Why is the title “A Modest Proposal” ironic ? ( MEG 102 ) ( JONATHAN SWIFT )

It is worth noting that "A Modest Proposal" is not the title of Jonathan Swift's poem "A Description of the Morning," but rather a different work in which Swift suggests a solution to the problem of Irish poverty by proposing that the Irish should sell their children as food to the wealthy.

That being said, in the case of "A Modest Proposal," the title is ironic because the proposal being made by the speaker is anything but modest. The speaker suggests that the poor Irish should sell their children as food to the wealthy as a means of addressing poverty and overpopulation. This proposal is not a modest or reasonable solution to the problem at hand, but rather a shocking and satirical exaggeration that exposes the cruel and callous attitudes of those who view the poor as a burden on society. The irony of the title serves to highlight the absurdity of the proposal and the flaws in the thinking that led to it.