Political Influences Of Alexander Pope
One of the most influential poets of the 17th and 18th centuries, Alexander Pope significantly influenced classical poetry through his didactic and satirical works. Born in 1688, Pope began his life already facing many challenges through different facets of his life. Because his family were practicing Catholics, the Pope's were forced to move onto the outskirts of town, and Alexander wasn't able to attend school any longer, which challenged him to teach himself. Rising to the challenge, Pope taught himself different languages, and wrote his first poem, Ode on Solitude, at the age of twelve (Masters in English). With his satiric style,Alexander Pope was able to write about his own experiences with Pott's disease, as well as his well–known translations of plays such as Illiad and The Odyssey where he included some of his own ideas in their writing (notable biographies). Alexander Pope shaped the writings of his time through the use of satire, drawing on his own life and the situations around him for inspiration and support.
In 18th century England, poetry was mainly political and satirical. The main philosophical question was "whether the individual or society took precedence as the subject of verse." (slideshare). This time period was led by Alexander Pope because of his early start into writing and his continued works throughout his life. Pope and most poets/authors of the time wrote with reason over feelings and were typically written in rhymes and heroic couplets.
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Contrast Between Satire in The Rape Of The Lock and A Modest Proposal
Although Alexander Pope's, "The Rape Of The Lock" and Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" are both witty satires, they differ on their style, intention, and mood.
To begin, in "The Rape Of The Lock," Alexander Pope uses Horation satire to invoke a light, whimsical, melancholy mood to illustrate the absurdity of fighting over the cutting of one's hair. In fact, Horation satire is defined by K. Lukes as a device that is: " urban, smiling, witty" and "seeks to correct the human foibles." and is further reiterated in The Concise Oxford Dictionary Of Literary terms as: "Horation satire, often contrasted with the bitterness of Juvenalian satire, is a more...show more content...
Of course, such an event is viewed by Pope as foolishness: an idiotic event which has no bearing on the movement, creation, or destruction of the universe. In fact, a calamity in which the worst consequence is that Belinda has a "sister lock" that "now sits uncouth, alone" (English, 1125).
Thus, the intent of Pope is not to be invective or bitter but rather to give insight to the comical nature of the event, to bring to light that the universe does not move to the cutting of one's hair and that to have such a mistaken belief is foolhardy. This mockery and satire of aristocratic society is revealed by Pope throughout the poem: Belinda is depicted as a heroine goddess whose beauty causes "The tortoise here and elephant unite, / Transformed to combs, the speckled and the white" (English,1113). Furthermore,her trinkets are depicted as being spoils and ornaments of war, as one would use to prepare for battle: "files of pins extend their shining rows, / Puffs, powders, patches, Bibles, [and] billet–doux" (English,1113). This is comical in that such commoneveryday items suddenly have grave importance to the preservation and transformation of Belinda's beauty. They bring her from the mundane to God–like. Yet, the irony exists that these are just everyday items. The tortoises and elephants did not give Get more content
Alexander Pope was a British poet well known for his very meaningful pieces that try to reach out to the world and change it on of them is the essay on criticism which was a very impactful piece. We can see this cling out to Ode to solitude on how he writes about solitude being so great and so wonderful to him.Ode to solitude really describes the wonders of a relaxing, calm and solitary live where a man can live in bliss. He instantly goes into a pleasant mood with "Happy the man," probably because he thinks the same way about solitude and wants to express his feelings about this subject.All throughout the poem, he describes how someone can life in solitude wanting to spread his opinions about it as well as praising it. He is able to write about the life of men in solitude in such a wonderful way in makes the reader feel somewhat appreciation towards it. The first two stanzas show the reader that the man living in bliss and happiness doesn't own much and was mostly inherited by family in his birthplace, as well that he can live a humble life with just enough food and attire but that solitude can really make it wonderful. The first stanza describes where he lives while the second describes what he owns which altogether comes to just essentials.We can see how the use of the words like "own" and "his" Get
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Epic conventions are things that most epic poems have in common. They are not always identical, but they have common characteristics. Examples of epic conventions are a hero or individual that is beneficial in some way to a community, a journey in which the narrative takes the reader to different regions, and supernatural forces. The most common epic conventions are a long narrative poem about the great deeds of a human hero, recounting past events, elevated language, invoking a muse, the hero's actions often dictate the fate of the entire nation (or race), the hero displays superhuman qualities, the hero often asks for advice or help from a divine being, the hero participates in great battles to prove his heroism, the characters deliver long speeches or monologues, there is a long journey or quest, the hero earns some sort of prize for accomplishing his goals, and the use of epic similes is apparent. Several of these epic conventions are seen throughout John Milton's Paradise Lost and Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock. Paradise Lost is predominantly centered on the supernatural. It focuses on the story ofAdam and Eve and how they lost their "paradise." There are a couple arguments on who the real hero in Paradise Lost is. Some support Satan and others take Adam's side. Adam satisfies most of the epic conventions, but he is portrayed as weak when he is tempted by Satan through Eve. Adam emerges as mankind's hero when he stops Eve from killing herself. Adam
