The Impact of the Forms of Satire on Literature and Society in The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift

The literary technique of satirical writing is a form popular throughout literature. Dating back to the first centuries. Based on the writings resembling works of Roman poets, Horace and Juvenal. Respectively, the forms of satire, horatian and juvenalian, represent contrasting ways of mocking society. The former using humor, and the latter using disgust and anger, to incite certain emotions. The literary works, The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, and A Modest Proposal, by Dr. Jonathan Swift, display how each form of satire can make an impact on literature and society.

The juvenalian satirical play, The Importance of Being Earnest, portrays how satire used in a humorous way can bring about change. Throughout the play, the main character, Jack/Ernest, uses humor to raise thoughts on topics of society, such as hypocrisy of Victorian morality, academic studies, Victorian ambivalence towards charity, and overall absurdity of reasoning used during this time period. The character, Lady Bracknell, is written to portray many of these qualities through a judgmental, exaggerating, and illogical character. By allowing readers to dislike this character, Wilde is able to mock the societal actions. “To be natural is such a difficult pose to keep up (Wilde)” is a quote that exemplifies people during this time period. Even the act of trying to appear naturally prosperous and happy is a façade that many used during this time, wishing to seem worthy and successful, so they can climb the social ladder. By writing this play in a horatian satirical manner, Wilde is able to entertain readers while showing them the pieces of society that many do not realize, but need change.

A Modest Proposal, a juvenalian satirical proposal, is a heavily sarcastic description of a solution to Ireland’s economic and social downfall, written to erupt disgust in readers. During this time period, many news companies and journalists wrote about his time period with their solutions, to no avail. For Swift, by inciting such a strong disapproval in readers, the work is able to show people how ridiculous and unethical the topic of the satire is. Throughout the writing, the author proposes that a “young healthy child, well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food (Swift 59)” is a logical solution to reducing the amount of poor and begging in their country. The narrator continues to prove their point, explaining “many other advantages might be enumerated (Swift 175)”, such as better marriages, economy, population, and moral. The work helps readers, who previously treated the poor harshly, to see them as real people who do not deserve such treatment.

In my opinion, horatian satire is more effective in changing the opinions and actions of society. Humor is a characteristic that exists in every society and culture, no matter how developed or complex. By approaching topics that may offend readers, instead of inciting emotions such as disgust or anger, and potentially pushing readers away, horatian satire can bring people together. By finding humor in society’s wrong-doings together, the issues will seem easier to approach. While reading The Importance of Being Earnest, I was able to laugh along while thinking about how true the conflicts really were, unlike A Modest Proposal, where I spent a majority of my reading is disbelief and shock at the content. The quote, “The truth is rarely pure and never simple (Wilde)” proves the idea that while facing reality may seem daunting, finding a way to approach it comically always makes the task easier to handle.

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