The Enlightenment and Great Minds In this Discussion Board, you will examine the ethics of satire that makes discussion of serious topics such as those brought up in Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope seem so funny, even oddly light-hearted. Pope uses a “rape metaphor” to make lite of the furious behavior between two families. Is the stealing of a lock of hair really that serious? What set of ethics, then, is Pope really addressing? Swift “proposes” something so horrific the reader isn’t sure if he is serious. He must be joking! Right? Is it ethical to make such lite of such a serious topic? What ethical dilemma is Swift shedding light upon? Discuss the ethical behavior emphasized in Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” and Alexander Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock.” Both authors were using satire to influence contemporary society. What about each topic touches upon ethics and what is ethical about what each author is offers as a possible solution?