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Alexander Pope's An Essay on Man and Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe
The theme of "man's relationship to God and the universe" presented in Epistle 1 of Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Man" complements Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe is an inconsistent character who turns to God whenever he is in need, yet fails to maintain respect for nature and for his fellow man. In the first year of Robinson Crusoe's solitary life on the island, he falls ill and has a terrifying dream that alters his awareness of his place in the universe and God's control of it. This experience leads him to contemplate his past ingratitude and to embark on a life of piety, reading the Bible daily, though without a drastic or permanent change in his character....show more content...
In the climax of his fearful dream, Crusoe hears a voice threaten him, "Seeing all these things have not brought thee to Repentance, now thou shalt die," and he awakens with a tremendous "Impression" on his mind (65). This is a point of change for the sailor, and he meditates on his life and the unacknowledged influence of God. Pope's essay speaks to this awareness, for his focus is on the presence of God in nature and humanity. In Section 8 he exclaims, "Vast Chain of Being! which from God began, / Natures ethereal, human, Angel, Man, / Beast, Bird, Fish, Insect!" (237–39). According to Pope, the existence of all things emanates from a God who created all things to be united. This message also speaks to Crusoe, when he first becomes aware of the link between God and himself. As soon as Crusoe becomes open to God, he begins thinking, "Such as we are all made by some secret Power, who form'd the Earth and Sea, the Air and Sky; and who is that? . . . It is God" (68). Robinson Crusoe comes to see God as the creator that Pope has presented him and in this way, Pope's "An Essay on Man" articulates Crusoe's development as a person.
Robinson Crusoe's description of his meals demonstrates man's dependence on nature for survival, proving Pope's belief that "each System" is "Alike essential to th' amazing Whole" (247–48). In his June 28 entry, Crusoe states that he takes "a
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The Influence of Christianity in Essay on Man Alexander Pope is an eighteenth century writer who spent most of his life suffering. He had a rare form of tuberculosis which left him in constant pain. As a result of this disease, he never grew very tall. He was only about four and a half feet tall and he also experienced migraines (Greenblatt 2714). Despite all of Pope's impediments, he managed to write Essay on Man which portrays an extremely optimistic outlook on life. Although Pope says that he "avoids all specifically Christian doctrines," it is doubtful that he would have this same optimistic outlook without his Christian upbringing (2714). Even though Pope's Essay on Man is universal, applying to Christian and...show more content... Also, in Romans 3:23, it says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Both of these quote are affirming that all men sin which therefore means they are imperfect. In Section 4 of Epistle 1 of Essay on Man, it talks about how man is ignorant of the future which therefore allows him to be hopeful. In line 85 it states, "O blindness to the future! Kindly given" (2716.1.85). Not knowing what our future holds allows us to instill our faith in God. Even though we do not know what the future holds for us, God does. Since God knows our future, we put our faith in him that if we live correctly, everything will turn out just how it is supposed to be which is hopefully exactly how we want it to be. Jeremiah 29:11 declares, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" (Jeremiah 29:11). God tells us his plans for us are good. We trust and believe in him so we trust and believe our futures are filled with greatness. Pride is a sin and brings humans misery in both Essay on Man and The Bible. In Essay on Man, Pope writes, "In pride, in reasoning pride, our error lies" (2717.1.123). Being prideful is a fault that humans possess. Man is always trying to gain more knowledge and try to reach perfection. Perfection cannot be achieved so this pride actually
Alexander Pope and Christianity
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The aim of this essay is to analyse the literary devices used in An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope, which lead to the literariness of the text– its artistry, what makes it literary. To this purpose, I will make use of Victor Skhlovsky's notion of defamiliarization, which he explains in "Art as Technique", written in the first phase of the Russian Formalism. Defamiliariation is the process by which ordinary language is modified in order to achieve an effect of "artificiality" and strangeness, drawing attention not to the meaning, but to "the way it says that it has to say" (Bertens 27). Thus, the formalist approach leaves aside the refferential function of a literary text ("the way it reflects the world we live in" – Bertens 26) and focuses...show more content...
