Irony in Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal Essay Example

“A Modest Proposal” is a very ironic title for this piece of writing because this proposal is not modest at all. The figure of speech used in this essay would be verbal irony and Swift uses irony as a way to make his argument. He starts with addressing his “solution” to the poverty issue occurring in Ireland and while he mocks the Irish he suggests eating the babies would provide profit and solve all the issues that were happening. The use of irony in this proposal was a good way to get the readers to understand the revulsion of eating and selling babies and to expose those who had power over the issues 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 cabin doors, crowded with beggars of the female-sex, followed by three, four, five or six children, all in rags and importuning every passenger for an alms. He is showing his “sympathy” over the horrific conditions in Ireland. He engraves an image of the reality in Ireland and makes the image seem shabby and sad. This is an example of irony because Swift discusses how these beggars can make their lives better and created a solution. He suggests that these children should be seen as a meal and sold as food, so that the mothers or “breeders” would be free from raising their children who will grow up to “either turn thieves for want work, or leave their dear native country to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes”(427). The irony in this would be that these children have no future besides from becoming thieves or being a burden to their poor parents and society. They need to be useful to society, therefore they are used as income for their parents and food for others. To put it another way, this will end Ireland's poverty problem and create more job opportunities and there will be less beggars. In reality Swift is not literal when making this suggestion. Swift also ironically said “ After all, I am not so violently bent upon my own opinion as to reject any offer proposed by wise men, which shall be found equally innocent, cheap, easy and effectual”(433). He explained how he was not harsh in his proposal, which again would be an overstatement. Using irony and really exaggerating his thoughts will make the reader realize the depth to the problem and see how bad it really is. 

Another irony in “A Modest Proposal” is when Swift congratulates himself on the fact that his proposal will “prevent those voluntary abortions, and that horrid practice of women murdering their bastard children, alas too frequnrt among us, sacrificing the poor innocent babes, I doubt, more to avoid the expense than the shame, which would move tears and pity in the most savage and inhuman breast”(428). It is important to realize that “the murdering of poor innocent babes” without being mindful of it, is still considered murder and is immensly brutal. That was the whole point Jonathon was trying to imply. To add on, he was being very ironic when this was said because his whole proposal was about using these children for something good, money and food, so when he spoke up about the cruelty of murder when his proposal mainly depends on murder, it was shown once again, the divergence of reality and the way the Swift describes it. 

All things considered, the use of irony in “ A Modest Proposal” was an excellent way to get through his message. He used this figure of speech to reach out to the readers and help them understand the seriousness of poverty and hunger and how it needs to be talked about more. “A Modest Proposal” is significant to the society, even today because it brings up and discusses issues that arise in today’s society. The irony captivates the reader because it contains the reality of the issues in the world by explaining them in such a sarcastic way. Swift uses irony in a way to sound less intense and aggressive when criticizing these people in power and the thoughtless society of Ireland.