Seting in "A Modest Proposal"

Paper Summary:

The paper conveys how Jonathon Swift, in "A Modest Proposal", uses his social setting as a successful tool to convey his message. The paper shows how Swift includes areas of serious concern to create a powerful satire that attacks the government.

From the Paper:

"Swift could not make his satire work without the current social concerns of his time. The setting is a country overrun with hungry mothers living on the streets with their hungry children. He degrades them, calling them "beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms" (Swift 2174). He also says their behavior is a " melancholy object" (2174) for anyone that must look upon them. The mothers and their children are nothing but a burden to society. To add validity to his argument, Swift also includes the country's leadership in his essay. Again, we see how he is using the setting in his essay to make a point."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Swift, Jonathan. "Modest Proposal." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Vol. II. Abrams, H. H, etal, eds. New York: W. W. Norton and Company. 1986.

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