Genres II
(comic)Copyright © 2000 Robert C. Huber
Comedy
The term comedy has both a specific and general meaning. The general meaning is: all plays that are more humorous than sad. The definition which follows is the specific one and refers only to classic comedies and those modern ones which follow the classic form.
A comedy is more pleasant than tragedy, but this agreeability conceals a serious theme. Comedies are centered on human relationships and the stresses and conflicts that arise from everyday social interactions. The characters in comedies find themselves enmeshed in complicated and perplexing situations that lack the inevitability and dire consequences of tragedy. The problems that confront them are the result of human vices and weaknesses, not cosmic fate. The characters are punished for their weaknesses by discomfort, embarrassment, or humiliation rather than physical pain or death. In the end the venal misdeeds and weaknesses of humanity are held up to the audience for ridicule (from the Latin ridere, to laugh). We recognize in comic characters certain personal truths, thus they provide a convenient scapegoat, allowing us to laugh at ourselves. Comedy ends happily with reconciliation and often celebration. A black comedy is one whose subject matter is dark, macabre, or unpleasant.
Aristotle wrote that comedy evolved from skits at rustic country festivals which included the mocking of real people and joking about topical subjects, especially those involving sex. His model was Aristophanes whose plays The Birds and The Clouds are prime examples of the fully developed form, as are later plays such as Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and As You Like It, and Molière's Tartuffe and The Misanthrope.
Farce
Farce is a grotesque exaggeration of comedy. In comedy truth is central, in farce it is incidental. Where comedy is rooted in reality, farce throws logic and probability out the window. Where comedy draws its characters from life, farce takes its from the circus. Farce relies more on physical rather than intellectual humor, and all elements (especially plot and character) are grossly exaggerated for comic effect. In comedy humor is used in the service of truth, in farce humor is used for its own sake. The purpose of farce is to create big laughs as often as possible without any pretense of meaning or message.
Farce probably developed before comedy as we have defined it, thus many comedies have some elements of farce. It is simple and direct without literary pretensions. The plots can be very complicated and result in the confusion of the characters for our amusement. It is said that the expression "there is nothing new under the sun" applies particularly well to comedy. The term "stock" in the theatre refers to successful things that are kept and reused--a kind of recycling. Stock plots, usually involving such elements as misunderstandings, disguises, hiding and chases; and stock characters that are cartoonish exaggerations of real people abound in farce. There is an abundance of physical humor which runs the gamut from such sight gags as spilling a drink, to slips and falls, and finally to physical assault. One of the conventions of comedy is that the audience accepts that no real harm results from such mock violence. This kind of humor is also referred to as slapstick and low comedy. A slapstick is a double-slatted paddle that makes an exaggeratedly loud noise when used; it originated in a seventeenth century Italian form of farce called commedia dell'arte. Low comedy is used to distinguish farcical humor from the more literary and intellectual humor of high comedy. Examples of farce abound, especially in the film comedies of the silent era such as the Keystone Kops, but also in the sound films of the Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, and The Three Stooges. Also, most television cartoons and many sitcoms are pure farce. Stage farces are more rare today since physical humor can be more believably and safely handled on camera. The few exceptions are mostly British; plays such as Joe Orton's What The Butler Saw, and Michael Frayn's Noises Off. Vulgar and bathroom humor find a comfortable home in farce. Recent films such as American Pie and the cartoon-turned-movie South Park exemplify this fact.
Tragicomedy
Tragicomedy is more than just a play that has serious and comic elements. It is a play in which the fundamental and deeply disturbing themes of tragedy are dealt with in a tone that varies between serious and humorous. It is the most difficult form to appreciate since the shifts between its two modes leave the audience feeling unsteady and uncertain. It is viewed by some as the quintessential form of twentieth century drama, dealing as it does with themes of moral uncertainty, loneliness, and alienation. There is little relief through laughter, catharsis, or happy ending. On stage, Theatre of the Absurd is its most obvious manifestation.
Musical
What used to be called "musical comedy" is now known more commonly and simply as the "musical." A musical is a play that has standard dialogue scenes in alternation with singing and dancing scenes. Music and dance can be added to any of the other genres to create a musical. Therefore musicals can be tragic, serious, comic, melodramatic, or even farcical. At their highest level of development, musicals include music and dance to define character and advance the plot, not just as mere digressions or change of pace to keep an audience interested.
Musicals are part of a larger grouping called musical theatre: theatrical art which includes substantial rather than incidental use of music and dance. Other forms of musical theatre include opera, operetta, and musical revues. Musicals are the most popular form of theatre today, and as such will be discussed more fully on their own.
Reading Assignment
You should be reading Chapter 13 in your textbook to get more information about comedy. By now you should know the routine. After studying the chapter go to the online quiz at:
Take the quiz and send the answers back to me as directed at the bottom of the quiz
Exercise
What are a few of the main differences between comedy and farce?
Note that when submitting the answer start the subject line with:
TH101DE -- YourLastName -- L-14B
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