Student Question
What is the "great town" referred to in "A Modest Proposal's" opening paragraph?
Quick answer:
The "great town" referred to in the opening paragraph of Jonathan Swift's satirical essay "A Modest Proposal" is Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The essay, written in the 1720s during the Irish famine, critiques the dire socio-economic conditions in Ireland and the oppressive relationship between the English landlords and the impoverished Irish population, using satire to propose an outrageous solution to the problem of poverty and overpopulation.
This famous satirical essay begins:
It is a melancholy object to those, who 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 importuning every passenger for an alms.
The setting of this essay is Ireland, and therefore the city referred to in the first sentence is Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The essay was written in the 1720s during the Irish famine where crops had been so poor that the Irish could not afford to pay the rents demanded by their English landlords. The essay therefore speaks much of the relationship between the English and the Irish through its satirical solution to the problem.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.