Hi Sarah – I agree with your comments about it being disturbing that Swift “has proof, knowledge and a plan which does offer a solution,” but we need to remember that he wrote his essay as a satire. However, even though it’s supposed to be a black comedy I still agree that it was a bit too convincing since he cites other scholars and literature.
In regards to your question about Swift blaming all these issues on religion, to me it seemed more like he was blaming it on the lack of personal responsibility. Therefore, getting rid of the papists would be more of a “collateral advantage,” meaning an incidental result that happened to be positive (419).
Tags: “A Modest Proposal”, Jonathan Swift, Satire
History and Literature of Georgian England 
RE: “A modest Proposal”
19 DecHi Sarah – I agree with your comments about it being disturbing that Swift “has proof, knowledge and a plan which does offer a solution,” but we need to remember that he wrote his essay as a satire. However, even though it’s supposed to be a black comedy I still agree that it was a bit too convincing since he cites other scholars and literature.
In regards to your question about Swift blaming all these issues on religion, to me it seemed more like he was blaming it on the lack of personal responsibility. Therefore, getting rid of the papists would be more of a “collateral advantage,” meaning an incidental result that happened to be positive (419).
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Tags: “A Modest Proposal”, Jonathan Swift, Satire