A Modest Proposal Rhetorical Analysis

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While the argument and nearly all of the content in this excerpt from “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift is satirical, the first specific example of satire is in the title itself. Before reading the entirety of the excerpt, this is impossible to recognize. Once the content of this “modest proposal” is understood by the reader, it is clear that the title is meant to be highly ironic. The proposal- succinctly stated- is that in order to deal with the surplus of unfed infants in Ireland, they should be used as food for the rest of the populace. Until the reader reaches the point at which this is revealed, it is likely that the essay could be read as one of serious content. Recognition of the premise of Swift’s argument however, reveals that …show more content…
Instead of clearly stating this argument, Swift employs satire- a device by which humor, sarcasm, or exaggeration are used to imply the author’s purpose- in order to criticize his target audience. The sarcasm in Swift’s essay is easily identifiable upon examination of his use of language to establish tone. An educated, overly sincere voice emerges, which serves to add humor and irony to the excerpt. By initially using the word “melancholy” to describe the current state of affairs and subsequently suggesting a plan involving cannibalism on a large scale, Swift introduces ironic humor to the selection while presenting highly hypocritical content. Another such example is when Swift details “that horrid practice of women murdering their bastard children”, which is both highly hypocritical and ironic as well. This use of ironic word choice allows the reader to easily recognize Swift’s true tone; if the content of the argument alone is not enough to show that he is being facetious, the diction should make it readily