Comedy

Front 1

Comedy arose...

Back 1

in Greece similar to the way tragedy did.

Front 2

Tragedy moves towards ___________ while comedy moves towards ___________.

Back 2

despair or death; success, happiness, and marriage

Front 3

Tragedy diction is ______ and ______ while comic diction can be ________ but is often _______ or _______

Back 3

elevated and heroic; elevated, common or colloquial

Front 4

Comic Problems

Back 4

in the beginning comedy can be individual or societal; from exposition to complication the problems get worse, complications are fueled by mistaken identities, errors in judgement, and misunderstandings

Front 5

Comic Climax

Back 5

confusions reach a peak, misunderstanding is dominant, pressure is a high point; the catastrophe often introduces a sudden revelation in which a key fact, identity, or event is revealed to characters and audience at the same time

Front 6

Comic Denouement (resolution)

Back 6

resolves the initial problems and allows for comic resolution which involves: people at odds are reconciled, new families formed through marriage, order reestablished

Front 7

Two key features of comedy are:

Back 7

Education and Change: characters learn something about themselves, their society, or the way to love and live

Front 8

Comic Characters

Back 8

generic (stock) characters that represent classes, types, and generation

Front 9

Comic Language

Back 9

some comedies by elegant and witty language and others by puns and bawdy jokes

Front 10

Obscenity

Back 10

Lowest form of comedy; poo-poo pee-pee jokes

Front 11

Physical Mishap

Back 11

Second lowest form of comedy; depends heavily on exaggerated poses and facial expressions

Front 12

Plot Device

Back 12

third lowest form of comedy; involves misunderstandings and mistaken identities

Front 13

Verbal Wit

Back 13

Last form to be considered low comedy; skillful use of language, one-line joke

Front 14

Inconsistencies of Character

Back 14

first form to be considered high comedy; surprise action or speech contrary to appearance of nature

Front 15

Romantic Comedy

Back 15

second form of high comedy; features lovers who try to overcome opposition to achieve a successful union, aim is to entertain rather than ridicule

Front 16

Comedy of Ideas and Satire

Back 16

humankind's ability to laugh at that which is closest to the heart-family, friends, religion, politics, country, ourselves

Front 17

Comedy of Manners

Back 17

Examines and satirizes attitudes and customs in the light of high intellectual and moral standards. Dialogue is witty and sophisticated, and characters are often measured according to their linguistic and intellectual powers. The love plots are serious and real.

Front 18

What is the order, from low to high, of comedy?

Back 18

obscenity, physical mishap, plot devices, verbal wit, inconsistencies of character, comedy of idea/satire, comedy of manners

Front 19

Low Comedy

Back 19

Emphasis on funny remarks and outrageous circumstances; complications develop from situation

Front 20

High Comedy

Back 20

witty, graceful, and sophisticated; complications grow out of character

Front 21

Farce

Back 21

physical comedy