Jonathan Swift, an author whose life took place in the early 17th century, is widely considered the greatest satirist in British literary history. Although he is well versed in poetry and has written a prolific amount of private correspondence, Swift is best known for his prose novels, such as The Battle of the Books, A Bathtub's Tale, and Gulliver's Travels, and his pamphlets, namely A Modest proposal. Swift's works fall into the genre of satire, in which irony and sarcasm are used to mock or expose stupidity and madness, typically in society, politics, and human nature. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The diction of Swift's style can best be described as simple and prosaic. Only in rare circumstances does he deviate from a pattern of typical syntax and word choice, and his normal writings show no peculiarities in this respect. According to Scott-Kilvert (1980), Swift "tended to associate language with history, politics, religion... for his pamphlets, he needed a middle style, which, in effect, avoided the extremes of the decadent courtier or unfair". dissident, of licentiousness and fanaticism. (29)" Sir Walter Scott, quoted by Read (1998), agrees about Swift: "His style, which generally consists of the barest and simplest terms, is strong, clear, and familiarly expressive; without vulgarity or meanness; and beautiful, without affectation or ornamentation." Indeed, the focus of Swift's writings is not in the mechanics of language, but rather in the caustic irony and sarcastic tone of his satire. Swift skillfully impersonates a terribly misanthropic economist or politician in A Modest Proposal, in which he sarcastically makes his case for eating Irish children as a panacea for the problems of overpopulation and poverty. Through speech, Swift refrains from breaking character during his frank performance of this role, creating ridicule sense of sarcasm. With this premise, Swift created a merciless grotesque of real politicians and economists who called for radical and imprudent measures or neglected to address the suffering of the impoverished Irish. Although they obviously never went to the extremes that Swift went to gone in satirizing them (if they had, the pamphlet would not have been shocking or out of the ordinary) their follies are imitated in a sarcastic, almost asinine way. Although this would seem like an unnecessary mockery - that is, a comment without explanation - Swift ingeniously works with his authentic opinions and ideas towards the end, leaving a reader already impressed and amused by Swift's harsh sarcasm to realize the social message of the piece. He writes: Therefore let no one tell me of other expedients: To tax our absentees at five shillings a pound... To cure the expenditure of pride, vanity, idleness and play in our women: To introduce a streak of parsimony, prudence and temperance... To be a little cautious so as not to sell our country and our consciences for nothing: To teach our owners to have at least a degree of mercy towards their tenants. Finally, to put a spirit of honesty, industry and skill in our shopkeepers.... (8) Therefore, Swift's writing is not only funny in its sarcasm and frank irony, but is also significant in its appeal to social commitment. common sense change. This mode of satire manages to evoke both amusement and consideration2E The importance here depends on the popularity of humor: while most ordinary citizens would not be thrilled by tiring political rebuttals, humor is widely appreciated., 1980.