Guided Reading of a Modest Proposal Continued Answer Key
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A modest proposal', is a satirical essay written and published anonymously by Jonathan Swift in 1729. The essay suggests that the impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles, by selling their children for food to rich ladies and gentlemen! This satirical hyperbole, mocked heartless attitudes towards the poor, as well as British policy toward the Irish in general.
A macabre, but tongue in cheek suggestion to the poor of 1729, on how to avoid poverty, by selling their babies
**3.5 stars **A modest proposal', is a satirical essay written and published anonymously by Jonathan Swift in 1729. The essay suggests that the impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles, by selling their children for food to rich ladies and gentlemen! This satirical hyperbole, mocked heartless attitudes towards the poor, as well as British policy toward the Irish in general.
A macabre, but tongue in cheek suggestion to the poor of 1729, on how to avoid poverty, by selling their babies for food! Lock up your babies now!, until they're a fully formed adult, is all I say!
It's free on this link https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1080/...
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When I was an undergraduate, Thomas Malthus' 1798 An Essay on the Principle of Population was on the geography curriculum, and as a studious student, I read (some of) it.
It was depressing, as the gist seemed to be that we're all going to die. All of us. Slowly. Painfully. Because population grows exponentially, whereas the ability of humans to feed themselves grows only arithmetically/ linearly.
Image: Linear versus exponential growth (Source.)
So we'll starve. And before that, we'
Gloom and doomWhen I was an undergraduate, Thomas Malthus' 1798 An Essay on the Principle of Population was on the geography curriculum, and as a studious student, I read (some of) it.
It was depressing, as the gist seemed to be that we're all going to die. All of us. Slowly. Painfully. Because population grows exponentially, whereas the ability of humans to feed themselves grows only arithmetically/ linearly.
Image: Linear versus exponential growth (Source.)
So we'll starve. And before that, we'll be too poor to buy what food there is, because population growth will increase the labour supply and drive down wages. The birth rate must be cut. Celibacy should be promoted, too. And higher death rates accepted.
Kenneth Boulding's poem, from a 20th century environmental angle, seemed to agree:
A Conservationist's LamentThe world is finite, resources are scarce,
Things are bad and will be worse.
Coal is burned and gas exploded,
Forests cut and soils eroded.
Wells are dry and air's polluted,
Dust is blowing, trees uprooted,
Oil is going, ores depleted,
Drains receive what is excreted.
Land is sinking, seas are rising,
Man is far too enterprising.
Fire will rage with Man to fan it,
Soon we'll have a plundered planet.
People breed like fertile rabbits,
People have disgusting habits.Moral:
The evolutionary plan
Went astray by evolving Man.
(Douglas Adams agreed with that moral.)
Soylent pink?
I also discovered that seventy years before Malthus' book, Jonathan Swift had a different solution to the problem of overpopulation. A Modest Proposal starts with grim descriptions of extreme poverty and hunger in Ireland:
"It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads, and cabbin-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… [and] women murdering their bastard children."
A particular problem is that children are an expense for years before their parents can get any return on the investment they can't afford in the first place:
"I am assured by our merchants, that a boy or a girl, before twelve years old, is no saleable commodity."
After such concern, his "modest" proposal is a total shock, and would have been even more so to 18th century readers unused to deadpan satire:
"A young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasee, or a ragoust."
Image: Dinner! (Source.)
He goes into great detail, not just culinary, but about the practicalities of the trade. He indirectly mocks his own suggestion by saying the only possible objection anyone might have is that it would reduce the population, which, he points out, is his intention. And just in case readers can't think of any better solutions, such as raising taxes, controlling rents, buying local products, he lists them (supposedly to dismiss them).
But we're still here
(I hope that writing that during the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic isn't tempting fate.)
When I was reading Swift and Malthus a couple of centuries after they were written, there was certainly poverty and hunger around the world, even in England, and the Chinese One-child policy was being strictly enforced. Malthusianism hadn't gone away, but it hadn't entirely come true either. I had no immediate fears of starvation or even poverty.
