What examples of apostrophe, antithesis, didactic language, figurative language, aphorism, dialect and a rhetorical question can be found in...

Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” is an eighteenth-century satirical exposition that advocates for the eating and skinning of young children to alleviate Ireland’s poverty crisis. Throughout his essay, Swift employs a variety of literary devices and rhetorical strategies to persuade his audience of his solution.

An apostrophe is a literary device that occurs when the speaker addresses a third party, whether it be an absent person, an inanimate object, or an abstract concept or idea.  An example of an apostrophe in “A Modest Proposal” occurs at the end of the essay when Swift addresses the individuals who may propose a different route of action. He states, “But before something of that kind shall be advanced in Contradiction to my Scheme, and offering a better, I desire the Author, or Authors will be pleased maturely to consider two points.” This is an example of apostrophe because Swift stops addressing the reader and addresses the third party of authors crafting different proposals.

Antithesis is a figurative of speech that contrasts two ideas through a parallel structure. In “A Modest Proposal,” a rather lengthy antithesis occurs towards the end when Swift contrasts other solutions to Ireland’s poverty crisis with the repetition of “Of” at the beginning of each reason:

• "Therefore let no man talk to me of other expedients: Of taxing our absentees at five shillings a pound: Of using neither cloaths, nor household furniture, except what is of our own growth and manufacture: Of utterly rejecting the materials and instruments that promote foreign luxury: Of curing the expensiveness of pride, vanity, idleness, and gaming in our women: Of introducing a vein of parsimony, prudence and temperance: Of learning to love our country, wherein we differ even from Laplanders, and the inhabitants of Topinamboo: Of quitting our animosities and factions, nor acting any longer like the Jews, who were murdering one another at the very moment their city was taken: Of being a little cautious not to sell our country and consciences for nothing: Of teaching landlords to have at least one degree of mercy towards their tenants."

In this example of antithesis, each opposition retains the parallel structure of “Of + a gerund,” which contributes to the rhythmic cadence of this contrasting section.

Didactic works have the sole purpose of imparting morals or information, specifically in the fields of religion, philosophy, history and/or politics. While the argument can be made that Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” is a didactic work, for it raises awareness about Ireland’s poverty crisis and provides information about the current state of the nation, a much more contained example is found in his criticism of wealthy Protestants:

• "For first, as I have already observed, it would greatly lessen the Number of Papists, with whom we are Yearly over-run, being the principal Breeders of the Nation, as well as our most dangerous Enemies, and who stay at home on purpose with a design to deliver the Kingdom to the Pretender, hoping to take their Advantage by the absence of so many good Protestants,  who have chosen rather to leave their Country, than stay at home, and pay Tythes against their Conscience, to an idolatrous Episcopal Curate."

In this example of didacticism, Swift provides information on the religious factions of Ireland while simultaneously criticizing the wealthy Protestants for not showing compassion to the Catholics, or Papists. This contributes to the work as a whole by offering religious and political information central to Swift’s message.

Figurative language is a rather broad term for literary devices that utilize words or expressions apart from their literal meaning to impart more impact and effect. Common examples include metaphors, similes, allusions, hyperbole, and symbols. Throughout “A Modest Proposal,” Swift uses animalistic language to metaphorically refer to the “breeding,” “butchering,” and “eating” of children. He states, “Men would become as fond of their Wives, during the Time of Pregnancy, as they are now of their Mares in Foal, their Cows in Calf, or Sows when they are ready to Farrow.” Here, Swift metaphorically compares pregnant women to “Mares in Foal,” and “Cows in Calf,” emphasizing the “agricultural” nature of his proposal. Another example is when he states, “I recommend buying the Children alive, and dressing them hot from Knife, as we do roasting Pigs.” In this rather grotesque simile, Swift compares children to “roasting Pigs.”

Aphorisms are statements of truth that are presented in a concise and witty manner. Swift concludes his essay with the aphorism of “Work having no other Motive than the publick Good of my Country.” This is an aphorism because it is a matter-of-fact, concise statement that offers truth in a witty manner—Swift proposes he is arguing for the good of the public.

• Dialect is a form of language that is specific to a particular time, region, or social class. The following excerpt is an example of dialect:

"It is true a Child, just dropt from it's Dam, may be supported by her Milk, for a Solar year with little other Nourishment, at most not above the Value of two Shillings, which the Mother may certainly get, or the Value in Scraps, by her lawful Occupation of begging, and it is exactly at one year Old that I propose to provide for them, in such a manner, as, instead of being a Charge upon their Parents, or the Parish, or wanting Food and Raiment for the rest of their Lives, they shall, on the Contrary, contribute to the Feeding and partly to the Cloathing of many Thousands."

This excerpt showcases the eighteenth-century dialect of Swift. He refers to a newborn child as ”just dropt from [its] Dam,” and he uses time-specific diction, such as “Solar year,” “parish,” and “shillings.”  Also of note, Swift writes in an elaborate manner that is characteristic of eighteenth-century texts. He inflates his prose with verbose descriptions and arguments.

Finally, a rhetorical question is a question proposed without expecting an answer. An example of a rhetorical question is, “As things now stand, how will they be able to find Food and Raiment for a hundred thousand useless Mouths and Backs.” This is a rhetorical question because Swift knows the audience does not have an answer to this monstrous undertaking and uses this question to further support his own argument.