Comedy A comedy is a play that treats characters and situations in a humorous way and has a happy ending Comes from the Greek words komos and ode meaning revel song Comedies dont always make you laugh out loud but usually at least amuse you ID: 783428
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Slide1
Varieties of Drama
Comedy
Slide2Comedy
A comedy is a play that treats characters and situations in a humorous way and has a happy ending.
Comes from the Greek words
komos and ode, meaning revel song.Comedies don’t always make you laugh out loud, but usually at least amuse you.
Slide3Comedy
In a comedy, the protagonist overcomes opposing forces or achieves desired goals.
The protagonist is often less-than-
average in some way.
Slide4Comedy
The comic protagonist may me a(n):
Idealist
RomanticBlundererDreamerRogue
Slide5Seven Causes of Laughter
Exaggeration can include physical characteristics (a bulbous nose or large teeth).
May include mental characteristics (an extremely
smart child or an incredibly dense person).
Slide6Seven Causes of Laughter
Incongruity is defined as anything that seems out of place, time, or character.
Could be a soldier who walks like a wind-up toy or actors who act like cats.
Slide7Seven Causes of Laughter
Anticipation is when the audience
looks forward to a potential laugh.
An example is when the audience sees a character approaching a banana peel on the street.
Slide8Seven Causes of Laughter
Ambiguity is a double meaning such as a pun or word play.
Could include names like Lydia Languish or Benjamin Backbite.
Slide9Seven Causes of Laughter
Recognition is when the character discovers hidden or obscure meanings.
An example is when a character
hears or sees something, takes a mouth-open freeze, and then understands the meaning.
Slide10Seven Causes of Laughter
Protection includes cruel, violent, grotesque, and abusive actions and events that cause laughter.
Audience laughs because they know the actions aren’t real and don’t harm anyone.
Slide11Seven Causes of Laughter
Relief is the release of built-up pressure created by the plot.
Example: When a bomb blows up, but
the character emerges covered in soot.
Slide12Tragedy Versus Comedy
Tragedy
is inevitable, while
comedy is predictable.In a tragedy the protagonist fails to achieve his goal, while in a comedy the protagonist achieves his goals.
Tragic
protagonists are alienated from society, while
comedic
protagonists often become leaders of new societies.
Slide13Tragedy Versus Comedy
Tragic
protagonists are average or better, while
comedic protagonists are less than average.In a tragedy the protagonist falls from leadership and loses respect, while in a comedy the protagonist achieves success.