Why was this, I wondered? Kenneth Boulding had an answer:
The Technologist's ReplyMan's potential is quite terrific,
You can't go back to the Neolithic.
The cream is there for us to skim it,
Knowledge is power, and the sky's the limit.
Every mouth has hands to feed it,
Food is found when people need it.
All we need is found in granite
Once we have the men to plan it.
Yeast and algae give us meat,
Soil is almost obsolete.
Men can grow to pastures greener
Till all the earth is Pasadena.Moral:
Man's a nuisance, Man's a crackpot.
But only Man can hit the jackpot.
Back then, I was firmly with the optimistic technologist.
As a cynical middle-aged adult in a country torn by Brexit and ravaged by a global pandemic, I think both poems miss the crucial social-political aspects, and the fact that humans are not omnipotent.
Science has certainly helped, but it's not all positive:
* Crops and livestock have higher yields and are more resistant to disease - but there are risks from GM and antibiotic resistance.
* Land that was unsuitable for farming, can now be used - but irrigation in one place leaves others barren.
* Machines work faster than people - so some lose their jobs.
* Packaging and chilling reduce damage - and yet waste increases.
* Efficiency increases in many spheres - but that increases demand, so resources are used up faster (Jevons paradox).
* Technological advances benefit the rich more than the poor.
And we could all be wiped out by a virus. Cheers!
Image: Optimist, pessimist, realist, opportunist (Source.)
Sources
You can read Swift and Malthus, free on Gutenberg:
* A Modest Proposal, HERE
* An Essay on the Principle of Population, HERE.
The rich looked down upon the poor and saw them as a deplorable sub species of human, which is rather ironic because without poverty there w
This made me laugh so much. It's just so brilliantly funny. Swift adopts a very serious tone, and an authoritative voice, that almost sounds real. He delivers his proposal in such a hilariously cold way that embodies a dejected government official. I could imagine him writing this whilst struggling to keep a straight face as he mocks the English law makers.The rich looked down upon the poor and saw them as a deplorable sub species of human, which is rather ironic because without poverty there wouldn't be any riches for them. They were heartless and unempathetic to their fellow man. This was even more so in regard to the Irish. The social policy was terrible, and in his proposal Swift satirises it perfectly. He suggests that the in order to control the population, the Irish beggars should eat their own children:
"I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for the landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children."
He delivers facts and figures whilst contemplating breeding strategies that monitor population growth. In this, Swift delivers a wonderfully ironic argument that is just so damn funny. I would love to have been alive in this period because I would have found it even funnier. Well, unless I was one of the beggars because then I'd be starving or unless I was a lord because then I'd look like a complete idiot. Swift is such a comic genius.
Penguin Little Black Classic- 08
The Little Black Classic Collection by penguin looks like it contains lots of hidden gems. I couldn't help it; they looked so good that I went and bought them all. I shall post a short review after reading each one. No doubt it will take me several months to get through all of them! Hopefully I will find some classic authors, from across the ages, that I may not have come across had I not bought this collection.
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After listening to the audiobook "Food: A Love Story", by Jim Gaffigan...a hilarious walking companion...
I quoted a Bizzarre Line from Jim..."Maybe All Americans should just eat starving people from other nations"....
my mind went elsewhere with that line ( the complete opposite with Jim... but laughed anyway)....
So....getting a little more serious --
During the comments *Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all)*, asked me if I had read/listened to Jonathan Swift's "A Modest
After listening to the audiobook "Food: A Love Story", by Jim Gaffigan...a hilarious walking companion...
I quoted a Bizzarre Line from Jim..."Maybe All Americans should just eat starving people from other nations"....
my mind went elsewhere with that line ( the complete opposite with Jim... but laughed anyway)....
So....getting a little more serious --
During the comments *Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all)*, asked me if I had read/listened to Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal". I hadn't!
Doing a little research about the 'very short' satire...I first downloaded it on my Kindle for 'free' and read it...