The symmetrical, circular character of the world is emphasised in an antimetabole in the third Epistle: "Made beast in aid of man, and man of beast." (L 24) – by the means of inverting the two opposed terms, they actually come in each other's completion. The entire world is ordered by a rigorous plan, and similes underline the idea of the universe as a continuing flow of matter and ideas ("the nature of creation is unity" – Clark 87), in perfect balance: "Like Bubbles on the sea of matter borne, / They rise, they break, and to that sea return." The world is intriguingly called "Mighty maze! but not without a plan", the metaphor defamiliarizing the way in which the world appears, making it appear complex and above everyday reality and casual
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"I take notice of here, those discontented people, who cannot enjoy comfortably what God has given them; because they see and covet something that He has not give them. – Robinson Crusoe (Defoe 95). In the book, "Robinson Crusoe" the main character Robinson Crusoe was a man who made many choices, some of which were made selfishly, and without the guidance of God or other influential people of whom he should have listened to. Throughout his life Crusoe learned many things through experience. His relationship with God as well as his character improved along his journey and strengthened when he allowed them to. Crusoe's well aspired dream of becoming a sailor affected his relationship with God and ultimately began his journey of growth. At age 19, Robinson Crusoe decided he was not going to go on to work in law, as his father had planned for him, but that he was going to be a sailor. His father attempted to convince Crusoe of his disapproval and to prevent him from becoming a sailor. Crusoe however decided against what his father had said and left home even though he was told not to. In the book he says, "I consulted neither my mother or father any more, nor so much as sent them word of it; but leaving them to hear of it as they might, without asking God's blessing, or my father's, without any consideration of circumstances or consequences, and in an ill hour, God knows, on the first of September 1651I went on board a ship bound for London." (Defoe 4). In his time as a sailor he was a part of 4 separate voyages, all of which resulted in narrow escapes of death for Crusoe, but despite the fact that God was obviously trying to give signs to him of why he should not have been a sailor, Crusoe blames bad luck and fate for his troubles, and continues to disobey his parents, and God. At this point of his life, Crusoe was a selfish man who thought of what was best for himself, and ignored others opinions, and did not seek God's help in his times of need. A little later in life, with his bad luck along his journeys continuing, Crusoe survives a shipwreck on his way to Guinea, in which all of his fellow sailors are killed. He survived by the grace of God and somehow swam his way to a deserted island. Although just Get more content
Character Analysis Of Robinson Crusoe
"It is a melancholy object to walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads, and cabin doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags and all importuning every passenger for alms." "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift." All Nature is but art, unknown to thee All chance, direction, which thou cannot see; All discord, harmony not understood; All partial evil, universal good." "Essay On Man" by Alexander Pope, both viewed mankind in Similar ways such as prideful, selfish, and unreasonable to name a few.
Basing his work the Great chain of being, Pope argues that man believes that the universe exists solely for his pleasure. In this...show more content...
