Society has become numb to eating food with infant connotations: baby back ribs, baby carrots, baby corn. The saying having a “baby in the oven” may help desensitize society from the day when babies may actually be put into the oven ala A Modest Proposal. Considering the logic -no matter how faulty- behind Swift’s essay, why has it not been put in to action?… Or has it?

Is this a front from a mass child farm? Are they trying to alleviate suspicion by making the idea of an infant farm cute and innocent? A hospital is fitted with all the necessary instruments for butchering and has an infirmary to burn the evidence…

The truth is out there…

Baby in the oven becomes literal in Abu Dhabi, where airports already have diagrams such as this one:

Could such A Modest Proposal have been used in the recent American election campaigns? Why not? Maybe it would have helped McCain reach out to the urban youth…

There are even video games such as “Orphan Feast” that give direct recognition to Jonathan Swift!

Feel like playing? Click here:

            The criticism founded within Swift’s satires was initially subtle; however, his later works such as A Modest Proposal were extremely shocking and provocative –and the most effective. The desperate conditions imposed on Irish society by English rule provided the inspiration for A Modest Proposal; yet, the Irish themselves are the butt of the criticism for failure to unite in a proactive and meaningful way. Thus, Swift provided A Modest Proposal as a logical remedy –no matter how ironic or blasphemous.

            Swift begins his faux panacea with a misleading emphasis on reason by preaching to the public about the desperate epidemic:

I think it is agreed by all Parties that this prodigious Number of Children, in the Arms, or on the Backs, or at the Heels of their Mothers, and frequently of their Fathers, is in the present deplorable State of the Kingdom, a very great additional Grievance; and therefore whoever could find out a Fair, Cheap and Easy Method of making these Children Sounds and Useful Members of the Common-wealth would deserve so well of the Public, as to have his Statue set up for a Preserver of the Nation. (Demaria, 496)

The argument initiated by Swift would definitely appeal to the public outcry; however, his essay soon diverges from morality to ironic logic. Swift suggests fattening up children beginning at the age of one in order to be fed to the upper classes of Ireland. The essay only delves deeper into unnerving detail as he describes the best tasting part of the child and even suggests recipes for cooking the child:

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 Fricasse, or a Ragout. (Demaria, 497)

More disturbing perhaps is the statistical support Swift provides for his recommendations in respect to the economy as well as the moral benefit farming children would have on the family unit: husbands would appreciate their wives more –even in pregnancy– and parents would appreciate their children to a boundless degree. Swift concludes by reassuring the reader he does not take pleasure in his recommendations, but that it is simply a viable and logical resolution. Robert Phiddian reveals that the eighteenth century reader would have realized that this is obviously not a serious proposal, but rather they would have understood it served another purpose: “We recognize that there is a gap between the narrator’s meaning and the text’s, and that a moral-political argument is being carried out by means of a parody” (Phiddian, 608). Thus, Swift’s satire proves it may function more effectively than if he had actually composed a legitimate proposal.

              Regardless of the fact that the majority of Irish suffering was imposed by English subjugation, Swift is severely criticizing the Irish through his satire. Swift is not only criticizing the political powers, but is focussing more on the masses for passiveness. The essay offers a proposal that of course would not be put in to action, and Swift is emphasizing that there are no other proposals or courses of action being put forth: “this recognition is not a solution; it is merely the beginning of our problems” (Phiddian, 608).

