Explanation:
A satirical essay titled "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift was printed in 1729. The essay provides a remedy for Ireland's poverty crisis by advocating that the country's poor sell their children to the wealthy as food. Swift presents his plan as a logical and workable solution to Ireland's poverty crisis in a sombre tone throughout the essay.
However, Swift's purpose in writing this essay was not to advocate for the sale of children as food. Instead, he used satire to criticize the oppressive policies of the English government towards the Irish people and to highlight the dehumanizing effects of poverty. Swift believed that the English government had neglected the Irish people, leading to extreme poverty, hunger, and suffering. Through his ironic and exaggerated proposal, Swift aims to provoke the reader into considering the inhumane consequences of societal and governmental neglect of the poor.
Swift's essay was a response to the prevalent view at the time that the Irish people were responsible for their own poverty. The essay aimed to challenge this view by showing the absurdity of blaming the poor for their misfortunes. By presenting his proposal as a serious solution, Swift forces the reader to confront the real causes of poverty and the responsibility of the government and society to address it. In conclusion, "A Modest Proposal" is a powerful critique of social and economic inequality and a call for action to address the suffering of the poor.