1729 pamphlet
Vocabulary to Analyze
HUMOR





Exaggeration- an overstatement
Understatement-opposite of exaggeration;
using a statement, often in the negative, to
create comedic effect.
Farce-form of low comedy designed to
provoke laughter through highly exaggerated
caricatures of people in improbable or silly
situations.
Irony-saying/doing one thing while meaning
another. When the opposite of what is
expected to happen occurs
Mockery: An absurd misrepresentation or
imitation of something.
About this Pamphlet
"I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts,
which I hope will not be liable to the least objection.“
•standard
essay format
• opening that presents the topic and thesis
• a body that develops the thesis with details
• a conclusion--states the benefits that would
accrue from his proposal.
•Supports
a political position through Satire.
•Remember that with satire nothing is quite
what it seems due to the irony used.
Historical Influences—
causes
England Gains
Power over
Ireland
England
ProtestantCatholic Conflicts
Protestant Gains
Power
PERSECUTION
Ireland mostly
Catholic
Historical Influences—
effects
•Laws
limit Irish rights to hold government
office, purchase real estate, get an
education, etc.
•By 1703 the English owned 90% of the land
• Irish worked on farms owned by English.
• English charged high rent.
• Irish couldn’t afford rent. Irish are being
• Therefore…
taken advantage of
but DON’T FIGHT
BACK
“Middle State”
Split alliances and
can
see 2attention
sides to to
•To call
the
issue inflicted on
abuses
Author’s Purpose
Irish Catholics by wellto-do English
Protestants.
•Swift
•SATIRE=PERSUADE
was PROTESTANT but
• You should
also an IRISH native—what
respect
does this tell you?
everyone.
Author’s Background
Themes
Exploitation
of the Downtrodden
Prejudice
Irish
Inaction
Passage 1
"Supposing that one thousand families in
this city, would be constant customers for
Infant's Flesh, besides others who might
have it at merry meetings, particularly at
weddings and christenings, I compute
that Dublin would take off annually about
twenty thousand carcasses, and the rest
of the Kingdom (where probably they will
be sold somewhat cheaper) the
remaining eighty thousand."
Passage 2

“It is a melancholy object to those, who
walk through this great town, or ravel in
the country, when they see the streets,
the roads, and cabin-doors, crowded
with beggars of the female sex, followed
by three, four, or six children, all in rags,
and importuning every passenger for an
alms.”
Passage 3

“The number of souls in this kingdom being
usually reckoned one million and a half, of
these I calculate there may be about tow
hundred thousand couple whose wives are
breeders, from which number I subtract thirty
thousand couples who are able to maintain
their own children, although I apprehend there
cannot be so many under the present
distresses of the kingdom, but this being
granted, there will remain an hundred and
seventy thousand breeders.”
Passage 4

“I think it is agreed by all parties, that this
prodigious number of children, in the
arms, or on the backs, or at the heels of
their mothers, and frequently of their
fathers, is in the present deplorable state
of the kingdom, a very great additional
grievance”
Passage 5

“I propose to provide from them, in such
a manner, as, instead of being a charge
upon their parents, or the parish, or
wanting food and raiment for the rest of
their lives, they shall, on the contrary,
contribute to the feeding and partly to
the clothing of many thousands.”
Passage 6

“always advising the mother to let them
suck plentifully in the last month, so as to
render them plump and fat for a good
table. A child will make two dishes…and
when the family dies alone, the fore or
hind quarter will make a reasonable dish
and seasoned with a little pepper or salt
will be very good boiled…”
Swift’s Proposal ? 
Irish
infants
beinsold
as
at
age
a“Ireduction
think
it is agreed
allfood
parties,
this
thebynumber
ofthat
one,
whenin
they
are
plump
and
prodigious
number
of children,
in theIrish
Catholics
Ireland,
since most
healthy,
the
Irish
new
arms, or to
on give
the backs,
orwhom
atathe
heels
infants—almost
all of
wereof
their mothers,
and frequently
their up
source
of income
and the of
English
a
baptized
Catholic—would
end
fathers,
is
in
the
present
deplorable
state
new
food
product
to
bolster
their
in stews and other dishes instead
of the kingdom,
a very great
additional
economy
and
eliminate
a
social
of growing up to go to Catholic
grievance”
problem.
churches.
Intended Result
Lessen # of Papists
Irony
Aren’t children already valuable?
 “It is a melancholy object to those, who
 The
Irish
live in extreme
walk
through
this greatpoverty.
town, or ravel in
the country,
they
the streets,
They
sell their when
children
as see
delicacies—
the the
roads,
and cabin-doors,
crowded
thus
children
are valuable.
with beggars of the female sex, followed
 The rich pay high prices.
by three, four, or six children, all in rags,
 The poor gain money
and importuning every passenger for an
alms.”

