Criticism on Comedy as a genre of Literature

1. Criticism on comedy asCriticism on comedy as
a genre of literaturea genre of literature

2. Definition of comedyDefinition of comedy
Comedey (Greek -Komodia} refers to any
discoure or literary work generlly intended
to be humorous or to amuse by inducing
laughter ,especially in theature,television
,film and stand -up comedy

3. OriginOrigin of comedyof comedy
The origin of term 'Comedy" are found in AncientThe origin of term 'Comedy" are found in Ancient
Greece .Greece .
In th Athenian democracy, the public opinion ofIn th Athenian democracy, the public opinion of
voters was influenced by the political satirevoters was influenced by the political satire
performed by the comic poets at the theatresperformed by the comic poets at the theatres
The theatrical genre of Greek comedy can beThe theatrical genre of Greek comedy can be
described as a drramatic performance wich pitsdescribed as a drramatic performance wich pits
towtow
groups or socites against each other in angroups or socites against each other in an
amusing agon or conflictamusing agon or conflict

4. Difference btween comedy andDifference btween comedy and
tragedytragedy
The 4th-centuryThe 4th-century LatinLatin grammariangrammarian DonatusDonatus
distinguished comedy from tragedy by the simplestdistinguished comedy from tragedy by the simplest
terms: comedies begin in trouble and end in peace,terms: comedies begin in trouble and end in peace,
while tragedies begin in calms and end in tempest.while tragedies begin in calms and end in tempest.
Such a differentiation of the two genres may beSuch a differentiation of the two genres may be
simplistic, but it provided sufficient grounds forsimplistic, but it provided sufficient grounds for
DanteDante to call his great poem La Commedia (Theto call his great poem La Commedia (The
Comedy; later calledComedy; later called The Divine ComedyThe Divine Comedy), since), since
, as he says in his dedicatory letter, it begins amid, as he says in his dedicatory letter, it begins amid
the horrors of hell but ends amid the pleasures ofthe horrors of hell but ends amid the pleasures of
heaven.heaven.
The distinction is basic to the AristotelianThe distinction is basic to the Aristotelian
differentiation between tragedy and comedy:differentiation between tragedy and comedy:
tragedy imitates men who are better than thetragedy imitates men who are better than the
average and comedy men who are worse.average and comedy men who are worse.

5. Types of comedyTypes of comedy
farce
Satire
comedy of manners
romantic comedy
anti -romantic comedy
stand -up comedy
Shakespearian comedy
shavion comedy

6. Plato's concept of comedy in his 'The Republic':
Plato belived that it produces an emotion that
overrides rational self-control and learning e.g In
[The Republic] he says that guardian of state
should avoid laughter 'for ordinarily when one
abandons himself to violent laughter ,his codition
provokes a violent reaction .
Plato says comedy should be tightly controlled if
one wants to achieve the ideal state.
Plato taught that comedy is a destruction to the self.

7. Aristotle's concept of comedy as a
critic
Aristotle refers to comedy only
casually , though severl times in his
poetics ,,
Section on comedy has been lost
perhaps, In extant part of poetics he
concentrates on tragedy
Regards comedy as an inferior
genre as it deals with men as worst
than they are,it is a grotesque of

8. Definition of comedy in section 5,Definition of comedy in section 5,
of Poetis:of Poetis:
"Comedy is an immitation of
character of alower style,-
no,however ,in the full sense of
the word bad , the ludicrous being
merely a subdivision of the ugly
.It consists in some defect or
ugliness which is not painful or
destuctive

9. Above definition revels:Above definition revels:
 Comedy deals with men of an inferior moral stature.
 They may not be necessarily bad buth their short
comings are ludicorous.
 They represent some ugliness , some folly or informity of
human nature
 This ugkiness or defect provokes laughter.
 It does not excite malice or pain

10. Addition of catharatic function in
poetics :
Comedy is an imitation of an action
that is ludicrous and imperfect thrugh
pleasure and laughter effecting the
purgation of the like emotins

11. CONCLUSION from above givenCONCLUSION from above given
definitions in Poetics:definitions in Poetics:
 Thus according to Aristotle,both tragedy and comedy
deal with universal emotions.
 Comedy evokes laughter , just as tragesdy evokes pity
and fear.
 But this relations to the Aristotelian universals are quite
diffrent.
 Tragedy takes hamartia literly, but magnifies its
punishment and is thus fearful and pitful,
 Comedy distorts hamartia by , Caricature , reduces
punishment to discomfiture and mortification.
and it is thus Ridiculous.
Comic poet has to endow his character with some defect or
deformity,but these defects have to produce comic effect ,
not tragic

12. Thank you for paying
attention dear class.