Still interested ...I downloaded the audiobook ...and listened to it
The idea 'behind' "A Modest Proposal" starts with a much deeper profound purpose than Gaffigan's "Food", book. Sure, Gaffigan may had hit the button on a political- social issue with is 'eating starving people from nations', -- by accident... But Jim wrote about Food ... primarily because he likes to eat. It's a topic he knows about, and he's a comedian.
Jonathan Swift had a clear intention with this 'tongue-and-cheek' ....( hilarious and somewhat repulsive), satire. His short story was definitely a Political and social issue satire. This book was first published in 1789. There were many starving and poor people in Ireland.
Reading & listening to this small satire gave me a deeper appreciation for St. Patrick's day which was just celebrated a few days ago.
Irish people were living in villages owned by wealthy English landowners..and for years lived under the power of The English Parliament. Swift set out to address the serious issue of poverty.
His 'modest' proposal was to eat useless babies ...( by his calculations there were about 120 thousand)... which would help curb the population growth.
Swift's imagination of profits and benefits, ( for wealthy England), from the Irish babies skin --( ladies gloves - men's boots)...was so creepy. .... It was all creepy ... with the
undertone being a very sad time in history.
Given how absurd this 'entire' story is -- I can only conclude Swift was pointing out the obvious ridiculousness ----people were fighting over land, money, and religion...when people were 'starving'. The modest proposal wasn't 'modest' at all... It was an earthquake ... Hoping to wake people up and move people into more humane actions.
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A Modest Proposal is a satirical work of fiction by Jonathan Swift, written nearly 300 years ago. It is an Irish piece, originally published anonymously, but served as a way to shove stupidity in the face of the English government and wealthy. Essentially, in order to solve the problem of poverty, people should eat their children. But it was written in a very serious manner, as though it were meant to be real suggestions. Ahead of its time, it propelled Swift to the forefr Book Review
A Modest Proposal is a satirical work of fiction by Jonathan Swift, written nearly 300 years ago. It is an Irish piece, originally published anonymously, but served as a way to shove stupidity in the face of the English government and wealthy. Essentially, in order to solve the problem of poverty, people should eat their children. But it was written in a very serious manner, as though it were meant to be real suggestions. Ahead of its time, it propelled Swift to the forefront of both English literature and the 18th century collection of masterpieces.
Although not very long (under 50 pages), the language is a bit outdated and requires a few translations to understand what he meant back during that period of time. The humor is undeniable. The time he took to create a solution for every aspect of the problem, as well as provide counter points, is incredibly delicious -- pun intended! Though a bit too absurd, even for me, it's still one of those parts of our English courses we all enjoy reading. It's hilarious to a 15-year old, who may not know all the different parts of history or the way in which governmental red-tape can work. Find a few pages online after perusing this review... just sample some of the words and phrases he used. It may push you into reading the whole thing!
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"A Modest Proposal", which gives this volume its title, is another of these polemical texts, where Swift uses a straight-faced, shocking humour (something that might not pass the censorship of political correctness today), advocating that poor people's children, instead of being mouths to feed, should be sold to the butcher and "stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or a ragout", for the enjoyment of the rich people of Dublin... I am just wondering why he left out sautéing, frying and braising à la Matignon...
All this is written in jest of course, but when you get ten pages of this sustained cannibalistic sarcasm, the laughter becomes quite sour indeed. The fact that Tertullian's Apology might have inspired this text does not come as a surprise. The problems raised by Swift are still topical and, with a bit of imagination, his lampoon could become, for our time, a vindication of vegetarianism or a blueprint for some dystopian novel.
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(view spoiler)[ I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection. I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled, and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or rago
(view spoiler)[ I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection. I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled, and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or ragout. A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends, and when the family dines alone, the fore or hind quarter will make a reasonable dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt will be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter.
Population / James Cridland, Flickr via Forbes.
Photo of a baby lobster via IDN Times.