Lastly, of putting a spirit of honesty, industry, and skill into our shop–keepers, who, if a resolution could now be taken to buy only our native goods, would immediately unite to cheat and exact upon us in the price, the measure, and the goodness, nor could ever yet be brought to make one fair proposal of just dealing, though often and earnestly invited to it Therefore I repeat, let no man talk to me of these and the like expedients, 'till he hath at least some glympse of hope, that there will ever be some hearty and sincere attempt to put them into practice." In the quote the narrator was like look here, you cannot tell me anything about what I know concerning change. Another
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The genre of poetry known as "pastoral" is an ancient form that has undergone many permutations and revitalizations. Two writers of pastorals are the English poets Alexander Pope and William Wordsworth. The pastorals of Pope are neo–classical poems in which Pope attempts to emulate the great Greek and Roman poets like Homer and Virgil by mentioning Greek figures, writing in heroic couplets, and indulge in abstraction. Wordsworth, on the other hand, creates a more modern way of writingpoetry by focusing not on the classical masters, but on emotion, reality, and discerning the fundamental truths of human nature. By engaging with both Alexander Pope's "Pastorals" and William Wordsworth's "Michael: A Pastoral Poem" one can observe a tangible shift in poetry away from the Neo–Classical and towards the Romantic in both style and content, especially as it regards to realism, universality, and the role of the poet as a creator of the work. The first way in which Pope and Wordsworth differ is in their treatment of reality. Pope, in his treatment of the real, falls on the side of the unreal and abstract, occupying the odd realm of strange juxtapositions. These strange juxtapositions consist of the odd world that Pope has created in which eighteenth century England and ancient Greece coexist in a world of poetry and each serve to better define the other. Pope shows this in "Pastorals" when he writes, "Fair Thames, flow gently from thy sacred spring, / While on thy banks Sicilian Get
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Pope's An Essay on Criticism
When Samuel Johnson ascribed to a new work "such extent of comprehension, such nicety of distinction, such acquaintance with mankind, and such knowledge both of both ancient and modern learning as not often attained by the maturest age and longest experience," he was speaking of young AlexanderPope's An Essay on Criticism (1711), written when he was about twenty, and published when he was only twenty–three years old (in Mack 177).1 Others have not been as generous in their comments about the prodigy's efforts. One history of criticism textbook describes the work rather ingloriously: "There are repetitions and inconsistencies, some conventional pronouncements along with injunctions of lasting value; ...show more content... Also, De Quincey's remarks in the seventh edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica (1842) set the pace for many future diagnoses of the work: "It is a collection of independent maxims, tied together into a fasciculus [small bundle] by the printer, but having no natural order or logical dependency: generally so vague as to mean nothing" (in Morris 145). John Dennis' immediate and hostile response to Pope's contribution is perhaps the most celebrated. Clark tells the story (30–31): "The `Essay' provoked an almost immediate attack and a vitriolic critique by John Dennis in his Reflections Critical and Satyrical, upon a late Rhapsody , cal'd An Essay upon Criticism. This abusive monograph was apparently stands as a monument to the principles of English neo–classical poetics which revered the works of the ancients, recognized the validity of classical criteria and genres, and desired to see the ancient criteria and genres applied to the eighteenth century English literary scene (Isles 262). For this reason and others, many believe that An Essay on Criticism makes an original and significant contribution to the history of critical theory (Morris 146).
