Comic Theory: Term/Etymology and Concept
Term/Etymology:
Comic theory, also known as humor theory or the theory of comedy, explores the principles and dynamics behind what makes people laugh and find amusement in various forms. The term “comic” is derived from the Greek word “kōmōidia,” referring to a lighthearted dramatic performance. Comic theory delves into the cognitive, psychological, and sociocultural aspects that contribute to the creation and reception of humor, aiming to decipher the mechanics of comedic elements in literature, performance, and everyday life.
Concept:
- Incongruity Theory: Focuses on the surprise or incongruity between what is expected and what actually occurs, leading to laughter.
- Superiority Theory: Suggests that humor often involves a feeling of superiority over others, either through cleverness, absurdity, or the misfortune of others.
- Relief Theory: Proposes that humor serves as a release of tension or pent-up emotions, providing psychological relief.
- Benign Violation Theory: Combines incongruity and violation, positing that humor arises when something is both a violation of social norms and perceived as benign or non-threatening.
- Humor Styles: Identifies different ways individuals express and appreciate humor, such as self-enhancing, affiliative, aggressive, and self-defeating styles.
- Cultural Variations in Humor: Recognizes that what is considered humorous varies across cultures, with cultural norms influencing comedic preferences.
- Role of Language and Wordplay: Explores the linguistic aspects of humor, including puns, wordplay, and linguistic ambiguity that contribute to comedic effects.
- Comedic Timing: Emphasizes the importance of timing in delivering jokes or comedic elements, as the pacing and rhythm significantly impact audience reactions.
- Satire: Examines the use of humor, irony, or ridicule to criticize and mock people, institutions, or societal conventions.
- Parody: Involves imitating and exaggerating the style of a particular genre, work, or artist for comedic effect, often to comment on the original work.
Comic theory, with its diverse approaches, seeks to unravel the intricacies of humor, shedding light on why certain things are perceived as funny and how comedy functions as a universal aspect of human experience.
Comic Theory: Theorists, Works, and Arguments
Theorists:
- Henri Bergson:
- Works: “Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic.”
- Arguments: Emphasized the role of incongruity and mechanical rigidity in generating laughter, highlighting the importance of elasticity and flexibility in comedic situations.
- Sigmund Freud:
- Works: “Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious.”
- Arguments: Explored the psychological underpinnings of humor, linking jokes to repressed desires and providing insights into the cathartic function of laughter.
- Northrop Frye:
- Works: “Anatomy of Criticism.”
- Arguments: Integrated comic elements into his broader literary theory, defining comedy as a genre that celebrates the cyclical patterns of life, often marked by resolution and reconciliation.
- Mikhail Bakhtin:
- Works: “Rabelais and His World.”
- Arguments: Explored the carnivalesque nature of comedy, suggesting that laughter can challenge authority and disrupt established norms during festive and subversive events.
- Arthur Koestler:
- Works: “The Act of Creation.”
- Arguments: Introduced the concept of bisociation, suggesting that humor arises from the unexpected intersection of two incompatible frames of reference.
Works:
- “Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic” by Henri Bergson: Bergson’s seminal work that explores the philosophy of laughter, focusing on the relationship between humor and the mechanical or rigid aspects of life.
- “Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious” by Sigmund Freud: Freud’s investigation into the psychoanalytic aspects of jokes, uncovering the unconscious motivations behind humor.
- “Anatomy of Criticism” by Northrop Frye: Frye’s influential literary work that incorporates comedy into his broader framework, defining its characteristics and functions within the scope of literature.
- “Rabelais and His World” by Mikhail Bakhtin: Bakhtin’s exploration of Rabelaisian humor, emphasizing the subversive and liberating qualities of laughter during carnival-like events.
- “The Act of Creation” by Arthur Koestler: Koestler’s examination of creativity, introducing the concept of bisociation and its relevance to the generation of humor.
Arguments:
- Incongruity and Mechanical Rigidity (Bergson): Bergson argued that humor arises from incongruity and the perception of mechanical rigidity, emphasizing the importance of flexibility in comedic situations.
- Psychoanalytic Aspects of Jokes (Freud): Freud delved into the unconscious motivations behind jokes, connecting humor to repressed desires and providing insights into the psychological aspects of laughter.
- Cyclical Patterns in Comedy (Frye): Frye integrated comedy into his literary theory, defining it as a genre that celebrates the cyclical patterns of life, often marked by resolution and reconciliation.
- Carnivalesque Nature of Comedy (Bakhtin): Bakhtin explored the carnivalesque qualities of comedy, suggesting that laughter can challenge authority and disrupt norms during festive events.
- Bisociation and Creativity (Koestler): Koestler introduced bisociation as a concept, proposing that humor arises from the unexpected intersection of two incompatible frames of reference, contributing to creativity and humor.
Comic Theory: Key Principals
| Key Principles of Comic Theory | Literary Examples |
| Incongruity and Mechanical Rigidity (Bergson): The humor arises from incongruity and the perception of mechanical rigidity. | In Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” the character of Malvolio’s strict adherence to rules and his unexpected transformation create comedic incongruities. |
| Psychoanalytic Aspects of Jokes (Freud): Humor is connected to repressed desires and unconscious motivations. | In Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” the use of witty dialogue and absurd situations reflects Freudian elements of humor tied to societal expectations and desires. |
| Cyclical Patterns in Comedy (Frye): Comedy celebrates cyclical patterns of life, often marked by resolution and reconciliation. | Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” exemplifies comic resolution through the reconciliation of characters, culminating in multiple marriages. |
| Carnivalesque Nature of Comedy (Bakhtin): Laughter can challenge authority and disrupt norms during festive events. | Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels” employs satire and parody to challenge societal norms, embodying the carnivalesque spirit in its critique. |
| Bisociation and Creativity (Koestler): Humor arises from the unexpected intersection of two incompatible frames of reference. | Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” showcases bisociation through the absurd and nonsensical encounters Alice has in Wonderland, blending incompatible worlds. |
These literary examples illustrate key principles of comic theory, demonstrating how various elements of humor and comedic structures manifest in different works of literature.
