In literature, the "grotesque" refers to that which invokes a feeling of uncomfortable bizarreness as well as sympathetic pity. It is used to describe anything that is strange, ugly, unpleasant, or disgusting. Swift's "A Modest Proposal" is full of the grotesque.
He sets out to establish himself as a well-meaning, level-headed citizen interested in finding a solution to Ireland's poverty. In particular, he's about to suggest a way to deal with the children of the poor who tend to become beggars and thieves in the streets, in such a way that everyone would benefit. The way he sets himself up as a reasonable man only exaggerates the grotesqueness of what he actually suggests:
I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout.
What he is suggesting is, in itself, strange, unpleasant, and even disgusting. Another element of the grotesque present here is the apparent calm, matter-of-fact way he goes about making his case. He suggests roasting an entire infant for company or simply a hindquarter with a little salt and pepper for a family--as though he is a chef suggesting what dish people in a fine restaurant might order. This is entirely incongruous with the subject matter, which makes it grotesque.
Further, he suggests flaying the carcass to produce ladies' gloves--as if ladies would wear such a thing.
His apparent assumption, throughout, is that simple economics and the tables of the rich and cleaning up the streets are far more important than the lives of the poor. The thing is...this is absolutely true, which is the heart of his masterpiece, the soul of his wit. He's simply using grotesque exaggeration to point out this sad fact.
No comments:
Post a Comment