Pope divided the work into three parts. Part one is an extended theoretical defense of the very possibility of valid criticism which draws on Nature and the tradition of the ancients. The
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An Essay On Criticism Essay
In the book Candide, by Voltaire and in the "Essay On Man" by Alexander Pope, both authors write about similar ideas. However, they also have some drastic differences, such as Voltaire's sarcastic over exaggeration of ideas that oppose his to make a point. Both Voltaire and Pope make conflicting arguments for a general ideology but Voltaire depicts in opinion much stronger. In the Essay on Man, Pope brings up many theories about the universe, Earth, and The Great Chain of Being. One of the most significant ideas he brings up is the idea that "All partial evil, (is) universal good"(293). What Pope is trying to say here is that perhaps the suffering of a few benefits everyone in the long run. However, the true meaning of this quote isn't extremely clear to the eye from the reading, and leaves the reader's mind open. Another one of Pope's ideas is the great chain of being, and everything's position on it. He believes it is a law of the world and that breaking it would be nearly impossible. He states that: "Men would be angels, angels would be gods. Aspiring to be gods, if angels fell, Aspiring to be angels, men rebel: And who but wishes to invert the laws Of order, sins against the Eternal Cause"(125–130). Pope is essentially saying that if anyone breaks, or tries to break the great chain of being, they are committing a sin against the "Eternal Cause", or the cause of God. Also, he is saying that all parts of the chain are necessary. If angels didn't exist, men would try to Get more content
'The Enlightenment' is defined as a period, popularly confined to the eighteenth century, wherein scientific knowledge and method proliferated under the belief that all knowledge is achievable by man. Opening the gateway to modern philosophy, 'The Enlightenment' aimed to explore the nature of human existence, being dubbed as an age of reason. 'Reason' is defined as man's judgement that is, as Creighton explains, 'held in mind by one who would be freed from the bondage of the emotions' and must, therefore, differentiate his own reason from the 'hinderance' that is feeling , abandoning all sense of morality gained through religion and other environmental aspects. Creighton suggests 'the excellence of reason is supposed to consist in its...show more content...
In Rasselas, however, Johnson highlights the brutality of man through the kidnapping of Pekuah wherein she witnesses the immorality of slavery on her journey for happiness, highlighting how the corruption of man lies beyond the safe–haven of Happy Valley. The valley itself is comparable to the Garden of Eden with 'its evils extracted and excluded.' However, the connotations of a valley present it as claustrophobic and locked–in, exacerbated by Rasselas' initial futile attempts to escape. This suggests that while corruption lies beyond the valley, Johnson implies that the nature of man is to reach beyond our own limits regardless of current position, supported by the 'Original Sin' wherein Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden in the pursuit of the tree of knowledge. Whilst the paradise of the Happy Valley supplies all manners of 'pleasure' Rasselas uses his reason to determine that there must be more to his purpose, comparing the needs of man to that of animals and how they 'waste their lives in tuning one unvaried series of sounds'3 and concludes that 'man has surely some latent sense for which this place affords no gratification.' Rasselas therefore separates all he has been raised to believe in order to explore his own purpose – the very definition of reason. Pope can be seen to do the same when describing the 'lamb [...] had he not reason, would he skip or play?' distinguishing the purpose of the primal animals from that of man. Pope's reason is also
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An essay is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author 's own argument– but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of an article, a pamphlet, and a short story. Essays have traditionally been sub–classified as formal and informal. Formal essays are characterized by "serious purpose, dignity, logical organization, length," whereas the informalessay is characterized by "the personal element (self–revelation, individual tastes and experiences, confidential manner), humor, graceful style, rambling structure, unconventionality or novelty of theme," etc.[1]
Essays are commonly used as literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. Almost...show more content...
An essay has been defined in a variety of ways. One definition is a "prose composition with a focused subject of discussion" or a "long, systematic discourse".[2] It is difficult to define the genre into which essays fall. Aldous Huxley, a leading essayist, gives guidance on the subject.[3] He notes that "the essay is a literary device for saying almost everything about almost anything", and adds that "by tradition, almost by definition, the essay is a short piece". Furthermore, Huxley argues that "essays belong to a literary species whose extreme variability can be studied most effectively within a three–poled frame of reference". These three poles (or worlds in which the essay may exist) are:
The personal and the autobiographical: The essayists that feel most comfortable in this pole "write fragments of reflective autobiography and look at the world through the keyhole of anecdote and description". The objective, the factual, and the concrete particular: The essayists that write from this pole "do not speak directly of themselves, but turn their attention outward to some literary or scientific or political theme. Their art consists of setting forth, Get more content
Alexander Pope – a poet, landscape gardener, translator, and a satirist– is a famous public figure of the Enlightenment Era. One of his famous satires would be "An Essay on Criticism" where Pope rebukingly criticizes people who wrongly criticize. The work of a satire which has a blend of humor and wit for the improvement of humanity and the use of these characteristics were a very popular way of writing literature in the Enlightenment Era and the use of it was intended to inspire remodeling of society (Johnathan J. Szwec). Although satires may vex some people, for others, it may be seen as an observation and a suggestive way to fix a problem in society. The poem written by Alexander Pope, "From an Essay Criticism," Pope expresses the idea that if one does not obtain enough knowledge on a subject, then that person is not allowed to criticize. Written as heroic couplets, Pope reveals that... shown through a mixture of diction, personification, and irony.
