen his argument?

Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7.

*Tillotson, G., Fussell, P., & Waingrow, Marshall. (Eds.). (1969). 18th century English literature. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace