Exploring Comedy: Sources and Nature of Comic Pleasure

What is Comedy?
What are the Sources of Comic Pleasure? 
What is the Nature of the Comic Pleasure?

What is Comedy?

Etymologically the word comedy as Aristotle suggested in the Poetics might have originated either from komas meaning, ‘revel or merrymaking', or from komae meaning the “Hamlets “where the plays were staged". Aristotle jocularly hinted that the comedians strolled from Hamlet to hamlet, lack of appreciation keeping them out of the city .such facetiousness apart; the Oxford English Dictionary defines comedy as a stage play of a light and amusing character with a happy conclusion to its plot. Many definitions stress the sadistic or egoistic element in human beings, asserting that comedies were written chiefly to amuse the audience by appealing. So, in common acceptance, comedy refers to a genre of entertainment that aims to elicit laughter and amusement from an audience through various humorous elements, such as jokes, wit, irony, satire, and absurdity. It is characterized by its ability to provoke laughter and create a light-hearted atmosphere.

What are the Sources of Comic Pleasure? 

The sources of comic pleasure can be diverse and depend on the comedic style and context. Basically, comedy gives pleasure, and is certainly a kind of pleasure which is hilarious, unlike that of tragedy. The question remains what the sources of such comic pleasure are. First we can list some common sources:

Incongruity

Comedy often arises from the unexpected or incongruous elements in a situation or a statement. The contrast between what is expected and what actually happens can be inherently funny.

Exaggeration

Amplifying certain characteristics, traits, or behaviors to an extreme degree can create humor. By magnifying certain aspects, comedy highlights their absurdity or flaws.

Wordplay and Wit

 Clever wordplay, puns, double entendres, and witty remarks are often used to create comic effects. Playing with language and employing clever linguistic devices can generate laughter.

Satire and Social Commentary

Comedy can serve as a tool for social criticism and commentary. Satire exposes the flaws and vices of individuals, institutions, or society, often through irony and sarcasm.

Observational Humor

 By highlighting the quirks, peculiarities, and idiosyncrasies of everyday life, comedy based on observations can resonate with the audience and evoke laughter.'

Theoretically, there are two 'stimulus' theories about the source of comedy. The first points to our satisfaction in feelings of superiority, a theory developed by Hobbes, Bergson, Meredith, and others. This theory emphasizes our delight in seeing ourselves as less unfortunate than some human beings. We laugh when we witness a person committing blunders that we ourselves could easily avoid. Hobbes states that 'this passion of laughter arises from some sudden conception of our own eminence by comparison with the infirmity of others, or with our own formality.' It is noteworthy that a sense of superiority alone is not comical, as the defeated runner in a race is not necessarily comical. To overcome this difficulty, Fielding, in the Preface to Joseph Andrews, suggests that the essence of comic inferiority lies in affectation.

Meredith suggests that the comic spirit, which depends on common sense, primarily preys on Folly, the offspring of Unreason and sentimentalism. However, this view, outlined in 'An Essay on Comedy,' does not always hold true, as there are numerous comic characters who are not fools. Falstaff, despite being an exceedingly comic character, rivals Iago and Hamlet in sheer intellectual prowess. Bergson takes it a step further by asserting that Laughter is a social gesture, and the object of laughter finds its natural environment in differences. Its appeal is to intelligence, in its pure and simple form. He also believes that comedy arises from the unsociability of the person who laughs and a certain automatism in the situation. The situation itself is mechanical and repetitive, rather than vibrant and adaptable.

The other stimulus theory is that of contrast developed by Aristotle, Kant, Schopenhauer  and others. This theory emphasizes  our delight  in many form of incongruity, any difference between our ,ideas of thing and the thing themselves ,between what aught to be and what actually is.  A comedy  full of eccentric types  ceases to  be a cause of merriment .

Apart from these erudite theories about the nature of comic one may also venture to examine the actual causes on real life situations in the play itself which are the cause of comedy. In the first place, the mere physical appearance of a person may be a source of comedy though this would be the lowest possible kind. In the second the misuse or strange use of language can be the immediate cause for laughter. Mrs. Slip in Fielding's novel and Mrs. Malaprop in "The Rivals" took great liberties with the English language. Similarly, some Shakespearean characters like Pistol are inherently funny. It is thus that our laughter is directed against a hypocrite , a miser, a snob ,a bore , a braggart or a parasite. The  most notable kind of such comedies of characters are in the comedies of humour. For example in Everyman in His Humour, Kitely the husband is excessively jealous , Knowell's  father is excessively moral and Bobadill the soldier is for too cowardly and boasting.

What is the Nature of the Comic Pleasure?

The nature of comic pleasure is subjective and can vary from person to person. However, comedy generally provides a sense of amusement, light-heartedness, and temporary relief from stress. Laughter, a physical manifestation of comic pleasure, releases endorphins, which contribute to a sense of well-being and relaxation. Additionally, comedy can foster social bonding by creating shared experiences and a sense of camaraderie among individuals who find the same things funny.

Conclusion

comedy is a valuable form of entertainment that brings people together, stimulates laughter, and offers a reprieve from the seriousness of life. By exploring the sources and nature of comic pleasure, we gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind what makes us laugh and the significance of comedy in our lives. So let us embrace the joy of laughter, appreciate the comedic arts, and continue to find delight in the absurdities and imperfections that make comedy a timeless and cherished form of expression.

Ardhendu De

Ref: 

1. Dobree, B., & Wimsatt, W. K. (1956). English Stage Comedy. Shakespeare Quarterly, 7(4), 423. https://doi.org/10.2307/2866366

2. ALBERT. (2000). History of English Literature (Fifth Edition) [English]. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS.