Through the creation of a pompous, highly educated and sophisticated proponent, in Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal, the target audience, the absentee landlords and the parliament of 'England, and the reader naturally identifies with the proponent. The rigorous logic, the serious and cynical tone of the proponent deduces the horrible proposition of cannibalism for economic, political, moral and nationalist ends. However, through the identification of the target audience with the one proposing it, Swift is able to offer the ironic humanity of his satirical proposition and thus indict the colonial landowner in Ireland and the ideals of the Enlightenment. Swift's propositional tone is used for both the apparent and actual purpose of the proposition; Through adherence to Enlightenment ideals, which would be those of the intended audience, Swift is able to critique the ideology of logic and rationality as fundamental to morality in the proposition. In the opening paragraphs of the proposition, Swift characterizes the proponent as a sophisticated, civilized, and educated man to relay the apparent purpose of the proposition. The first few paragraphs manipulate syntax and consist entirely of long sentences explaining the situation in Ireland. The nominator presents his proposition of importance that he deserves “his statue erected for a conservative of the nation” (Swift 2633). Swift emphasizes the pompous tone of the proposer; this proposal, according to its proponent, is a revolutionary solution to the problems of the “kingdom” (2633). Swift's creation of the propounder's views toward the "melancholy object" (2633) of the mostly Catholic beggars of Ireland mirrors those of the absent owners, provoking identification with the propounder and... .. middle of paper. ..... surprisingly humane in comparison with the agony of eternal suffering and famine (2638). Throughout Swift's proposition, the proposer is created to both identify and ridicule the reader through his personality and tone. The reader identifies with the civilized and educated proposer only to be forced to view themselves as cannibals. Although the proposal is often considered inhumane, it reinforces Enlightenment ideals, including utilitarianism which concludes that it maximizes happiness while producing the least suffering possible. So the irony of this proposal is not that the owners are cannibals, but that the proposal is actually humane and rational, but still not accepted. Works Cited Swift, Jonathan. “A modest proposal.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. general. Stephen Greenblatt. 9th ed. Flight. C. New York: Norton, 2012. 2633-39. Print.