(hide spoiler)]
Jan 04, 16
* Also on my blog.
First time... Jonathan Swift.
This title is again quite deceptive. This proposal was everything but modest. This should have been called 'An inhumane proposal' or 'An inexorable proposal'
Recently I read Gogol and out of curiosity, in a process of unearthing some important name in that satirical zone from the past greats, I got a recommendation of reading Swift. Actually I was having an eye on the A Tale of a Tub, but this title just jumped in between and I began with this due to its short length.First time... Jonathan Swift.
This title is again quite deceptive. This proposal was everything but modest. This should have been called 'An inhumane proposal' or 'An inexorable proposal' indeed. I can understand that this piece of work is a satire on a major issue of poverty and atrocity of rich or rulers of that era, yet I feel there was a huge dearth of sensitivity there on the part of the author.
Leaving aside the pathos of that idea that one should sell one's newborn baby to the meat market, after one year of bountiful nourishment so that it's flesh becomes tastier and will be consumed by the rich and will yield a good chunk of money to their poor parents. I feel the way it has been written is quite nutty.
When the author observes in 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. These mothers, instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in strolling to beg sustenance for their helpless infants, who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of work or leave their dear native country to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes. He gives such a proposal to the authorities. He gives statistical data on how it will benefit the economy, empower the women and overall remove poverty.
The author has made caustic remarks. His tone is very unemotional as if he has no heart at all. He talked cruelly and talked about resolving the issue in a very insensitive way. But He must get high points from the reader for the way he has written it, maintaining the art and skill required in a farce to give a message in a very blunt and intense style.
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Update 11/19/15:
It occurs to me that someone ought to write a cookbook to expound upon this most excellent suggestion. Any takers? Julia Childs? Hannibal Lector? Rush Limbaugh?
So many excellent suggestions, I know, I know.
I came to this short book/essay (40 pages) not knowing what it was about and not knowing anything about the author.
First things first…………. I needed to read the initial pages a few times over to get used to the style of writing. Once that was done, I was sorted.
Next – Whhhhhooooooaaaaaa!!!!! Eating babies????
I didn't expect that at all, then I just laughed – what a hideous suggestion!!
His preposterous proposal involves selling 'plump' breas
A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift was a total surprise.I came to this short book/essay (40 pages) not knowing what it was about and not knowing anything about the author.
First things first…………. I needed to read the initial pages a few times over to get used to the style of writing. Once that was done, I was sorted.
Next – Whhhhhooooooaaaaaa!!!!! Eating babies????
I didn't expect that at all, then I just laughed – what a hideous suggestion!!
His preposterous proposal involves selling 'plump' breast-fed babies at 12 months of age (one presumes the 12 mth investment would only be a couple of shillings) to rich people who can cook them in a variety of ways, thus enhancing their status in society – cooking and eating such expensive delicacies. Swift even proceeds to describe 4 methods of cooking – as one baby could provide food over a four-day period. A bit like a turkey I suppose.
He even is specific enough to state actual numbers of babies to be used. Around 120,000 he reckons. We can save 20,000 for breeding (a quarter of which need to be males) and the other 100,000 to be butchered. The skins can even be used for gloves and the like.
I couldn't believe what I was reading!! I mean, not even Monty Python went this far, and swift was kicking goals back in the 1700s. Amazing.
It's only after a while I realised, he is not trying to be deliberately gross or funny, he is making a point, or many points.
Swift has an axe to grind about many aspects of society – he takes shots at the rich, landowners, the English (join the club), Catholics (ditto), the poor, even the parents of these hapless babies.
By the way, he does consider farming older kids, in their teens – but this meat would be more like venison, a bit tougher and not as delicious. Swift even convinced me, babies would be more pleasing to the palate. It makes me uncomfortable to even admit that, but his writing is so clever he grabs you and whizzes you around and you start 'getting' some of his arguments.
