 When writing a story or essay, a writer uses humor 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 used for making humor or irony in a work to expose and criticize stupidity of politics and other issues (Dictionary). Both works are humorous in their own ways. “I’m Sorry I Didn’t Write a Comedy Piece” explains that women can write comedy just like men can. On the other hand, “A Modest Proposal” is a more ironic and unrealistic piece but ends up being funny because of those two things.

Molyneux’s work is more so directed towards both male and female audiences but there are more elaborate jokes that women would understand and laugh at than men. Wendy Molyneux wrote this piece in effort to prove that women, too, can be funny. Hitchens 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 attacks the political sexism towards women, stupidity in the things women must deal with daily, and basic, everyday things. For example, she talks about tampon cozies which is something women don’t have it’s just a funny comment towards the worst thing women have to endure. Without trying to be funny, Molyneux is successful in making her audience 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. It is not modest because he talks about eating children to save money. In his work, Jonathan Swift uses satire to get across the point of Ireland’s unhealthy economy., Swift suggested that new born babies be fed until they’re plump enough to be sold. By selling their children, the poor who cannot afford to feed their children get money and no longer must worry about taking care of their child. Of course, no one wanted to do that, but 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 satire, he makes a proposal that is absurd but also so subtle. Making the proposal subtle helps to show how important it really is that people change the economy in Ireland. 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 clearer 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 to make them realize the severity of their situation. By adding ironic, cruel and witty comments in a paper, the point gets conveyed much better. 