Comic Theory: Critiques of Literary Works
- Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare:
- Critique: The play’s resolution, involving mistaken identities and sudden pairings, is argued to reinforce traditional gender roles, potentially limiting its capacity for challenging societal norms.
- The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde:
- Critique: Despite Wilde’s satirical wit, the play’s reliance on trivial matters and farcical elements is criticized for limiting its potential for deeper social critique, with suggestions that the humor lacks substantial depth.
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen:
- Critique: While praised for wit and satire, Austen’s novel faces criticism for a resolution through multiple marriages that some argue reinforces conventional societal expectations rather than challenging them.
- Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift:
- Critique: Swift’s satirical masterpiece is lauded for its critique of human nature but criticized for an extensive use of satire and parody that might overshadow underlying messages, potentially deterring some readers.
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll:
- Critique: Carroll’s work, admired for whimsical and absurd humor, faces criticism for a lack of clear narrative structure, potentially leading to confusion and limiting the potential depth of social commentary, as the focus on nonsense might hinder broader impact.
Comic Theory: Criticism Against It
| 1. Oversimplification: Critics argue that comic theory may oversimplify the diverse nature of humor, reducing it to specific categories or formulas, which fail to capture the intricacies of individual and cultural variations in comedic preferences. |
| 2. Lack of Universality: Some critics contend that comic theories often assume a universal understanding of humor, neglecting the fact that what is considered funny varies significantly across cultures, societies, and individuals. |
| 3. Cultural Bias: Comic theories, originating from specific cultural contexts, may exhibit cultural bias, as they might not adequately encompass the full spectrum of humor in different cultural settings, potentially marginalizing non-Western forms of comedy. |
| 4. Ignoring Social and Political Dimensions: Certain critics argue that comic theories may neglect the broader social and political dimensions of humor. The focus on individual psychological processes might overlook how humor functions as a tool for social commentary or political critique. |
| 5. Neglect of Dark Humor and Subversive Comedy: Comic theories might not fully account for the appreciation of dark humor or subversive comedy, which challenges societal norms and expectations. Theories focused on incongruity and relief may not adequately address the complexity of these comedic forms. |
| 6. Limited Exploration of New Forms of Comedy: With the evolving nature of comedy in contemporary culture, some critics argue that traditional comic theories may become outdated and fail to encompass emerging comedic forms, such as internet memes or alternative comedy genres. |
| 7. Neglecting Emotional Complexity: Critics contend that comic theories may oversimplify the emotional dimensions of humor. While relief and incongruity are often highlighted, the broader emotional range encompassing satire, irony, and empathy may not be fully explored. |
| 8. Lack of Interdisciplinary Perspective: Some critics argue that comic theories might benefit from a more interdisciplinary approach, integrating insights from fields like sociology, anthropology, and cultural studies to offer a more comprehensive understanding of humor in diverse contexts. |
These criticisms highlight potential limitations and challenges in existing comic theories, urging a more nuanced and culturally sensitive exploration of humor that considers its multifaceted nature.
Comic Theory: Key Terms
- Incongruity: The unexpected or contradictory elements in humor that create surprise and laughter.
- Superiority: The concept that humor often involves a feeling of superiority over others, whether through cleverness, absurdity, or the misfortune of others.
- Relief: The idea that humor serves as a release of tension or pent-up emotions, providing psychological relief.
- Benign Violation: The combination of incongruity and violation, where something is both a breach of social norms and perceived as harmless or non-threatening.
- Humor Styles: Different ways individuals express and appreciate humor, such as self-enhancing, affiliative, aggressive, and self-defeating styles.
- Cultural Variations: Recognizing that what is considered humorous varies across cultures, with cultural norms influencing comedic preferences.
- Satire: The use of humor, irony, or ridicule to criticize and mock people, institutions, or societal conventions.
- Parody: Imitating and exaggerating the style of a particular genre, work, or artist for comedic effect, often to comment on the original work.
- Comic Timing: The precise pacing and rhythm in delivering jokes or comedic elements to maximize their impact.
- Bisociation: The concept that humor arises from the unexpected intersection of two incompatible frames of reference, contributing to creativity and laughter.
Comic Theory: Suggested Readings
- Bergson, Henri. Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic. Dover Publications, 2005.
- Freud, Sigmund. Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious. W. W. Norton & Company, 1963.
- Koestler, Arthur. The Act of Creation. Penguin Books, 1989.
- Mintz, Lawrence E. Humor in America: A Research Guide to Genres and Topics. Greenwood Press, 2006.
- Morreall, John. Comic Relief: A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor. Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.
- Provine, Robert R. Laughter: A Scientific Investigation. Penguin Books, 2001.
- Wilde, Oscar. The Critic as Artist. Project Gutenberg, 2013.
- Wimsatt, William Kurtz, and Cleanth Brooks. Literary Criticism: A Short History. Alfred A. Knopf, 1957.