This essay gave me great reason to do some more reading about Swift – he is described as a Juvenalian satirist. These guys criticise establishments and certain people with ironic criticism, moral indignation, personal invective and pessimism. He does this masterfully in this essay and quite dispassionately – I think. Presenting an unfathomable notion as if he was describing the weather.
At the end of the essay – I just sat there thinking "what a ride". This piece is really a criticism of society at that (and this?) time.
Satire – bring it on.
I am already a Swift Fan and am looking forward to reading is 1712 piece titled An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity. I also want to know more about this man.
5 brilliant stars
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I read this in the dentist's waiting room this morning and it certainly waylaid my normal fear of going there.
The author has come up with a "modest" (nothing modest here) proposal to aid the Irish economy, stop the begging, give mothers (the breeders) the opportunity to get an income by selling their l
I came across this essay via Scribble's review and read it in no time. I thought it would be light reading and it turned out to be something completely different. Satire at its best from Mr Swift.I read this in the dentist's waiting room this morning and it certainly waylaid my normal fear of going there.
The author has come up with a "modest" (nothing modest here) proposal to aid the Irish economy, stop the begging, give mothers (the breeders) the opportunity to get an income by selling their little children and also the delicate meat will be in competition with pigs. I wonder if human flesh is salty? Perhaps I should go and talk to the cannibals on Borneo or other similar countries?
Imagine having a child of around a year in age, all prepared and ready to be cooked, then eaten. I wonder if they need to be marinated first in wine?
I was particularly taken with:
"I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked or boiled; and I have no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or a ragoust."
Queer spelling but it was, after all, written in 1729.
Everyone should read it and will understand the Irish humour and satire, if not already known.
A delicious, light but yet thought-provoking book on the never-ceasing wonders of the imagination.
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- Jonathan Swift, "An Examination of Certain Abuses, Corruptions, and Enormities"
Vol 8 of my Penguin Little Black Classics Box Set. It contains a couple small tracts, as well as a poem and a couple larger satirical essays:
1. Meditation on a Broomstick - 1711/Satire
2. A Description of a City-Shower - 1710/Poem
3. A Short View of the State of Ireland - 1727/Pamphlet
4. A Modest Proposal - 1729/Sati
- Jonathan Swift, "An Examination of Certain Abuses, Corruptions, and Enormities"
Vol 8 of my Penguin Little Black Classics Box Set. It contains a couple small tracts, as well as a poem and a couple larger satirical essays:
1. Meditation on a Broomstick - 1711/Satire
2. A Description of a City-Shower - 1710/Poem
3. A Short View of the State of Ireland - 1727/Pamphlet
4. A Modest Proposal - 1729/Satire
5. An Examination of Certain Abuses, Corruptions, and Enormities - 1732/Satire
It is hard to not think of Swift when I read the Onion, or McSweeney's, or variations and complications of political satire. He was the master we all look towards, even if we don't know it. I remember being surprised to find myself accidentally in front of his grave inside St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. Felt ropes keep the dirty masses from tramping over the Godfather of Satire, marked with this poem:
'Here is laid the body of
Jonathan Swift, Doctor of Divinity,
Dean of this cathedral Church,
Where fierce indignation can no longer
Rend his heart.
Go, traveller, and imitate if you can
This earnest and dedicated
Champion of Liberty'
He gave the little wealth he had,
To build a house for fools and mad:
And show'd by one satiric touch,
No nation wanted it so much:
That kingdom he hath left his debtor,
I wish it soon may have a better.
- From Verses On The Death of Dr Swift
With thanks to my GR friend, Tamar, I have come back again to include a reading of this essay by Sir Alec Guinness, and having listened to it, revise my rating to a solid 5-stars.
Sir Alec reads Swift
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True Satire.
Update February 2016
The best satirical work I think I have ever read. It is basically about how to end hunger by eating children during the eighteenth century Ireland. His main point is that there are too many people in Ireland, particularly children whose parents cannot take care of them, and therefore do not contribute anything towards the community, hence :"a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roa
+
+
=
True Satire.
