Heart Of Darkness And Modest Proposal Essay

, Research Paper

Colonization in the Theme of "A Modest Proposal" and "Heart of

Darkness" Starting at the beginning of the seventeenth century, European

countries began exploring and colonizing many different areas of the world. The

last half of the nineteenth century saw the height of European colonial power

around the globe. France, Belgium, Germany, and especially Great Britain,

controlled over half the world. Along with this achievement came a notable sense

of pride and confident belief that European civilization was the best on earth

and that the natives of the lands Europeans controlled would only benefit from

colonial influence. However, not everybody saw colonization as positive for all

those involved. Some of the most notable writers of the time produced works

criticizing the process of colonization. Two of the most significant works in

this area are Joseph Conrad.s "Heart of Darkness" and Jonathan

Swift.s "A Modest Proposal." Although these pieces of literature

both criticize colonization, they have different themes. The theme of "A

Modest Proposal" could be described as the negative effects of colonization

on the colonized, while the central idea in "Heart of Darkness" is the

negative effects of colonization on both the colonized and the colonizers. The

differences in these themes are significant to the strategies used by the

authors to explore the adverse effects of colonization. Swift makes great use of

irony and imagery, to accentuate the plight of the Irish. Conrad comments on the

frightening changes that people involved with colonization can go through by

exploring character development and detailing a narrative of oppression. Swift

uses irony in "A Modest Proposal" because it allows him to highlight

the emotional detachment felt by the colonizing British towards the Irish. It is

this emotional detached feeling that lead to the atrocities committed against

the Irish citizens. The irony in "A Modest Proposal" is evident right

in the title. There is certainly nothing "modest" about the

"proposal" of eating the infants of impoverished Irish citizens. The

irony accentuates how cruel and uncompassionate the powerful British

Imperialists were, towards the destitute Irish population. The reader must

realize that "Swift is operating independently of the narrator in a covert

manner" (Phiddian 607). He develops the persona of the proposer to say

exactly the opposite of what he feels. While the proposer suggests eating poor

Irish children is particularly proper at "merry meetings, particularly

weddings and christenings," this could not be further from the opinion of

Swift. Nor does Swift actually believe that this plan will "increase the

care and tenderness of mothers toward their children." (NA 1052) Moreover,

the whole topic of cannibalism, is discussed with tongue in cheek and is meant

to suggest that the British were devouring the Irish. Images of cruelty and evil

put, forward by the narrator, weigh heavily in the theme of "A Modest

Proposal." Throughout the pamphlet, the reader is bombarded with disturbing

imagery of Irish people and their children being treated like livestock raised

for consumption. The narrator refers to the parents of the children as

"savages" (NA 1050) and "breeders" (NA 1051) and

"dams" (NA 1048). Then he compares the children to "roasting

pigs" (NA 1050) and continues as if he were writing a cook book. He speaks

of how delicious he thinks these infants would be "whether stewed, roasted,

baked or boiled" (NA 1049) or served in a "fricassee or a ragout"

(NA 1049). He describes how the "carcasses" (NA 1050) of these babies

could be nicely seasoned with "a little pepper or salt" (NA 1050) and

"will be in season throughout the year" (NA 1050). Flaying the carcass

and using the skin of these babies to make "admirable gloves for ladies,

and summer boots for fine gentlemen" (NA 1050) is another suggestion he

puts forward. He expands beyond just slaughtering the infants for food and

leather products by suggesting the possibility of hunting the adolescents for

sport. He dismisses this idea because he imagines the flesh of the adolescents

would be too tough for eating and because hunting them would reduce the breeding

stock. He also has concerns that "some scrupulous people might be apt to

censure such a practice (although indeed very unjustly) as a little bordering on

cruelty" (NA 1051). All of the gruesome imagery used in "A Modest

Proposal" has earned it the reputation of being one of Swift.s most

potent attacks in his "war on a class of civilized people who often behave

like animals" (M

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