William Swift s The Augustan Age ( 1700-1750 ) - 1300 Words

In the period of the Neoclassical Era, many literary poets and short story writers emerged to deliver their ideas, opinions, and perspectives on their society. During this period many literary movements emerged; one of the most interesting was called the Augustan Age (1700-1750). The Augustan Age introduced poetry and short stories on personal exploration and serious issues surrounding society through the use of melodrama and satire (A Brief Guide†). Authors who practiced Augustan models included John Dryden, John Gay, Samuel Johnson, and among them the most notorious Jonathan Swift (A Brief Guide†). Swift by far is most recognized for his heavy use of satire, especially in his most controversial and surprising work A Modest Proposal. During his life, Swift wrote many well-known works of literature such as Tale of a Tub, Gulliver’s Travels, and countless more. Yet, one of his most outstanding and surprising was A Modest Proposal. Swift purposelessly wrote such a literary work in order to provide a solution to Ireland’s economic problems and resource crisis. Swift was a man that saw through the surfaces of both English and Irish society and into the murkier depths of failure, greed, and impotence found within them. Furthermore, Swift made this proposal with a sense of satire, meaning he used humor, irony, or exaggeration to expose and criticize Ireland’s lack of action in solving the countries grievous state (â€Å"Satire†). He particularly does so in the context of politics of