Question

Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" is a work of ________________.

Answer 1

Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" is a satirical piece that uses irony and hyperbole to address issues of poverty and oppression in 18th century Ireland.

Step-by-step explanation:

Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" is a work of satire. Swift uses irony and exaggerated proposals to critique and address the socio-economic issues of 18th century Ireland, specifically the poverty and oppression of the Irish people by their British rulers. By proposing the absurd idea of the poor selling their children as food to the rich, Swift highlights the cruel indifference of the ruling class and the desperate plight of the impoverished. Despite the serious message, he effectively engages the reader with an ironic and hyperbolic tone, which characterizes the satirical nature of the text.

Answer 2

Jonathan Swift’s ‘A Modest Proposal’ is an essay, specifically a Juvenalian satire.

In literature, a Juvenalian satire is a work that expresses ironic and spiteful criticism of people and institutions in the modern times. It is full of insulting language expressed by the writer.