“A Modest Proposal” Personal Reflection
The essay “A Modest Proposal” written by Jonathan Swift in the year 1729, demonstrates
the use of juvenalian satire expressing bitter and dark criticism about the Irish economy. The
essay argues that fattening up young children and selling them as meat to the rich Irish, will
benefit the morality of Irish families and the economy as a result. By using the outrageous
concept of eating and selling children, Swift is trying to deliver a message about the
ineffectiveness of Irish politicians as well mocking the wealthy's views upon the poor during the
times of famine. My reaction to the main argument was initially shocked and wondering as to
whether this was sincerely legitimate because of how ridiculous it sounded. Then, after being
introduced to the idea of satire, I found the essay ironic yet still intense with the use of harsh and
aggressive irony to mock the Irish economy. I further understood the message behind the
juvenalian satire, overall feeling as though the essay did in fact make sense despite its
ridiculousness and absurdity after. I feel as though the message was portrayed well with the use
of satire as criticism because it clearly highlighted the main problem of famine in the Irish
community while proposing a solution despite the obscurity. The serious tone that Swift had
used overall made the message more effective while reading the essay, making me feel as though
this proposal of a solution was real and peeking my interests to read more. I found the topic of
reducing the catholic population particularly interesting, therefore having less churches and
reimbursing the money of the churches into the Irish economy. I found this argument very
exaggerated, yet the intensity helped emphasize how large the problem actually was. The use of
Satire can scare readers into thinking that this is the only solution which will draw their attention
to act on issues sooner, overall being an effective tool in writing.
References
Swift, J., & Fabricant, C. (2009). A modest proposal and other writings. London: Penguin Books.