Mocking Effects in A Modest Proposal - Essay Example

He suggests an even more unethical and shocking means of dealing with the country's affairs. Through his word handling and fine use of sarcasm, Jonathan’s tactful writing is a well-planned argument lacking only in morality (Smith, 135). Jonathan uses numerous techniques to complete his writing. This power of satire portrays to the lack of morality and expedience of how Ireland's dealings are managed.

The lack of authority held by the Irish people springs from the extensive amount of power the English Protestants held over the Irish, especially the penal laws imposed upon the Irish Catholics. Jonathan uses this truth to exploit his prominent satire and eventually to suggest the consumption of the babies of deprived Irish mothers. The author uses satire severely in his writing. One of the most apparent uses of satire Jonathan uses is when he talks about the likely English response to his suggestion. He claims, "Maybe I could name a nation, which would be happy to consume our whole country". Here, Jonathan is reflecting on the degree to which the English had power over the Irish. The basis of his proposal centers on the notion of consuming newborns, as food, is no mistake (Smith, 137). This idea was selected to symbolize the collapse of Ireland through the "consuming" power the English had over the Irish. This made the Irish seem as powerless as infants (Smith, 138).

At one point, while making his suggestion, Jonathan guarantees the politicians who dislike his approach that the deprived people of Ireland would rather surrender their life than experience the everlasting scene of misfortunes. While Jonathan is giving his suggestions to the ruling class, he ironically represents the hardships as being the sole liability of the poor (Smith, 140). Jonathan is talking to the politicians who have denied the Irish Catholics some of their rights, but he argues that the Irish are repressing their landlords by not settling their rent on time. The author contradicted himself at this point. The satire, of course, was the immense economic cruelty imposed on the Irish by the English through agricultural protectionism and other things. Jonathan’s use of satire, in his writing, serves to portray, to the English leaders, the reality of the circumstances that they are subjecting to the people of Ireland. However, despite Swift's obvious dislike for the English, he, in some instances, also partly blames the Irish for the conditions of the country.

Specifically, his depiction on the part of the Irish is what appears to trouble Jonathan the most (Smith, 140). While a person might assume that Irish Catholics should have united to deal with the English, they instead fell victim to forfeiting certain liberties and land seizures. Jonathan asserts that his suggestion will greatly reduce the number of papists, who stay, at home, to deliver the empire to the Pretender. Jonathan does not believe that the papists are exploiting the Protestants. However, I feel that he is attacking the Irish Catholics for not trying to take back their nation from them. Jonathan argues that the Irish have gladly handed their nation over to the English, and that makes them the most treacherous enemies of Ireland (Smith, 140).

Throughout the writing, Jonathan, when talking about the Irish infants, uses terms as if he were describing farm animals. Phrases and words such as pigs, stock, flesh, cattle, and carcass, were all present in Swift's writing, making him sound as if he was talking about livestock (Smith, 141). This not only means that the Irish submit to an authority of some senior power but also that the English regard the Irish as valueless workers. As the writing progresses, Jonathan’s intentions start to surface. He attempts to surprise the readers by creating numerous controversial suggestions that can do nothing but rouse the addressees (Smith 148). His sarcastic portrayals are not meant only to condemn the social composition of Ireland, but also to rally the citizens to take action in repairing the injuries, which their country has endured. Exploiting the attention he creates with his ironic antics, Jonathan, does suggest serious solutions to Ireland's problems toward the conclusion of A Modest Proposal (Smith, 148). The power of this legendary piece lies, of course, not in the meticulous solutions he creates, but in the ironic method he used to get there.