Update February 2016
The best satirical work I think I have ever read. It is basically about how to end hunger by eating children during the eighteenth century Ireland. His main point is that there are too many people in Ireland, particularly children whose parents cannot take care of them, and therefore do not contribute anything towards the community, hence :"a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or aragout." He then proceeds to burn the landlords that mistreat their servants and the people under their care: "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." This is a work that can be analyzed even more, sadly I do not feel like I can add anything that has not already been contributed, but please give this a read, do not even worry about anything else on this book, the titular tale is more important.
What You Will Need
Butcher knife
Olive oil or butter
Seasonings (I have a soft spot for a pinch of Ambergris, a touch of Wattleseed, and a dash of Spanish Fly)
Roasting pan
Step 1
Trim away the end of the neck, and the end of each leg from the "knee" joint downwards. This is usually only necessary with wild-caught "long pig" because, if farmed, than
What You Will Need
Butcher knife
Olive oil or butter
Seasonings (I have a soft spot for a pinch of Ambergris, a touch of Wattleseed, and a dash of Spanish Fly)
Roasting pan
Step 1
Trim away the end of the neck, and the end of each leg from the "knee" joint downwards. This is usually only necessary with wild-caught "long pig" because, if farmed, than it is sold trimmed for market.
Step 2
Remove any internal organs such as the liver, kidneys, intestines or any other organs that might be left inside the body cavity. Rub the body lightly over both its inner and outer surfaces with olive oil or melted butter, and then season it with salt and pepper. If your recipe calls for additional herbs or spices, rub or sprinkle them over the rabbit at this stage.
Step 3
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place in the roasting pan on its side, without a rack. Young "long pig" is too lean for the drippings to be fatty, and any juices that cook out will help keep the underside moist.
Step 4
Baste every 20 to 30 minutes with more oil or butter to help keep it from drying out. Turn it after 45 minutes, if you wish, to ensure even cooking.
Step 5
Roast until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 F, when tested by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The entire process will take approximately 90 minutes with a market-weight of 10-12 pounds.
Tips
Tender "long pig" can also be roasted at 425 F for 20 to 25 minutes, giving it a chewier texture but a richer flavor.
Many traditional recipes call for roasted "long pig" to be "barded," or covered with thin sheets of protective fat. This can be thinly-sliced pork back fat or lacy sheets of caul fat, but bacon is easier to find and works well. If a smoky bacon flavor is inappropriate in your dish, ask the butcher to sell you thinly-sliced uncured pork belly instead.
The braising liquid can be reduced to concentrate its flavors, then thickened to make a sauce for your rabbit.
WARNING
The FSA's Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends cooking all game animals to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit to minimize the risk of trichinosis and other foodborne illnesses. This is especially crucial with wild-caught infants.
This proposal made by J. Swift for combating poverty and overpopulation is as simple as it is ingenious.
But that's the problem with simple and ingenious ideas: There must be someone to find them. Swift was a far-sighted visionary. Although expressed at the end of the 18th century the solutions depicted in his text are still relevant to modern society. I am sure some grave problems of today would be fairly easy to solve. With only some slight modifications to Swift's proposal hunger and poverty
This proposal made by J. Swift for combating poverty and overpopulation is as simple as it is ingenious.
But that's the problem with simple and ingenious ideas: There must be someone to find them. Swift was a far-sighted visionary. Although expressed at the end of the 18th century the solutions depicted in his text are still relevant to modern society. I am sure some grave problems of today would be fairly easy to solve. With only some slight modifications to Swift's proposal hunger and poverty would disappear almost overnight! Or the increasingly pressing problem of refugees pulling into Europe? Solvable! Someone should make an entry in Brussels, or give the parliamentarians there this highly topical essay to read. It will surely find a lobby.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Well since Swift was advocating the 'that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled...' I should hope he was writing his proposal for other reasons than a genuine suggestion. Indeed, Swift wrote "A Modest Proposal" in 1720 to call attention to abuses inflicted on Irish Catholics by well-to-do English Protestants. Although a Protestant himself, he was a native of Ireland, having been born in Dublin of English parents, and believed England was exploiting Ireland. He is also satirizing Catholic-Protestant relations when he reminds the Protestants that if the babies are eaten young, there will be less Catholics growing up to go Catholic churches. Even the Irish are rebuked in his essay, for stoically accepting abuse rather than taking action on their own behalf. And when it seems it can't get any better, the ending is the best of all!
