1. Jonathan Swift
A MODEST PROPOSAL

2. Childhood Born November 30th 1667 Born in Dublin, Ireland
Father was an Englishman
Mother was Abigail Erick
Father died suddenly before he was born and while his sister was a baby
Grew up fatherless and depended on his uncles

3. Education
1673-Attended Kilkenny School at age 6. Was the best school at the time
1682-Trinity College at fifteen. Achieved his Bachelor of Arts in February 1686, by special favour.
Wanted to pursue his M.A. at Trinity but was forced to flee to England to live with his mother’s relative, Sir William Temple
Became Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral

4. Career Acted as a secretary to Temple
Returned twice to Ireland in his time at England. During the second time he was ordained priest in January 1695, and within weeks was appointed vicar of Kilroot.
Came to intellectual maturity at Moor Park, where meeting Esther Johnson.

5. Career 1692- Received M.A. at University of Oxford.
Between wrote many poems, notably six odes.
wrote A Tale of a Tub. Had three parts to it: the Tale which was a satire challenging “the numerous and gross corruptions in religion and learning”; the “Battle of the Books”; and the “Discourse Concerning the Mechanical Operation of the Spirit,” which ridiculed the manner of worship and preaching of religious enthusiasts during that time.

6. Jonathan Swift Swift died on October 19, 1745.
He wrote a Latin epitaph for himself, which Yeats translated into English:
Swift sailed into his rest;
Savage indignation there
Cannot lacerate his breast.
Imitate him if you dare,
World-besotted traveller; he
Served human liberty.

7. Major Concepts
Jonathan used satire to call attention to the social and political state of Ireland at his time.
A Modest Proposal is a satirical work about the poverty in Ireland
Gulliver’s travels is satire about the state of English politics, law system, and education

8. Jonathan Swift’s Major Works
In 1726 Gulliver’s Travels was published, in the same year that he visited England
In 1729 A Modest Proposal was published

9. A Modest Proposal Ireland was going through a really bad time
Overpopulation, poverty, abuse, malnutrition
Swift writes a satirical piece suggesting the eating of children
Swift wanted to bring attention to the poverty of his country
If someone was seriously considering cannibalism to fix Ireland’s problems, the situation must be really bad
He had 7 “good” reasons:

10. A Modest Proposal
People who don’t have a lot of money would have something of their own to sell
People who have a lot of children would be able to sell/eat them
People can have children without having to worry about feeding/caring for them
Cooks would become experienced in another dish
Men would be more respectful towards their wives as they are bearing their way of making money
Mothers would be more respectful to their children because they get more money the healthier they are
People will pay more money for something unique and different

11. Quotes
“A boy or girl before twelve years old, is no saleable commodity; and even when they come to this age, they will not yield above three pounds...”
“The charge of nutriment and rags, having been at least four times that value...”
“Tenants will have something valuable of their own, which, by lay, may be made liable to distress, and help to pay their landlord’s rent; their corn and cattle being already seized and money a thing unknown”

12. Interesting Points
Comedic yet effective way to bring attention to such a serious issue
Gulliver’s travels: An interesting way to portray England’s society; nobody seems to know what is going on

13. Impact at the time
He brought serious matters in a way that people could sit down and read with humor
Although many people likely brushed it aside, it was made to make people think and be uncomfortable by it
It was a very controversial subject, especially within government because for a long time, lower classes and people living in poverty had no attention
Some people likely took note and tried to do something about it