An Analysis of Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” Essay Example for Free

An Analysis of Jonathan fleets A unassuming Proposal EssaySatire as a form of dianoetic practice whitethorn be properly understood if it is con school textualized deep down a particular culture, institution, attitude, or belief. It is only by placing the satire within a particular setting as presented by the elements mentioned above that a satire will garner the non-linguistic components covering the propaedeutic preconditions necessary for the construction of satirical discourse (Simpson 70). An example of the satire as a form of discursive practice is evident, for example, in Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal. In the same work, Swift presents a situation wherein the persona of his text urges the population on acts of cannibalism in order to lessen the problems caused by Irish overpopulation. The persona starts his proposal with an initial description of his surroundings. He notes, It is a melancholy object to those who bye through this great townwhen they see the street scrowded with beggers of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, alone in rags, and importuning every passenger for alms (Swift 52).It is important to note that such a description is characterized by the personas detachment towards his surroundings. Note for example, the manner in which a two senses of the concept object is used. The aforementioned passage thereby portrays not only the personas objective appraisal of his surroundings plainly also the personas objectification of the individuals encompassed within that area.Such an objectification is further evident in the following passage Some persons of a desponding spirit are in great concern about the vast shape of poor people, who are aged, diseased, or maimedBut I am not in the to the lowest degree pained about that matter, because it is very well known that they are everyday dying, rotting, by cold, and famine, and filth, and vermin, as agile as can be reasonably expected. (Swift 56)The personas use of the two senses of object, in this sense, may be understood as a manner in which Swift portrays the irony evident in the context of the text. The irony is evident if one conceives of A Modest Proposal as a text which presents a delimited view of the world. As opposed to a satires ironic intro of a particular situation in fact an ironic portrayal of a particular mindset, supposition, on the new(prenominal) hand, portrays the manner in which worldly interests are given more credence as opposed to soaring ideals.An example of this is evident in Samuel Becketts writings wherein Beckett focuses the text to the importance of existence as well as the importance of the meaning of existence in relation to the ordinary objects. As opposed to a satire which capacity present a bland ethnocentric perspective regarding racial discrimination, the emphasis on modern humor would be on the problematic construction of such concepts that enable racial discrimination to exist e. g. enemy of black a nd white.In line with this, Colebrook notes, both irony and humor play off the gap amidst concepts and world (241). The difference, however, lies in the difference of presentation noted above.Works CitedColebrook, Claire. Irony in the Works of Philosophy. northeast U of Nebraska P, 2003. Simpson, Paul. On the Discourse of Satire Towards a Stylistic Model of Satirical Humor. Philadelphia tail Benjamins, 2003. Swift, Jonathan. A Modest Proposal. A Modest Proposal and Other Satirical Works. New York Dover, 1996.