• Born Jonathan Swift in Dublin, Ireland on the 30th November, 1667
• Grandfather, Thomas Swift, was a Royalist Anglican clergyman of Herefordshire
• Father, Jonathan Swift, was a lawyer and died soon after moving to Ireland, Jonathan and his sister were left to care for each other and their widowed mother
• Swift’s background gave him an objective perspective -both political and religious- as he was an Anglican minority within the largely Catholic Irish society
• Swift received his education from Kilkenny Grammar School (1673-81) and Trinity College, Dublin (1682-86)
• While Swift was earning his Master’s degree from Trinity College, civil war erupted in Ireland causing the college to indefinitely suspend
• Swift was employed by Sir William Temple for the next ten years, and benefited from both the influence and library of this man of letters
• In 1964 Swift became an ordained priest in Dublin and began publishing works beginning with the Ode to the Athenian Society (1692)
• In 1704 some of Swift’s greatest works were published anonymously: A Tale of a Tub, The Battle of the Books, and A Discourse on the Mechanical Operation of the Spirit
• His works were harshly received by critics who disapproved believing that he was satirising all religions
• However, modern critics argue he was not satirising religion, but explored many topics -especially madness
• Swift was a major policitcal player and became a leading support of the new Tory government by produciing campaign propaganda such as the pro spanish war The Conduct of the Allies
• Due to his involvement with the Tories, Swift was appointed to the Deanery of St Patrick’s in 1713 despite his desire for a church appointment in England
• In 1714 Swift joined forces with satirists Arburthnot, Gay, and Pope throught the Sctiblerus club
• Five years later, Swift resumed his social satirisation through a collection of essays on Irish problems in A proposal for the Use of Irish Manufacture
• It was Swift’s work Drapier’s Letters that transformed him into a national phenomenon, as he criticized William Wood’s monopoly of the production of copper coins and was eventually overthrown in 1725 thanks in part to Swift

Swift receiving the thanks of Ireland and the dashing of Wood's half-pence.

• Swift’s most celebrated work Gulliver’s Travels was published in 1726 and was manifestly a tale of adventure, although its roots ventured deep into critical satire
• In 1729, Swift’s satire A Modest Proposal took a much less subtle approach and shocked the public by promoting the eating of babies in order to ease the poverty and population epidemics
• Swift had been suffering from Ménière’s disease since his time with Temple and his condition progresses into eventual madness: in 1742 he was deemed clinically insane and died in 1745

   The term bluestocking has evolved into many different modern interpretations. The vast sea of modern bluestocking interpretations is surprising, but what is not surprising is the pride that some take from the title. It ranges from the simple rather meaningless name of a baseball team, the Toledo Blue Stockings, to the proudly displayed identity of feminists circles.

   The significance of the original “Blue Stocking Society” as a catalyst of women’s movements and independence is still recognized today. There are many museum exhibits dedicated to educating society on the contributions of “The Bluestockings.” The National Portrait Gallery in London, England offers an exhibit titled “Brilliant Women: 18^th-Century Bluestockings”, which explores the influence of the original “Bluestockings.” The United Kingdom’s Telegraph featured an article with an interesting concept: they held a photo shoot with modern day bluestockings (as defined above) at the exhibit in order to emphasize the timeless impact of the original “Bluestockings.”

Modern high achievers with paintings of 18th century bluestockings: Activist Jemima Khan, scientist Laura Grant and Dr Shini Somarathne

   The London Entertainment Guide provides a startling contrast to the article in the Telegraph and reveals a necessity for the exhibit: “Almost everything a sane man needs to know about Bluestockings is to be found in the Oxford English Dictionary.” This is a representatively masculine attitude from over 250 years ago that women such as Elizabeth Montagu tried to evolve. He further mocks the exhibit:

Its curators, women, call it Brilliant Women; they blow feebly on the dying embers of feminism, their subjects the foremothers (as they put it) of Germaine Greer, the forgotten formidable women who, in the Age of Reason, were wealthy enough to open their houses to the literate of their day… I suspect that if these women were thought brilliant in their day, it was less for any achievement than that they were pursuing activities not much expected of them.¹

The author may be attempting simply to critique the exhibit, but in the process he adopts a machismo attitude and marginalises women.

   A more humble and appropriate attitude worth considering is one of the Greek philosopher Socrates: “I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.”² A professor of masculinity and sexism admits to his faults of ignorance in a speech at the radical book store Bluestockings in New York City. He reveals that he feels hypocritical teaching classes on subjects he himself does not have a complete understanding -a refreshing contrast to the previous author. 

    The Bluestockings book store is a “radical bookstore, fair trade café, and activist center”³ in New York City. The store is run by a group of female volunteers called the collective. They have very few paid employees and set social goals rather than business objectives. The store does not limit itself to selling books, but invests in reading series, performances, community events, workshops, and discussions. The store was originally established in 1999 as a feminist bookstore, but has since evolved to focus on global issues and justice. Originally the name Bluestockings was appropriate as a female collective focussed on female rights; however, it is perhaps more appropriate now as a place of education on all subjects and human rights as a whole.

