Only Human being laugh Writers of Comedy look at Human affairs differently than tragedy: perceive the follies and excesses of human behavior. Characteristics of Comedy Suspension of Natural Laws Cause and Effect, Logic , and probability do not have the same consequences they do in real life. Slapstick – 2 thin slats of wood held together to make the sound of hitting someone more pronounced Also describes a raucous, knockabout comedy Cartoons are an example Contrast between social order and the Individual The excesses, frauds, hypocrisy, and follies of men and women are laughed at against a background of normality and moderation. The Comic premise An idea or concept that turns the accepted notion of things upside down and makes this upended notion the basis of the play. Lysistrata – Women go on a sex strike to end the war. The Birds – two men persuade a chorus of birds to build a city between heaven and earth. Techniques of Comedy Verbal Humor Pun – humorous use of words with the same sound but different meanings. Malaprop – a word that sounds right but actually means something quite different. Mrs. Malaprop – The Rivals by Sheridan. Epigram – Turning accepted values unside down Ex: “I can resist anything except temptation.” Comedy of Character Characters are inconsistent in how they see themselves or pretend to be, as opposed to the way they actually are. Plot Complications Coincidences and Mistaken identity. Ex: The Comedy of Errors – Shakespeare Twin brothers with twin servants are separated at birth. Forms of Comedy Farce – exaggeration, plot complications, physical humor, and stereotyped characters. Ridiculous situations, pratfalls, mock violence, rapid movement, accellerated pace. Marriage and sex are the object of fun in bedroom farce. Burlesque – Extreme exaggeration of physical humor and can be vulgar. US – Variety show with low comedy skits and attractive women. Satire – Similar to burlesque but uses wit, irony, and exaggeration to attack or expose evil and foolishness. Domestic Comedy Comedy equivalent to Domestic or Bourgeois Drama Dealing with family situations Most TV Sitcoms Comedy of Manners Pointing up the foibles and peculiarities of the upper class. Verbal wit to depict cleverness and expose the social pretensions of its characters. Not physical comedy but witty phrases Comedy of Ideas Witty and amusing but include provocative discussions on social issues. Tragicomedy Not a shift between comic and tragic within a play Instead it is the fusion of both at the same time. A sense of comedy pervades these plays, the idea that all will end well and that much of what happens is ludicrous or ridiculous; at the same time, the serious effects of a character’s actions are not dismissed. Measure for measure - Shakespeare Modern Tragicomedy Kierkegaard – “ Existence itself, the act of existence, is a striving and is both pathetic and comic in the same degree.” Theatre of the Absurd is an example Probes deeply into the human problems and casts a cold eye on the world and yet is imbued with a comic spirit. Theatre of the Absurd In the modern age we have lost the comfort and security of being able to explain the world by reason and logic… An ironic note runs through it. Becket – Waiting for Godot Absurdist Plots: Illogicality Can seem non-realistic Absurdist Language: Nonsense and Non-sequitur Non-sequitur – “it does not follow” Something that does not follow from what has gone before. Words do not mean what we expect them to mean. Absurdist Characters: Existential Beings Element of ridiculous in characters’ actions. Existence precedes Essence A person creates himself or herself in the process of living. Taking action and making choices. Summary Comedy takes a different approach from serious forms of drama Verbal humor, comedy of character, plot complications Various kinds of comedy: farce, comedy of manners, etc. Tragicomedy a mix of comic and tragic Absurdist comedy .