Comedy is most simply defined as a work that ends happily.

What is comedy? Comedy deals with people in their “human” state, often made ridiculous by their limitations, faults, bodily functions and animal nature. Comedy is more realistic than tragedy—it explores collective human weakness. Comedy celebrates man’s capacity to endure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5P_mwLI26w

Why is comedy important? Comedy can be used: as an important tool in understanding society. to make us laugh at our own weaknesses. make us recognize aspects in ourselves that we want to change. Comedy celebrates man’s capacity to endure!

WHAT MAKES SOMETHING FUNNY? ELEMENTS OF COMEDY TERMS: WHAT MAKES SOMETHING FUNNY?

1. Incongruity: lacking harmony or being inconsistent in some way. Incongruity is the recognition that something is “out of whack” in speech, action, or character. Ex: A bear wearing shoes.

2. Ludicrous: something laughable or hilarious because of its obvious absurdity or incongruity. (we must know what is serious before we can know what is ludicrous) Ex: Serious robbery vs. ludicrous robbery

3. Absurdity: The quality of being ridiculous or wildly unreasonable. Usually deals with ridiculous circumstances or characteristics.

4. Irony Situational: The outcome is the opposite of what is expected. Dramatic: The audience understands something the characters don’t, causing incongruity.

5. Caricature: Creating a character by picking certain individual qualities of a person and exaggerating or distorting them for ridiculous effect. Political cartoons often use caricatures. (think Trump)

6. Pun: A play on words—sound alike, but have an often humorous difference in meaning. Ex. - An old teacher never dies. She simply loses her class.

7. Malapropism A word is replaced with another which sounds similar but does not make sense. Ex. - My sister has extra-century perception.

8. Spoonerism Spoonerisms are words or phrases in which letters or syllables get swapped. Ex. - He delivered a blushing crow. fighting a liar lighting a fire you hissed my mystery lecture you missed my history lecture nosey little cook cosy little nook our queer old Dean our dear old Queen you've tasted two worms you've wasted two terms a half-warmed fish a half-formed wish

9. Wit Verbal humor based on manipulation of language. Quick, clever remarks that are humorous.

10. Verbal Irony The use of words in speech to convey the opposite of the literal meaning.

11. Sarcasm Aggressive irony with a bitter tone intended to deride, embarrass, or cause hurt. sarc = to cut flesh

12. Bodily humor— having something to do with physical action that causes humor.

13. Slapstick Physical comedy, especially that which is fast, exaggerated, and violent. Ex: Charlie Chaplin, the 3 Stooges

14. Parody A type of comedy that imitates the serious materials of a familiar artistic form. Parody exaggerates or twists the form in order to render it ridiculous.

15. Spoof A parody of something specific, such as a novel or a movie. The comedy comes from taking an mocking attitude toward things that are usually treated with great seriousness.

16. Satire Primary purpose is to bring about some kind of change by mocking particular qualities, often through the use of irony.

17. Political Satire Mocks politics and politicians in an effort to bring about public awareness or change.

18. Social Satire Mocks social conventions and circumstances.

19. Humor The quality of being amusing or comical, especially in speech or literature.

20. Joke A comment or story someone says which causes laughter, especially a story with a funny punchline.

Forms of Comedy: Low Comedy Farce Comedy of Ideas Comedy of Manners

21. Low comedy Loud noises, physical mishaps bodily functions are sources of laughter; obscenity Bathroom or gross humor with crude jokes Examples: pants fall down, general confusion, animals doing strange things

22. Farce Uses broad humor, horseplay, and exaggerated circumstances for its humor. Sometimes called a comedy of errors Relies on outrageous misunderstandings and far-fetched plots for laughs.

23. Comedy of Ideas Highest form of comedy – the ability to joke about the things we hold most dear Includes elements such as: Discussion of philosophy, theory, satire, rituals, social values Example: a character using inflated language expounding about his or her beliefs about a wedding ceremony or funeral.

  24. Comedy of Manners A comedy that mocks behavior in a particular social group, especially the upper classes. Verbal “combat”; quick put- downs; witty puns and “language play”; love intrigue with humorous results.

*Remember… you will see all of these terms on your test on Friday!* The End!  *Remember… you will see all of these terms on your test on Friday!*