An absolute MUST read!
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There are too many mothers who must beg for alms, trailed by a group of their small children. Rather than being productive members of society, they are hangers-on, surviving on sustenance from us. Further, these infants "grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country, to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes."
Solution:
Children of the poor should be raised, sold at one year, then served "stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled;
There are too many mothers who must beg for alms, trailed by a group of their small children. Rather than being productive members of society, they are hangers-on, surviving on sustenance from us. Further, these infants "grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country, to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes."
Solution:
Children of the poor should be raised, sold at one year, then served "stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasee, or a ragoust." Swift recommends that one buy "the children alive, and dressing them hot from the knife, as we do roasting pigs". Such a solution can well feed the population, provide the child's parents with eight shillings, and reduce the number of Papists. Their skins could make "admirable" women's gloves and boots for "fine gentlemen."
Beyond these clear benefits, there are also some indirect ones:
It would encrease the care and tenderness of mothers towards their children, when they were sure of a settlement for life to the poor babes, provided in some sort by the publick, to their annual profit instead of expence. We should soon see an honest emulation among the married women, which of them could bring the fattest child to the market. Men would become as fond of their wives, during the time of their pregnancy, as they are now of their mares in foal, their cows in calf, or sows when they are ready to farrow; nor offer to beat or kick them (as is too frequent a practice) for fear of a miscarriage.
***
In A Modest Proposal, Swift argued that a significant social problem (Irish poverty) could be resolved in a fairly straightforward way. Satire such as this does not work unless society can look around and clearly see that others at least were behaving in heartless ways, considering their own bellies, for example, rather than those of Irish mothers and their children. Solutions are designed for the comfort of the wealthy, even if loosely framed as for poor parents and their children.
Swift could be describing contemporary discussions of welfare, healthcare, and immigrants in the US – and similar discussions elsewhere. Not as much has changed in the last three hundred years.
I read this book as part of GR's Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) group.
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So apparently in the eighteenth century (and by the way, isn't it so stupid that it's called the eighteenth century when it was the 1700s? that makes like no sense at all), there was a lot o
Can you believe this guy? I realize that this was, like, a long time ago and things were different back then. Like, less civilized and they didn't value life like we do today and stuff. But omg, seriously! For all intensive purposes, this guy Swift was crazy. After I read this I literally cut my own head off.So apparently in the eighteenth century (and by the way, isn't it so stupid that it's called the eighteenth century when it was the 1700s? that makes like no sense at all), there was a lot of poverty and poor people and hunger and stuff. And this guy Swift was thinking, "what should we do with all of these babies whose parents are struggling to care for?" And you'll never guess what his solution was... To eat the babies!
I mean, I guess he was pretty smart. He argued it very well. He said that you should keep the babies while they breastfeed (uh, gross, bee-tee-dubs!) and like fatten them up and stuff, but when they get to about a year old when they're nice and chubby, you should roast them like a pig and make gloves and boots out of their skin and stuff. Seriously! Gross! I don't like to wear skin, thank you very much. My leather boots do me just fine!
I mean, for one thing, isn't that really illegal? I'm pretty sure that you can't just do that to a baby, even if it's your own baby. And I know it's a doggy-dog world and you have to watch out for yourself, but I draw the line at eating babies. Irregardless of what this guy Swift says.
Okay I seriously have to stop rambling about this now. I'm getting too worked up and I think I might get carpool tunnel syndrome from so much typing.
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Guided Reading of a Modest Proposal Continued Answer Key
Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5206937-a-modest-proposal
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