Comedy in Literature and Popular Culture: From Aristophanes to Saturday Night Live explores works of comedy from the past 2,500 years.
James V. Morrison discusses works including those of Aristophanes and Plautus, Shakespeare and Moliere, and modern comic writers, performers, and cartoonists, such as Thomas Nast, P. G. Wodehouse, Charlie Chaplin, and Jerry Seinfeld, asking the following questions:
Is comedy a mirror of our lives? Is it “funny ’cuz it’s true?” Or is it funny because it ignores reality?
Should we distinguish between the plot of a comic play and the jokes found in it? Are the jokes just there to make us laugh or are the jokes as essential as the plot?
Do memories of satirical portrayals on the comic stage displace recollections of the historical person?
By juxtaposing works from different cultures and time periods, the book demonstrates a universal recourse to certain familiar techniques, situations, and characters.
This vibrant study offers a compelling analysis of comedy as a mode, form, and genre. It is an engaging read for students and scholars of comparative literature, literary history, media studies, and theater and performance.
By:
James V. Morrison
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Weight: 450g
ISBN: 9781032763248
ISBN 10: 1032763248
Pages: 234
Publication Date: 23 December 2024
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Primary
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Chapter One. The World of Comedy Chapter Two. Comic Heroes in Aristophanes and Heller’s Catch-22 Chapter Three. The Extreme Characters of Comedy Chapter Four. Socrates, Memory, and the Power of Comedy Chapter Five. Slaves, Masters, and Social Inversion Chapter Six. Surrealism, Politeness Theory, and Comic Twins in Plautus and Shakespeare Chapter Seven. Comedy in Tragedy: King Lear, The Bacchae, and Waiting for Godot Chapter Eight. Modern Performance of Ancient Comedy: Aristophanes’ Frogs Bibliography Index
James V. Morrison is Professor of Classical Studies at Centre College in Kentucky, USA. His previous books examined Homer, Thucydides, and shipwreck narratives. He teaches courses on Greek and Latin languages and literature and Indo-European Linguistics.
