A MODEST PROPOSAL by Jonathan Swift
Divert: verb meaning to divert one’s attention from one’s care; to amuse oneself; to entertain oneself
Diversion: amusements; entertainment
Satire: a literary form which exaggerates aspects of society, usually in a humorous or scathing way, in order to reveal the problems of that society.
Dam: animal mother; a colt and its dam (mother); a puppy or a kitten and its dam (mother)
Sire: animal father
Solar: counted by the sun
Salable: able to be sold
Commodity: something of value or of tangible monetary worth that can be bought or sold;
Flay: to remove the skin of; to skin it; as to skin an animal
Carcass: dead animal body
Page 340;
Left column; 3rd paragraph
Shambles: slaughter house
Wanting: lacking
Discoursing: discussing; talking
Deference: in respect to
Sentiments: feelings
Censure: to criticize
Maimed: disfigured by disease or by accident or injury
Encumbrance: burdensome; extra weight;
Desponding: despairing; (des = going down) despondent
Vermin: rats
Pine: to long for;
Digress: to veer off subject; to go off topic
Di = two; divert, diversion; division
Papists: Catholics
Tithes: one tenth of one’s salary
Distress: liable for seizure for payment of debt
Benefits of this proposal:
Getting rid of the papists
Helping the economy by infusing it with new revenue
And introducing a new dish
Taverns: bars that also sell food
Vendors: wine sellers
Procure: acquire; to gain, to get
Emulation: healthy competition
Emulate: to imitate
Foal: baby horse
A mare is in foal: giving birth
Sow: a female pig
Farrow: to give birth
Enumerated: to be listed; to be numbered;
Brevity: shortness, to the point; brief
Find the volta of Swift’s argument
Where and how does Swift criticize the Irish for their predicament?
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