“A Modest Proposal” and “I am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a comedy Piece” are both satire pieces. It may not be evident at first glance that these pieces are of the same genre due to the authors unique writing style and their two-hundred-year difference in publication. However, upon further review there are some key similarities that can be drawn between the two writings that make it apparent that they are both satires. Through irony, hyperbole, and ridicule “I am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a Comedy Piece” and “A Modest Proposals” similarities can be seen. It is these similarities that prove while untraditional, I am “Sorry That I Didn’t Write a Comedy Piece” is in fact a satire. 

Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” is a classic example of a satire. Britannica Encyclopedia defines a satire as a “artistic form, chiefly literary and dramatic, in which human or individual vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to censure by means of ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, parody, caricature, or other methods, sometimes with an intent to inspire social reform.” In true satire form, Swift uses irony to show the shortcomings of the Irish landlords and how they are not helping the issue of overcrowding of the starving poor. This can be seen when he is talking about how selling the poor’s children to be eaten would help them to “Pay their landlords' rent, their corn and cattle being already seized, and money a thing unknown". (Swift 518) This is ironic because yes it would help pay their rent but their children would be sold and eaten to do this. 

Irony is prevalent Not only in “A Modest Proposal” but also in “I am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a comedy Piece.” One example of irony in Molyneux piece is “I tried on all my clothes, and I felt better until I tried on one pair of pants that didn’t fit me anymore. And then I totally started to cry again, because I am so fat.” The use of irony is especially interesting in these two pieces because it is such a crucial factor in making them satires. The irony in “I am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a comedy Piece” adds to the humor of the piece which is another defining factor of a satire. Also her use of irony helps work towards her goal of proving Christopher Hitchens is wrong, and women can be funny. 

Another literary device both pieces use that is common of satires is hyperbole. “A hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration used to make a point.” (One could say that “A Modest Proposal” is built on an exaggeration. The narrative arc of this piece occurs when Swift begins to explain how he plans to fix the problems he discusses such as the overcrowding and starvation of the beggars in Ireland:

I have already computed the charge of nursing a beggar's child (in which list I reckon all cottagers, laborers, and four-fifths of the farmers) to be about two shillings per annum, rags included; and I believe no gentleman would repine to give ten shillings for the carcass of a good fat child, which, as I have said, will make four dishes of excellent nutritive meat, when he hath only some particular friend or his own family to dine with him. (Swift 516)

He plans to fix the overcrowding and starvation by having families sell their young children to be eaten. Clearly this is an over-exaggerated proposal Swift makes as to how to fix the overcrowding issue. The people of Ireland would not actually fatten up their young children to sell for ten shillings. This whole piece is about convincing people that selling and eating their children is a good solution to Irelands problems, which is a hyperbole in itself. Another example of a hyperbole in this piece is:

I am 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 ragout. (Swift 515)

 This shocking statement is another way he is arguing his extreme idea of selling and eating children. Here he is assuring the public that a healthy baby is a good meal. Again this is obviously not a serious statement he doesn’t actually think that babies will be delicious, he is just making this statement to his over the top, exaggerated solution to Irelands problems. Also Swift is calling this plan a “Modest Proposal” which is clearly a hyperbole, because this suggestion is anything but modest. 

True to satire form “I am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a comedy Piece” also utilizes hyperbole just like “A Modest Proposal”. The whole premise of “I am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a comedy Piece” is that A women Molyneux created is doing all of the stereotypical things that people may think a woman would do. By the second line it is already evident that this piece will use exaggeration to make fun of the stereotypical woman, “So I put down my giant chocolate bar, stopped crying, and thought, yes, that is what I will do.” (Molyneux 521) This statement is making fun of the stereotype that all women eat chocolate when they are sad. Another clear use of hyperbole is “I walked into my closet, which is gigantic because women love to wear lots of expensive clothes and shoes all the time,” obviously not all women enjoy wearing expensive clothing all the time that’s why this is an exaggerated statement. (Molyneux 522) One thing that Molyneux and Swift have in common is that they both use obvious exaggerations. The average person will easily recognize that fattening children up to be eaten, and crying on a Mrs. Stamos shirt that the woman is wearing, that is also featured on the woman’s eHarmony profile are not common things that actually happen. They are both exaggerations to get a point across. So therefore another clue that can be draw by comparing “A Modest Proposal” and “I am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a comedy Piece,” is that both use hyperbole throughout the whole piece. 

Swift wrote a “A Modest Proposal” because he was angry that no one was doing anything about the over-population of the Irish poor. His actual suggestions for solutions to this had been ignored so he decided to write about this shocking idea to get everyone’s attention. Also to ridicule the government and elite of Ireland my proposing such a preposterous thing. As with most satires this was written to inspire reform, while ridiculing someone. “I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for land-lords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children,” here swift is ridiculing the landlords. He is calling them out for “devouring” the parents meaning taking all of their money, crops, and land. He is saying since they already took everything else from them it makes perfect sense to take their children to ear too. He is addressing a very real problem of the time which is landlord abuse of the poor Irish, in what he finds a humorous way. 

“I am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a comedy Piece” was written because Christopher Hitchens wrote an essay about why women aren’t funny and this infuriated Molyneux. So the whole point of “I am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a comedy Piece” is to ridicule Hitchens and prove him wrong by ridiculing a stereotypical woman. It is a very interesting way to fight back. Its like fighting fire with fire. Like Swift she had a goal to make a change. Her change being that she wanted people to realize women are funny. This is another common satire characteristic that can be drawn from the two essays. Thus further adding to the argument that “I am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a comedy Piece” is in fact a satire. 

 “A modest proposal” and “I am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a Comedy Piece” are both very unique works in their own. After all, one is proposing that babies be fattened up and eaten, and the other seems to be about a neurotic woman. Separate these pieces may seem deranged bizarre but when compared to each other a pattern in the writing style can be seen. Through irony, hyperbole, and ridicule “I am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a Comedy Piece” and “A Modest Proposals” similarities can be seen. It is these similarities that prove while untraditional, I am “Sorry That I Didn’t Write a Comedy Piece” is in fact a satire.