As Pope was writing his poem, he tends to use words that are more straightforward and doesn't intend on mollifying any of his thoughts and ideas. An example of this is when Pope states that some poets make up "dull rhymes" and are "languishingly slow" (lines 22 and 23). The use of the word "dull" shows that
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Alexander Pope may have been the adversary of female behavior the extent of this has long been in question. The writer's satirical style towards the women of his era is evidence of his opinions. However, there are noticeable facts that generate a swaying effect on Pope's views and the meaning of The Rape of the Lock. These details consist of the author's personal life and symbolism contained in his mock epic poem, including the voices of Bella and Clarissa, which is an indication that he may not have had the hardened heart towards women that everyone assumed he had. While any evaluation on Alexander Pope's personal opinion will conclude with a questioning of who he truly was behind his literary persona, a thorough research provides solid...show more content...
Beauty was of utmost importance and to climb any social ladder, a pleasing outward appearance was to be achieved.
The Rape of the Lock does an excellent job of portraying this thoughtlessness that the women had during the Eighteenth Century. In the mock poem a woman who has her hair cut off and stolen appears to be an action that expresses hilarious sarcastic wit. However this storyline was not just humorous but has a sad underlying tone owing to the fact that a woman in the Eighteenth Century would have taken these circumstances to a serious degree. Alexander Pope expressed his opinion of women in a frank and aggressive manner. As Elizabeth King put it in her notes about The Rape of the Lock, "it styled woman a goddess and regarded her as little better than a doll"(77), this clarifies Pope's respect of women during his time.
The prime example of Pope's opinion is written through his character Belinda, in The Rape of the Lock. In the poem, Belinda is the epitome of loveliness and femininity. The qualities she possesses are not of intellect or wholesome attitude, but the beauty she was born with overpowers any need for intelligence. Due to this, a Sylph named Ariel who was once a woman of similar beauty and class as Belinda protects her, along with the nymphs who were once too, of pleasing disposition in their human life. Throughout the story they keep watch over her and Ariel guards her heart from being overtaken by Get
Alexander Pope and Women Essay example
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Although Alexander Pope's, The Rape of the Lock, and Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal are both witty satires, they differ on their style, intention, and mood. To begin, in The Rape of the Lock, Alexander Pope uses satire to invoke a capricious, melancholy mood to illustrate the absurdity of fighting over the cutting of one's hair. Hidden inside this poem is a crafty criticism of the society that helps create the crisis over the stolen lock. A Society in which appearances ere more important to a person's sense of identity, and treats the insignificant with utmost importance. The very title of this mock– epic gives the audience a clue, the word "rape" and all its implications bring to mind a heinous crime of violation. Pope chose...show more content...
Swift portrays his views in his political satire called A Modest Proposal, he stresses that it is hard for mothers to provide for their children and it is not getting any easier. He feels that this is due to an overpopulation and lack of food. Swift's plan is an ironic attempt to "find out a fair, cheap, and easy Method"(503), for converting the starving children of Ireland into "sound and useful members of the Commonwealth" (503). His "solution" is to sell a child, after he or she reaches one year of age. "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 clothing of many thousands"(503). From Swift's perspective using the children, as food is the most efficient and cheap way to make the children a contribution rather than a burden. This wondrous idea has so many benefits that it is hard to see how anyone would be so close–minded to disagree. For instance, "It would greatly lessen the number of papists" (506) "Secondly, the poorer tenants will have something valuable of their own" (506), which could help them pay rent. "Fifthly, this food would likewise bring great custom to taverns" (506), where the cooks would strive to find the best recipes for their new delicacy. Finally it would be a great advantage to those getting married, where as
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