Intended Result
Give the Poor Valuables
Economic Hardship
alleviated
"Supposing
one thousand
families

“I propose that
to provide
from them,
in suchina
 this
The city,
poorwould
gain money
by selling
their
be constant
customers
for
manner, as, instead of being a charge
children.
Infant's
Flesh,
besides
others
who
upon their
parents,
or the
parish,
or might
wanting
itare
at fewer
merrymouths
meetings,
particularly
 have
There
feed
(less lives,at
food and
raiment
for thetorest
of their
weddings
and
christenings,
I compute
gov’t
and on
church
aid).
they shall,
the
contrary,
contribute
to
that
Dublinoverpopulation;
would
taketooffthe
annually
feeding
and partly
clothingabout
of
 the
Decrease
decrease
twenty thousand carcasses, and the rest
many
thousands.”
poverty
of the Kingdom (where probably they will
 be
Thissold
could
become an
export. the
somewhat
cheaper)
Intended Result
Financial Gain
remaining eighty thousand."
Overpopulation
“The number of souls in this kingdom being
usually reckoned one million and a half, of
I calculate
there
may beinabout
two
these
There
is so much
poverty
the country
hundred
couple whose wives are
amongthousand
Catholics
breeders, from which number I subtract thirty
thousand
Catholics
a procreating
andtoare
unable
couples
who are able
maintain
to care
for their although
childrenI apprehend there
their
own children,
so many under
the present
cannot
Englishbe
landlords
are raising
the rent
distresses
the kingdom,
but this
being
annuallyofand
then kicking
their
tennets
granted, there will remain an hundred and
to
the
street
seventy thousand breeders.”

Intended Result
Breeders burden lifted
IRONY
“always
advising
thethe
mother
to letof
them
•
Verbal
irony:
Saying
opposite
suckis plentifully
what
meant. in the last month, so as to
render
them
plump and
fat for
good
• "I rather
recommend
buying
theachildren
table.
child
will make
alive,Aand
dressing
themtwo
hotdishes…and
from the
when
family
dies alone,
the fore or
knife,the
as we
do roasting
pigs."
hind
quarter
will make
a reasonable
dish
• disease,
famine,
and substandard
living
andconditions
seasoned
with atolittle
pepper
or salt
threaten
kill great
numbers
of
positive
will Irish=a
be very
gooddevelopment:
boiled…” is it really
positive?
Intended Result
Increase restaurant business and appeal
Domestic issues
“ this would be a great inducement to marriage, which all
wise nations have either encouraged by rewards, or
enforced by laws and penalties. It would increase the care
 Men
will want
to marry
women
forwhen
thethey
and
tenderness
of mothers
toward their
children,
benefitfor life, to the poor babes,
werefinancial
sure of a settlement
provided
in some
sort
by theapublic
to their
annual
profit
 Women
will
want
good
man
to help
instead of expense. We should see an honest emulation23
herthe
raise
thewomen,
plumpest
children
among
married
which of
them could bring the
fattest
childwill
to the
market, men
would as
become
as fond
of
 Men
respect
women
much
as they
theirrespect
wives, during
thelivelihoods
time of their pregnancy,
as they
are
their
and beat
their
now of their mares in foal, their cows in calf, or sows when
less
theywomen
are ready to
farrow, nor offer to beat or kick them (as it
is too frequent a practice) for fear of a miscarriage.”
Intended Result
Increase Marriage Rate
Okay…that seems
OUTLANDISH…
Is he serious????
NO!!!

A satirical essay is a piece of prose writing that
ridicules the faults and shortcomings of
individuals, groups, institutions, or humanity in
general.
› Exaggeration
 “A very worthy person, a true lover of his country, and
whose virtues I highly esteem was lately pleased, in
discoursing on this matter, to offer a refinement upon my
scheme.”
› Understatement
 “I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts,
which I hope will not be liable to the least objection.”
› Verbal Irony/Sarcasm
 “landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of
the parents, seem to have the best title to the children.”
Finally…
1. While the topic of “A Modest Proposal” is
serious and the proposal shocking and terrible,
the essay does have humorous elements. What
makes it humorous?
2. The target of Swift’s satire is the poverty in
Ireland. What makes the satirical essay an
effective method for drawing attention to this
problem?
3. Today, as in Swift’s time, the satirical essay can
be a potent weapon in calling for social
change. What present-day situation or event
would make a good subject for a satirical
essay? How could the subject be satirized?
Make a judgment

The proposal in “A Modest Proposal is/is
not effective satire because…
Satirical Essays
Questions after Reading Article
pg 5 packet
Summary:
 Is it satire?
 If yes, what folly (foolishness) or vice
(serious flaw) is being ridiculed? Are
there several follies or vices ridiculed?

Okay, our outlandish satirical
essays are funny, and serious,
but not serious due to irony…BUT
they make some excellent
(albeit ridiculous) points!
Let’s look at the
arguments/evidence…
Argument 1 for Packet Essay

Not knowing Geography is not the
student’s fault
› Highlight the evidence for this argument
seen in the essay.
A Modest Proposal for the
Educational System

Questions page 3 of your packet
› What does Megan Pankiewicz compare
students in schools to?
› What is she literally saying about schools?
› What is her tone?
› What change in schools is she trying to
inspire?
Your Modest Proposal for the
Educational System
You will be assigned a group and a topic
 Your task is to create a satire to inspire
change in society’s way of thinking
about that topic.
 You can use whatever media you
choose

› Cartoon
› Essay
› Multimedia

You will present your satire to the class
Sample
What does the cartoon literally state?
 What change is it calling for?
 Is it effective Satire? Explain.
