Summary Of Gullivers Travels And A Modest Proposal

Analysis of Gullivers Travels and A Modest Proposal: Satire Authors often use satire to ridicule peoples behaviors or societys institutions, with hopes of bringing social change. One of the most influential satirical authors of all time is Jonathan Swift, who uses these techniques so effectively, that he has been called â€Å"the greatest satirist in the English Language† (Holt 620). Swift’s use of satire to address controversial concerns is one of the reasons this story is still relevant and analyzed by students today. Swift keenly uses satirical elements such as incongruity and parody to deliver uncompromising commentary on English politics and humanity as a whole. Jonathan Swift was a clergyman who lived in Ireland from 1667–1745,†¦show more content†¦This controversy is parodying how society treats differing viewpoints, and how polarizing things that are subjective can become. Later in Gullivers Travels, Swift also parodies promotion to office. It is explained in the book that â€Å"When a great Office is vacant, either by Death or Disgrace, (which often happens) five or six of those Candidates petition the Emperor to entertain his Majesty and the Court with a Dance on the Rope; and whoever jumps the highest without falling, succeeds in the Office.† (Wilding 3). Swift compares the process of running for office to jumping on a rope without falling. The simple parody of English politics is that he has literalized a common expression, used to describe how people have to perform tedious tasks to please those above them. Another layer of meaning to the parody is that the task used to see who will gain power has nothing to do with how qualified they are to be in government (Wilding 3), which is a criticism of English politics at the time. In a Modest Proposal, Swift parodies a serious problem-solution essay (Holt 620), he aimed to draw attention to the inhumanity that the English were casually allowing. To do this, he supplies cost and profit calculations; â€Å"the nations stock will be thereby increased fifty thousand pounds per annum†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (159-165) to parody how injustice and cruelty is usually justified, through numbers and statistics. Additionally, Swift oftenShow MoreRelatedGulliver ´s Travels by Jonathan Swift: Biographical Summary1982 Words   |  8 PagesGulliver’s Travels – Jonathan Swift – Biographical Summary Jonathan Swift was born on November 30, 1667 in Ireland to English parents, Jonathan and Abigail. His father, Jonathan, died shortly after his birth, leaving his mother to raise him and his sister alone. In Ireland, Swift was dependent on a nanny for three years because his mother moved to England. The young man was educated because of the patronage of his Uncle, Godwin Swift. Godwin sent him to Kilkenny Grammar School at age six, which