 When writing a story or essay, humor is used throughout the work to make it more interesting and more intriguing. In Jonathan Swift’s, “A Modest Proposal” and Wendy Molyneux’s, “I’m Sorry I Didn’t Write a Comedy Piece” both are examples of the use of satire in a work. Satire is the use of humor or irony in a work to expose and criticize stupidity, politics and other issues. Both works are humorous in their own ways. “I’m Sorry I Didn’t Write a Comedy Piece” calls out the fact that a sense of humor is not something everyone has and trying to be funny usually concludes with the work not being funny. Whereas “A Modest Proposal” is a more ironic and unrealistic but ends up being funny because of those two things.

Molyneux’s work is more so directed towards a female audience. Not that others wouldn’t find it funny, just that it was written as a joke to women. Wendy Molyneux wrote this piece in effort to prove that women, too, can be funny. It is assumed that only men can be funny and write comical pieces but, when Molyneux wrote “I’m Sorry I Didn’t Write a Comedy Piece”, she beat the standard. The title of her piece alone is ironic and witty. She was capable of writing and being funny without even trying, which is what makes a comical piece, more funny. Her use of satire attacked the political sexism towards women, stupidity in the things women must deal with daily, and basic, everyday things.  Without trying to be funny, Molyneux was successful in making her audience(s) laugh. 

Swift’s brilliant title captures the irony of the whole piece in three short words. His piece, “A Modest Proposal” is far from being modest. In his work, Jonathan Swift uses satire to get across the point of Ireland’s unhealthy economy. Because no one could work and no longer feed their families, Swift suggested that new born babies be fed until they’re plump enough to be sold. By selling your child, you get money and no longer must worry about taking care of another person. Of course, no one wanted to do that, this caught the attention of the Irish. It helped them realize that better decisions socially and economically needed to be made. By making his work a comedy, it subtle the absurdity of his proposal but he makes it clear what needs to be done. By making such a dramatic statement with satire, the attention of the audience was reached. 

Both of the following pieces of literature portray different ways to use satire. The first being much more modern and relatable. Using satire in writing helps to convey messages much more subtle and much more clear without being harsh. Molyneux’s comedy piece was an attack at society for saying that women weren’t capable of being funny and she accomplished this by not even trying to be funny. Swift’s piece was written to capture the attention of the Irish people and the severity of their situation. By adding ironic, cruel and witty comments in a paper, the point gets conveyed much better. 