I was just reading the "Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift when I read something that seem ironic. The narrator said that women were "breeders" or "dams" but then the last sentence of the last paragraph states that he has a wife past childbearing age and his youngest child is 9. Emphasis on the youngest child and ignoring the fact that these women were beggars . He must of have more than one one child . So would he consider his wife a breeder too? He also said that he's has no child that he can use to beg for money. Which brings to the another question: Were they poor also before this publication? Was he kind of also referring his family to do

Question

I was just reading the "Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift when I read something that seem ironic. The narrator said that women were "breeders" or "dams" but then the last sentence of the last paragraph states that he has a wife past childbearing age and his youngest child is 9. Emphasis on the youngest child and ignoring the fact that these women were beggars . He must of have more than one one child . So would he consider his wife a breeder too? He also said that he's has no child that he can use to beg for money. Which brings to the another question: Were they poor also before this publication? Was he kind of also referring his family to do

Answer 1

Are you sure he was writing autobiographically? Or maybe writing for political purposes?

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/modestproposal/section5.rhtml

Answer 2

It's important to approach literature with a critical mindset and consider the context in which it was written. Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" is a satirical essay published in 1729, which suggests a shocking and unconventional solution to poverty and famine in Ireland.

In the essay, the narrator argues that poverty-stricken Irish families could alleviate their economic hardships by selling their children as food to the rich. The narrator refers to Irish women as "breeders" or "dams" in a cynical manner to dehumanize them and emphasize the deplorable conditions they lived in.

Regarding your question about the narrator's wife, it's important to note that in "A Modest Proposal," the narrator heavily exaggerates and uses absurd logic to make a point about the exploitative treatment of the Irish by the English ruling class. His statement about having a wife past childbearing age and a youngest child of nine is part of this exaggerated narrative. It's not meant to be taken literally but rather to highlight the dire circumstances and the lack of viable options for the Irish population.

As for your question about his family's financial status before the publication, "A Modest Proposal" is a work of fiction and satire, so the characters mentioned are not real. But to understand the background, it is crucial to know that Ireland did experience significant poverty and economic hardship during the time when the essay was published. So, it can be inferred that the fictitious family in the story represents the poor and destitute population of Ireland rather than specifically referencing the author's own family.

When reading satirical works, it's essential to recognize their purpose: to critique societal issues, provoke discussion, and offer social commentary. The use of irony, exaggeration, and dark humor is common in satire, and it's often through such techniques that authors bring attention to the flaws and injustices of their societies.