A Modest Proposal, written by Jonathan Swift in 1729, is a classic example of satire in literature. It is an essay that uses extreme exaggeration and irony to make its point about the poverty and suffering experienced by the Irish people under British rule. The narrator suggests an outrageous solution—that poor children should be sold as food for wealthy families—to shock readers into realizing just how serious the situation was at the time.
The essay itself has become one of the most widely studied pieces of English literature due to its clever use of rhetorical devices such as sarcasm, hyperbole, understatement and euphemism. These techniques are used throughout A Modest Proposal to emphasize the absurdity of suggesting selling children as a way out of poverty while also highlighting how desperate life has become for those living under oppressive British rule. In addition, Swift's biting wit makes this piece both humorous and thought-provoking. It challenges readers to think critically about their own society and encourages them to not only consider alternative solutions but also take action against injustice wherever they see it.