A Modest Proposal
by Jonathan Swift
Original/long title: “A Modest Proposal for
preventing the children of poor people in
Ireland, from being a burden on their parents
or country, and for making them beneficial to
the publick."
Historical background
• Ireland was under the control of England
for close to 500 years and was denied
union with England when Scotland
received it in 1707.
• As a result, Ireland continued to suffer
under trade restrictions and lack of
resources.
• This situation led Swift to write this satirical
essay.
Pamphlets
• During this time, many writers wrote and
published pamphlets with proposals to solve the
economic problems in Ireland.
• Swift’s essay parodied the style and method of
these others.
• His purpose: to capture the audience whose
indifference he believed was to blame for the
situation and make them think of solutions.
Overall analysis
• Swift satirically expresses his anger towards
Ireland’s colonial rule under England, as well as
the hypocrisy of the wealthy.
• He feels that Ireland is suppressed by English
rule and ambivalent in their actions against their
rule.
• It bothers him that Irish politicians, as well as the
masses of poor, fail to mobilize on their own
behalf.
Paragraphs 1-7 Analysis
PARAGRAPHS 1-7 ANALYSIS
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•
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Swift “hooks” the reader by
referencing the common
sight of beggar mothers
with their children on
their heels.
His proposal deals with
the problem of the children
of this certain age whose
parents are too poor to
support them.
He continues by using
statistical data to increase
the factuality (and
credibility) of his
argument.
PARAGRAPHS 1-7 ANALYSIS
Through Swift’s last
comments – how the
children do not work or
support society -- he begins
to work into his biting
satire regarding the
ineptitude of his own Irish
people.
 Swift seems exasperated by
the situation in his country
and censures the poor while
critiquing the upper society
that enables them.

PARAGRAPHS 1-7 ANALYSIS
Initially, Swift’s argument
seems to make sense. He
speaks out against abortion
infanticide – both of which
most people would agree are
not good things.
 But shortly he calls women
“breeders,” which begins a
comparison to the poor as
animals – a comparison he
continues later in the essay by
suggesting that people should
eat children in order to save
pigs.
 His satire here shows how
society views the poor during
this time: they are less than
animals.

PARAGRAPHS 8-19
Swift quickly moves to
the specifics of his
“modest proposal.”
 He begins by discussing
the price of meat, the
delicacy of the
aristocrat’s palate, and
the availability of meat
year round.
 Next, he digresses to a
story of cannibalism and
the elderly – a group he
won’t give mention to
since they will die off
soon anyway.

PARAGRAPHS 8 -19 ANALYSIS
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

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Swift believed that people would
find the consumption of children
abhorrent, and as a result, the
reader would try to find the true
purpose behind his proposal.
This section calls attentions to the
self-degradation of the nation… the
idea of fattening up a child to feed a
starving population paints a
picture of a ill society.
He also frames a critique of the
Irish-Catholic who regard marriage
largely as a union to breed.
He also pokes fun at England’s
consumption of all that is Ireland,
although he never actually names
the country.
PARAGRAPHS 20-28 ANALYSIS
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•
•
•
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Who will benefit from Swift’s
proposal?
The rich will profit from the poor
paying their debts and the national
economy will thrive.
The Aristocracy will have a delicacy to
enjoy.
The poor will receive money from the
sales of their infants.
Marriage and birth will be encouraged.
Men will be encouraged to not beat
their wives since they could miscarry.
Exports of meat will rise, since the Irish
will be eating their children.
PARAGRAPHS 20-28 ANALYSIS
Swift denounces the absenteeism
of landlords who live in far off
countries, like England (where
they spend Irish money.)
 Swift then moves away from the
consumption of children to
examine the reality of Irish
economic problems.
 Many of the arguments presented
here were real solutions to the
problems, but they had been
previously rejected so he proposes
something outlandish.

PARAGRAPHS 29-33 ANALYSIS
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Like any good essayist, Swift
knows there will be objections,
so here he presents the
opposition’s side.
He offers a list of ideas that
others have suggested, from
rejecting foreign luxury to
encouraging landlords to treat
tenants with respect.
He nears his conclusion by
suggesting that if someone else
has a better idea he would like
to hear it, then ends ironically
saying that he humbly asks his
proposal be considered since his
wife is not of child bearing age
and his children are grown.
Your Assignment
• Having read Swift’s “Modest Proposal” it is time
to make your own.
1. Brainstorm a list of 5 to 10 societal ills that need a
solution.
2. Select a problem for which you can devise a creative,
unique, yet logical solution.
3. Write a formal outline in which you propose your
solution…it must include:
– 3 to 4 reasons with statistical facts to support your idea
– a counter argument
– a powerful call to action