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Example research essay topic: Point Of View Modest Proposal - 2,391 words

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English Literature: Chaucer and Swift Chaucer and Swift are some of the most prominent English writers, their works are studied world wide and a lot of researchers have devoted their time to study the literary devices used by both authors in their writings. Within the scope of this paper, we will compare the irony of Chaucer's General Prologue to the irony used by Swift in A Modest Proposal. Chaucer deploys his creative style of writing in order to portray irony, he achieves the irony in his work through two types of irony: incongruity - meaning active behavior that is different to what is expected; verbal irony - when one says the exact opposite of what he really means. (Hoy, p. 42) Swifts irony in A Modest Proposal is rather different, he provides the reader with simply absurd solutions to the serious problems in order to show how ridiculous the actions of the Irish government really are. We will discuss the two works at issue to see how successful both authors were in deploying irony in their writings. The General Prologue was set in the year 1387 in the town of Southwark across the river from London, in a small Tabard Inn. During that period of time certain behavioral patterns were expected of people especially for those of religious standings.

By taking advantage of this, Chaucer uses contrast to bring irony into his work. Through his life-giving descriptions of the Prioress (also referred to as the Nun) and use of incongruity we are presented with quite a humorous character. As being a lady of divine service, it is expected that she would look a certain way, behave in a particular manner and perhaps enjoy chanting the services divine. In Chaucer's descriptions of her we see the unexpected in some instances. He makes mention of her singing in quite a striking way - it is done through her nose, "Ful weel she soong the service divine, Entered in hir nose ful simply" (Hoy, p. 50). In addition, Chaucer mentions her ability to speak French even though she has never been to France.

He says, "And Frenssh she say ful faire and fetish, after the some of Stratford-are-Bowe, For Frenssh of Parts was to hire unknown" (Pollard, p. 117). The Prioress was a lady of great social poise and art, nevertheless irony comes out in Chaucer's description of her tender heart: "She was so charitable and so pious, She would were, if that she such a mous K aught in a trade, if it were deed or blonde. Of small houses have she that she feed with rated frenssh, or milk and waste breed; But store were she if oon of hem were deed, Or if men smoot it with a yard serve. " (Pollard, p. 121) In the description given above, Chaucer makes use of incongruity. Everyone has their own ideal as to how a nun would or should react to different occurrences.

The irony in Chaucer's work is highlighted in the display of over-exaggerated emotions shown by the Prioress, when she is exposed to a mouse caught in a trap and the type of food she feeds her pet dogs, and how she reacts if one died. Chaucer's description of her physical appearance looks at what people would least expect from a nun. He describes a nun who is well built, tall and beautiful, with emphasis on her attractive mouth and red lips; her cloak so fashionable, and her wimple accentuating her facial beauty, with only one unfortunate quality - her broad forehead. Chaucer says: "Ful simply hir wampum punched was, Hir nose trees, hir even great as glas, But soberly she have a fair forced; It was almost a space brood, I those; for, hardily, she was nat undergone. " (Hoy, p. 59) Chaucer places humor in the Cook's character through the use of irony and incongruity. He uses a bit of subtle irony when making mention of the Cook's skill in preparing certain foods, which were not that impressive.

The travelers took the Cook with them just for the occasion. "A Cook they have with hem for the nones" (Pollard, p. 127). In addition, Chaucer describes the Cook as being a person who enjoys what he does and takes much pride in it. However, in a disgusting manner, a bit of irony comes to play when there is the description of a running sore upon his shin and his making of rich "blank manger", which according to Alfred Pollard .".. appears to be made of grated capon, milk, cream and rye-flour, boiled with sugar and rose water" (Pollard, p. 133). Pollard believes that the Cook is among the most disreputable pilgrims that Chaucer created. He claims that readers should not think of the Cook as a chef, able to manage and arrange a medieval banquet, but as a proprietor of an eating-house who is carried along in case of any deficiencies in the inns on their route to Canterbury.

From this point of view, incongruity can be applied in the sense that how can a cook not have the skill of a chef and who is not be able to handle a dinner event. Chaucer's irony with reference to the Shipman is a bit subtle. He makes reference of a sailor who knows nothing about horses, "He rood upon a round, as he kyotee" (Hoy, p. 63). Chaucer describes an experienced sailor who has conquered many seas, "He knew alle the haven, as they were, Fro Gootlond to the Cape of Fynystere, and every crime in Britain and in Space" (Hoy, p. 65), and who was excellent at what he did onboard his ship.

However, his behavior contrasts with his excellence as a sailor. He was a man who made his prisoners walk the plank, and he was also a smuggler and a pirate. Irony is incorporated in such a way that it highlights the fact that this experienced, ruthless sailor cannot tell the difference between a good and a bad horse, and needles to say does not really know how to ride one. The Shipman is an excellent sailor, but his behavior on board his ship is a subtle and ironic contrast with the excellence he demonstrates. Chaucer in this case, once again makes use of incongruity in his writings. Finally with reference to the Merchant, Chaucer uses some verbal and gentle irony.