 Evidently, bluestockings may have a simple definition, but its influence transcends an entire spectrum. Some women identify themselves as bluestockings simply for the fact that they consider themselves “a woman with considerable scholarly, literary, or intellectual ability or interest”; however, other believe the title to carry revolutionary significance: a baseball team can name themselves the Bluestockings for simple aesthetic purposes, while a bookstore may name themselves Bluestockings because they consider themselves a similar radical collective as Elizabeth Montagu’s original “Bluestockings.”

1. “Bluestockings: Keeping Brilliant Women in The Frame,” Telegraph. 2008. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/03/13/bawomen113.xml&page=1>

2. “Socrates Quotes,” Brainy Quotes. 2008. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/socrates137471.html>

3. “Welcome to Bluestockings,” Bluestockings Bookstore. <http://bluestockings.com/>

   Elizabeth Montagu had few literary works published and would not have been immortalized to the same degree had she not been the prominent leader of the Bluestocking Society. In a period when literary circles were restricted to the sphere of the masculine, Montagu decided to become a literary host of her own and eventually became one of the most prolific literary influences of her time.

   Montagu was born Elizabeth Robinson as the fourth child of twelve in October, 1720 in York, England. Her father was a landowner and her mother a wealthy heiress. Her and her sister, future novelist Sarah Scott, spent extended periods of their childhood with their grandparents in Coventry, Cambridgeshire. Their grandfather, Dr. Conyers Middleton, was an extremely educated man working as a professor at Cambridge. Once destined for the clergy, he refused the life instead for an advantageous marriage. During their childhoods the girls learned numerous languages as well as literature.

   During her childhood, Montagu befriended Lady Margaret Harley who would later become Margaret Cavendish the Duchess of Portland. Through Cavendish she met many of the most influential and respectable people of her time. Cavendish was a similar admirer of the arts, and later in life boasted quite a collection ranging from the fine arts to natural history. She would later join Montagu as a member of “The Bluestockings”, sharing her collections as a contribution to the literary circle.

   In this period, the feminine sphere was thought to be solely within the home as a domestic goddess. If a woman was to be successful, it was to marry into success. As a young woman of respectable upbringing, Montagu was expected to follow suit. Thus, at the age of 22 she married 51 year old Edward Montagu. Conventions such as these leave little surprise that women would soon begin to lobby for independent thought and equality.

   Beginning in the early 1750′s, Montagu began hosting friends and family for breakfast. There were rules against gambling and alcohol, and conversation focussed on an intellectual agenda. Montagu became well known for hosting these rather informal social and literary discussions, and with her noteworthy colleagues such as Margaret Cavendish, Mary Delaney, Elizabeth Vesey, Sarah Fielding, Samuel Johnson, and Horace Walpole “The Bluestockings” were born.

Elizabeth Montagu and The Bluestockings (Montagu left and standing)

   Montagu published three notable works over her lifetime. She wrote several essays that did not garner much acclaim except for the amusing “Camdus and Herculese.” An essay of a different nature was “An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespear” which dove into serious literary analysis:

“An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespear” defends the famed British author against Voltaire,  who did not like the tyrannical dominance of the bard in literary culture. Montagu’s essay was part of a larger debate between France and Great Britain over literature, and had a nationalistic tone.¹

   Clearly Montagu was an excellent candidate for leading the female enlightenment: her intellectual capacity soared high above the expectant sphere of her sex.

   The works of Montagu may have been received with mixed criticism, but her leadership within “The Bluestockings” was instrumental. Montagu was a trail-blazer that lead a quiet revolution of female intellectuals and independent thinkers. Even without Montagu, it would be hard to argue that there would not have been similarly distinguished groups established around the time period; however, it is clear that Montagu was the catalyst of an advantageous marriage between women and the literary community.

1.”Elizabeth Montagu, 1720-1800.” Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism. 2008.  <http://www.enotes.com/nineteenth-century-criticism/montagu-elizabeth>

“Elizabeth Montagu.” Wikipedia. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Montagu>

“Elizabeth (Fidget) Montagu, 1720-1800.” The Montague Millenium. 2006. <http://www.montaguemillennium.com/familyresearch/h_1800_elizabeth.htm>

Child, Elizabeth, “Elizabeth Montagu, Bluestockingwoman,” The Huntington Library Quarterly 65 (½), 2002: 153-173.

Miegon, Anna, “Biographical Sketches of Principal Bluestocking Women,” The Huntington Library Quarterly 65 (1/2) 2002: 25-37. 

