neoclassical essay

Anna Ebaugh

Mrs. Wilson

British Literature B

May 8, 2013

The Neoclassical Period was the period of the “Haves” and the “Have-Nots”, also known as the wealthy English and the poor Irish. In the Neoclassical Period satire is the main literary device used in this period by the authors and poets. In the pamphlet, “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathon Swift, he uses ethos, pathos, and logos to express his use of juvenalian satire and his view on the economic downfall in Ireland.

The use of ethos in this piece, aid in the credibility that the author is trying to establish about the Irish economy. Since Jonathon Swift is trying to persuade the reader to make a change in the Irish economy, he uses ethical appeal to increase credibility in the point he is trying to make. Swift talks about children who are being used as food and he says, “I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food…”  (Swift 584). The fact that this quote was “a very knowing American” creates credibility to what he is saying; it makes the reader believe that it is true. This quote relates to the juvenalian satire because it is bitter since they are talking about eating the children and it is persuading the reader into believing the Irish economy is bad because Swift creates “credibility” in what he is saying. Swift wraps up his piece and explains his real purpose in writing this piece, he says, “I profess, in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavoring to promote this necessary work, having no other motive than the public good on my country…” (Swift 589). Swift creates credibility in this quote because he says “I profess, in the sincerity of my heart” and that shows how strongly he feels about the Irish economy and it shows that he really does not want people to eat the children, he just wants to help his country. The word choice assures the reader that he is only worried about the Irish economy and it makes the reader realize how strongly he feels about the situation. Ethical appeal creates believability so the reader can believe what he is proposing and it makes the reader want to aid in supporting the economy. Not only is ethos used throughout the piece to create credibility, pathos is also used to make the reader feel sympathetic for the Irish economy.

Pathos is used in “A Modest Proposal” to draw the reader in and make them feel deep sorrow for the Irish. The author is trying to persuade the reader to help make a change to the Irish economy and by doing that, he uses emotional appeal to make the reader sympathetic to the situation. Jonathon swift discusses what he sees when he walks the streets of Ireland, he says, “it is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and cabin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms” (Swift 582). This quote shows the reader what the streets of Ireland look like and it shows the life of a poor Irish family. The way that quote is written and the word choice that is in it, really makes the reader feel sympathetic for the women on the streets with their children. This quote pulls the reader into the direction to want to make a change in Ireland. In order to make a change in Ireland, Swift comes up with a proposal and he claims there are many advantages to this proposal, he says, “there is likewise another great advantage in my scheme, that it will prevent those voluntary abortions, and that horrid practice of women murdering their bastard children…” (Swift 584). The use of the words “horrid”, “murdering”, and “bastard” really puts emphasis on the way Swift feels about abortion and it draws the reader to believe that abortion is in fact murderous. The fact that these two quotes persuade the reader into feeling sympathetic for the Irish and makes us have an urge to help the Irish economy; demonstrates that this story is satirical because Swift is wanting a change and he is reaching out to the reader by using emotional appeal. The use of pathos makes the reader feel sympathetic and want to make a change; logos is also used to make the reader want to make a change but that is achieved by the use of statistics and calculations.

                Jonathon Swift’s use of logos uses statistical facts to support Swift’s desire to help the Irish economy. “A Modest Proposal” is told by an economic planner and because of that, Swift uses statistics and numbers that may or may not be true, to make his story persuade someone to contribute in helping out the struggling Irish economy. Swift creates some numbers and calculations to calculate the number of children who are born into a poor family, he says, “The number of souls in this kingdom being usually reckoned one million and a half, of these I calculate there may be about two hundred thousand couple whose wives are breeders; from which number I subtract thirty thousand couple, who are able to maintain their own children, but this being granted, there will remain a hundred and seventy thousand breeders. I again subtract fifty thousand for those women who miscarry, or whose children die by accident, or disease within the year. There only remain a hundred and twenty thousand children of poor parents annually born” (Swift 584). The fact that this quote uses numbers and “facts” makes the reader believe what he is concluding. He uses these calculations to support his position on the poor economy and since he is using numbers, it makes the piece more persuasive because people are always persuaded when there is numbers involved. Swift resolves the low economy problem by saying that the rich can eat the poor children so the streets are not overcrowded and the Irish economy gets better. He uses the way of eating the children as a resolution because this is his last resort to get people’s attention about the trembling Irish economy. He talks about the children for food and he says, “I do therefore humbly offer it to the public consideration, that of the hundred and twenty thousand children, already computed, twenty thousand may be reserved for breed, whereof only one fourth part to the males; which is more than we allow to sheep, black cattle, or swine…” (Swift 584). This quote uses numbers which backs up his claim. This quote is very exaggerated and satirical because Swift doesn’t actually want to eat the children, he just wants to create a call to action and have someone help out the Irish economy. The fact that the children are being compared to animals shows that the children lack innocence in the eyes of the citizens. The calculations and numbers that is used in this pamphlet make the piece more persuasive and makes people want to make a change and it aids in the appearance of the poor economy.

In the pamphlet, “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathon Swift, he uses ethos, pathos, and logos to express his use of juvenalian satire and his view on the economic downfall in Ireland. Ethos creates credibility which makes the reader believe what Jonathon Swift is saying and then therefore believe in what he is saying about the Irish economy. Swift uses pathos by using certain word choices that make the reader feel emotional and grab their attention about the Irish poor and their economy. The use of logos creates calculations and “facts” which help persuade the reader into believing what Swift is portraying is true. People believe numbers and calculations which would make the readers believe Swift. The use of these three appeals grab the reader's attention to make them want to make a change.