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

An Analysis of Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal EssaySatire as a do of discursive practice may be properly understood if it is con text editionualized 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 menti whizd above that a satire will garner the non-linguistic components covering the preparatory 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 aforementioned 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 target to those who walk through this great townwhen they see the streetscr owded with beggers of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for alms (Swift 52).It is fundamental 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 butt is used. The aforementioned passage thereby portrays not only the personas objective appraisal of his surroundings but also the personas objectification of the individuals encompassed within that argona.Such an objectification is further evident in the following passage Some persons of a desponding spirit are in great concern about the immense number of poor people, who are aged, diseased, or maimedBut I am not in the least pained about that matter, because it is very headspring known that they are everyday dying, rotting, by cold, and famine, and filth, and vermin, as fast 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 ironical display of a particular situation in fact an ironic portrayal of a particular mindset, humor, on the other hand, portrays the manner in which worldly interests are given more credence as opposed to lofty ideals.An example of this is evident in Samuel Becketts writings wherein Beckett focuses the text to the importance of outlastence as nearly as the importance of the meaning of existence in relation to the ordinary objects. As opposed to a satire which might 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. opposition of black and white.In line with this , Colebrook notes, both irony and humor play off the gap between concepts and world (241). The difference, however, lies in the difference of presentation noted above.Works CitedColebrook, Claire. Irony in the Works of Philosophy. Nebraska U of Nebraska P, 2003. Simpson, Paul. On the Discourse of Satire Towards a Stylistic Model of sarcastic Humor. Philadelphia John Benjamins, 2003. Swift, Jonathan. A Modest Proposal. A Modest Proposal and Other Satirical Works. New York Dover, 1996.