He begins with a description of the Merchant in the following words: "A Merchant was ther with a forked be, In mottled, and hye on horse he sat; Upon his heed a Flaundryssh been hat; His bootes clasped faire and fetish; His reasons he say ful solemnly, Sownynge always then crees of his winning. " (Hoy, p. 71) He speaks of a well-groomed man who has become a profitable tradesman. However, after all those great characteristics are described, Chaucer goes on to show how people's appearances can be deceiving: "This worthy man ful wel his wit bette: Ther with no wight that he was in dette" (Pollard, p. 139). Being a merchant himself, Chaucer however would not be classified with the Merchant in the Prologue because he was in debt, in addition to claims suggesting that he made his profits by questionable and suspicious means. (Pollard, p. 56) With character or figure such as the Merchant, Chaucer uses contrast to highlight certain aspects of the Merchant. For example, no one would ever suspect that a man who always talks of his great profits would be in debt. A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift is a satirical work that gives an extremely sarcastic solution to the problems that Ireland was having with poverty and overpopulation in the 1700 s. He gives a series of unrealistic and simply absurd solutions to the problem that include the harsh treatment of children.

The complete title of the work is "A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burden to their Parents, or the Country, and for Making them Beneficial to the Public. " This can give you an idea on the bizarre insights that the author is going to give. His all around solution is to fatten up the undernourished children and sell them into a meat market where they will be sold for food, thus solving the economic and population problems in Ireland. (Thompson, p. 62) Swift does this through a very sarcastic and brash style that was very new for the time that he wrote it. Swifts main purpose of A Modest Proposal was to show the absurdity of the insensible acts that were being carried out by the Irish government. This essay had nothing to do with actually solving the problems in the country. He was mainly attempting to show the people of Ireland that this was the equivalent to what the government was allowing to happen. The poor were getting poorer and the rich were getting richer.

Swift uses the word breeders to refer to women. He is basically saying that they were treated as someone that kept mankind going rather than a provider. Some of the speakers ideas could cause the reader to become disgusted with A Modest Proposal if they werent aware that Swift was making a mockery of Irelands political system. If one looks beyond the actual content of A Modest Proposal, he / she will realize that the tone is one of utter disgust. Swift is simply expressing his disgust with the actions of the Irish government. He felt that the state of the country was repulsive and was disgusted over the way the government was handling it.

It was almost as if he was in a state of disbelief in regards to the problems in Ireland. Swifts tone in A Modest Proposal is very similar to his mood. Swifts mood is also one of sarcasm and disgust. While it may not have been perceived that way in 1729, today it is very simple to tell that Swift is very sarcastic throughout the essay. You can also tell that the speaker is trying to get his feel of disgust across by using this sarcasm.

It was a very effective way of getting his point across. Swift used the point of view of a third person speaker in A Modest Proposal. This is a very effective way to write this but it is also the normal way to write a satirical, political essay. Most writers do use a first person speaker point of view to express their views, no matter how unrealistic they are. However, in A Modest Proposal, if one fails to look deeper into the subject they may fail to notice that this is indeed a satirical solution and take the opinions expressed as truthful one, thus making the impact of this essay even deeper.

A reader who does know the background of Swifts attitudes would understand and be able to relate to this essay and sympathize for those who were suffering from the horrendous conditions in Ireland. The most ironic part of A Modest Proposal is Swifts use of specific examples and his use of phony statistics. Granted most of these examples are made up, it is interesting to see how he actually incorporated some facts in his work to make it sound even more serious. He uses fake statistics to back it up even further. I have already computed the charge of nursing a beggar's child (in which list I reckon all cottagers, laborers, and four-fifths of the farmers) to be about two shillings per annum, rags included; and I believe no gentleman would repine to give ten shillings for the carcass of a good fat child, which, as I have said, will make four dishes of excellent nutritive meat, when he hath only some particular friend or his own family to dine with him. Thus the squire will learn to be a good landlord, and grow popular among his tenants; the mother will have eight shillings net profit, and be fit for work till she produces another child. (Thompson, p. 73) It is extremely out of the ordinary that Swift may have actually calculated all of this.

Also note the sarcasm Swift uses in this excerpt. The sentence beginning I believe no gentleman is profoundly cynical. No sane person, man or woman, would think about how many a plump or rotund child would feed. To conclude his essay Swift states that he himself will have wreak no benefits from this proposal. 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 of my country. (Thompson, p. 79). To pick out a single metaphor from A Modest Proposal would be near impossible considering that the entire pamphlet is one enormous use of metaphorical irony.

The entire work serves as a metaphor for the terror and corruption that the citizens of Ireland were going through at the time. His proposal is a result or a reaction to the horrendous suffering that Swifts fellow Irishmen were victims of. He cautiously uses irony to help others relate to the already know carnage that was taking place. Swift was also going after the British throughout his essay. At one point the narrator muses how England would be more than willing to eat the Irish even without such a proposal, saying, I could name a country which would be glad to eat up our whole nation without it. (Thompson, p. 84) He is saying that England could care less about Ireland and really wouldnt notice if it were wiped from the earth, which back then, was the truth.

Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal is written in what was a new and different style for the times. In order to get his point across Swift used cynicism and hyperbole rather than realism and truthfulness. It was extremely effective because it showed how absurd the actions of people as a result of the poverty that struck Ireland were. Bibliography Chaucer, J, The Canterbury Tales, Michigan: Zondervan Publishers, 1992.

Hoy, M, Chaucer's Major Tales, New York: Schocken Books, 1993. Pollard, A, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales: The Prologue, London: Macmillan Education Limited, 1991. Swift, J, A Modest Proposal, New York: Harper Perennial, 1994. Thompson, J, Irony in Swifts Works, London: Scientific Press, 1991.


Free research essays on topics related to: modest proposal, irish government, point of view, chaucer describes, canterbury tales

Research essay sample on Point Of View Modest Proposal

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