Satire is an intricate process of molding a fictitious scenario into a real life situation of the time; having an outside view of the world can greatly benefit the satirical nature of a work. “A Modest Proposal”, by Jonathan Swift, is a satirical essay that shows the deep divisions present in Ireland between the native Irish and the English immigrants during the early 1700s. Swift is able to use the understanding of both cultures, because of his unique upbringing, in order to show both nationalities the injustice they are causing to one another. They attack one another on both a religious and social level leading to ever increasing tensions and rioting in Ireland, which Swift experiences first hand and desires to make right. Jonathan Swift, an Irishman by birth and an Englishman by heritage, was considered an outsider in both countries; this gave him a unique perspective to write “A Modest Proposal” which shows his participation in each country’s customs, while simultaneously mocking the citizens for their poor treatment of one another.
The Religious conflict in 1700s Ireland is the first major point that Swift brings to light in his essay (Gale, Tomson). In his essay he says:
Infant's flesh will be in season throughout the year, but more plentiful in March, and a little before and after; for we are told by a grave author, an eminent French physician, that fish being a prolific diet, there are more children born in Roman Catholic countries about nine months after Lent, the markets will be more glutted than usual, because the number of Popish infants, is at least three to one in this kingdom, and therefore it will have one other collateral advantage, by lessening the number of Papists among us (Swift, “A Modest”, 2).
This quote gives the impression that Swift opposes the Catholic church and that Catholic children should be put to death, but that is not quite it. While he does state that, “it will have one collateral advantage, by lessening the number of papists among us (Swift, “A Modest”, 2).”, he is not sincere in this statement; he is making this ridiculous claim to insult the English for their very bold, almost harsh push of the Anglican church upon the Irish and their wish to eradicate Catholicism. Even so, Swift, as the Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral still feels that he has a target on his back from the Irish and is tired of being looked down upon for his personal beliefs (Quintana, Ricardo). He is very much a religious underdog in Ireland as he states, “The number of popish infants, is at least three to one in this kingdom”, this gives insight into the religious demographic of the time and how much of a disadvantage the Anglicans had compared to the Irish Catholics.
The second major point that Swift wants to make is that the English had come into Ireland and took over as the upper middle class in the society by force (Gale, Tomson). This idea is brought into his essay with the line, “I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children.” The use of the word devoured in this sentence is used to connect the proposal of eating children to what is already being done to the lower class Irish. It conveys the message that what the English were doing to the Irish was just as cruel and inhumane as Swift’s proposal. Swift, being born in Ireland, wanted to expose these terrible actions so that change may come about in order to improve the lives of the lower class Irish.
Swift continues his critiquing of both English and Irish viewpoints with the following statement in his essay:
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. He said, that many gentlemen of this kingdom, having of late destroyed their deer, he conceived that the want of venison might be well supplied by the bodies of young lads and maidens, not exceeding fourteen years of age, nor under twelve; so great a number of both sexes in every country being now ready to starve for want of work and service: And these to be disposed of by their parents if alive, or otherwise by their nearest relations (Swift, “A Modest”, 3).
Swift uses this statement to confront those who think that poor teens have no hope of amounting to anything notable, and that they will just become criminals. When Swift says, “ the want of venison might well be supplied by the bodies of young lads and maidens (Swift, “A Modest”, 3)”, he is saying that the teens are worth no more than the meat on their bones. Swift himself strongly opposes this view and is considered an anomaly by many in this regard as he could have been considered one of those children when he was young. His father died before he was born and his mother went to England, leaving him in the care of his uncle (Quintana, Ricardo). He was supposed to become nothing but he became one of the greatest satirical writers of his time, this is most likely because of how he grew up not in spite of it. Swift uses himself as an argument against the notion that all poor children will amount to nothing.
Swift makes one final point in his essay, he desires for a unity between nations and a healing of the many deep, political scars that the two nations have caused one another. Swift is able to see just how absurd the entire conflict is with his unique upbringing in both cultures, he sees the English abusing the Irish socially while the Irish abuse the English religiously. Swift pulls the idea of unity into his writing when he says, “Thus the squire will learn to be a good landlord, and grow popular among his tenants.”(Swift, “A Modest”, 2). Analyzing the quote gives a clear picture of what swift wants, putting the phrase, “The squire will learn to be a good landlord” first tells us that Swift believes the English must change before the Irish. Once the English start to respect the lives of the lower class Irish they will start to become part of the community and a religious tolerance for one another will arise. This is no doubt the most important point that Swift makes, as the driving force behind his entire satirical essay is the desire for the English and the Irish to form a friendly bond between one another because of the geographical and economic bonds that they share.
Jonathan Swift, born in Ireland with English roots, was never truly accepted by either country giving him a unique perspective to write “A Modest Proposal” which shows his deep understanding of each country’s customs while still exposing the flaws in both societies. He displays the problems present in the religious climate at the time, he desires to show that each side really hates the other for no reason and that it does not need to continue. Swift also exposes the way that the English upper class came to Ireland and made a majority of the Irish poor their slaves, and combats the notion that all poor children will amount to nothing regardless of their hard work. The most important thought that Swift is attempting to get across is his desire for unity, he wants the people of England and Ireland to accept each other and form a closer familial bond with one another. Swift was able to use his experiences as an outsider in order to recognize the problems present in English-Irish relations and combine that with his advanced writing ability to create a meaningful satirical essay that is “A Modest Proposal”.