Read paragraph 12 of “A Modest Proposal”: “I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children.” At this point, as well as in other similar passages, Swift drops the mask of satire and speaks with invective (abusive, insulting language that is characteristic of Juvenalian satire). What he proposes is simply making this figurative sentence literal. In what sense have the landlords “devoured” the parents? ( MEG 102 ) ( JONATHAN SWIFT )

In "A Modest Proposal," Swift's use of the term "devoured" is a metaphor for the exploitation of the poor by the wealthy. The landlords, who are typically wealthy, have already taken much of the resources and labor from the poor parents, leaving them in a state of poverty and desperation. By using the term "devoured," Swift is emphasizing the idea that the wealthy have taken so much from the poor that they are now in danger of being physically consumed. This metaphorical language is used to highlight the extreme inequality and exploitation of the poor in Irish society. Swift is suggesting that if the landlords are already exploiting the parents to such a degree, they might as well go ahead and consume their children as well.