Thomas Rowlandson (1756–1827), Breaking Up of the Blue Stocking Club

   Women who are socially prominent due to their education or ability have often been coined with the title “bluestocking.” The term has been taken to the extreme in some cases and has been used to identify feminist or radical female groups. But, the origins of the name are actually trivial, despite the significance now associated with the term. There is a popular myth that the term “bluestocking” originated from a man, Benjamin Stillingfleet, who wore blue stockings to a literary discussion held by a group of women. Blue stockings were generally intended for sleep or lounge wear, and thus he was not surprisingly the only person wearing blue stockings in the group. But, it was not that one man who would be forever known as “bluestocking”, instead the literary circle of women coined the name.

   This literary circle was a group of women who corresponded through letters and discussion about literature, the fine arts, philosophy, and many other intellectual subjects. The literary circle was established when Elizabeth Montagu began hosting breakfasts at her home in London. Cards were an extremely common social activity, but Montagu would not permit them at her functions and instead focussed conversation on intellectual subjects. Elizabeth Montagu and Elizabeth Vesey functioned as hostesses for these discussions that quickly evolved from breakfast conversation to serious literary discussions. Of the original Bluestockings, the principle women were Frances Boscawen, Elizabeth Carter, Hester Chapone, Mary Delany, Sarah Fielding, Catharine Macauly, Hannah More, Clara Reeve, Sarah Scott, Catherine Talbot, Elizabeth Vesey, and Elizabeth Montagu¹.

Richard Samuel

   As the group grew, they became increasingly organized. The intent of the literary circle was to remain a means of pleasant social activity, but also functioning as an educational medium within the group’s parameters. Politics were not considered a suitable topic for discussion as they were regarded as private affairs. The topics of discussion were narrowly focussed on literature and the fine arts. The group did remain primarily female, but they did also invite educated men.

   Despite the impact of the Bluestockings, they were neither radical nor extreme feminists but rather they were actually very conservative. They may have established a foundation for the enlightenment, but their goals, ideas, and works were not truly radical and they “did not obviously or vociferously attempt to reform the condition or treatment of women.”² The literary works of the Bluestocking women became very popular in the late eighteenth century. Some of their works prove they were not radical feminists, such as Hester Chapone’s “Letters on the Improvement of the Mind” (1773) which “became a standard text for issue to young ladies, a handbook on the acquisition of respectable middle-class femininity.”³ This means of advice targeted young women as an audience and the popularity encouraged more to read and become involved.

   The Bluestockings were initially received by the public with controversially. Although they were not radicals, the women were viewed as overstepping their feminine spheres. Women were thought to belong in the home and worship their husbands. Only men were permitted to attend universities and it was believed inappropriate for women to learn foreign languages or to write. Female authors of the time would often try to conceal their identities with male aliases, because their works would be otherwise ignored. The Bluestockings were some of the first female authors to publically identify themselves as such. The perseverance of the Bluestockings that would eventually garner positive criticism and respect. The mixed emotions remained, but increasingly more were open to the possibility of female intellectuals and their popularity continued to grow.

Blue Stockings - Woman revealing herself as author

   The Bluestockings may have been named after a man in blue undergarments, but the trivial nature of the title does not reflect the significant impact they had on women and society. They introduced innumerous opportunities for female intellectuals to expand their horizons. The Bluestockings were not attacking society or gender roles, they were simply offering a medium for education that was not otherwise available to females. Society has proved fickle over the centuries, and the Bluestockings that were once dramatized as deviant women are now accepted as heroes. They were truly renaissance women.

1. Miegon, Anna, “Biographical SKetches of Principal Bluestocking Women,” The Huntington Library Quarterly 65 (1/2) 2002: 25-37

2. Guest, Harriet, “Bluestocking Feminism,” The Huntington Library Quarterly 65 (1/2) 2002: 59-80

Pohl, Nicole and Schellenberg, Betty, “Introduction: A Bluestocking Historiography,” The Huntington Library Quarterly 65 (1/2) 2002: 1-19

“Blue Stocking Society,” Ancestry Aid, <http://www.ancestryaid.co.uk/boards/history-board/14006-blue-stocking-society.html>

“Blue Stocking Society (England),” Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Stockings_Society_(England)>