Core Concepts: 2.21-3.04

Types of comedy:

• Low: stupid comedy
• High: relatively serious, appeals to intellect
• Burlesque: exaggeration and distortion
• Farce: improbable plot, exaggerated characters, slapstick
• Lampoon: broad satire
• Parody: imitates another, usually serious, work

• Satire: makes fun of an aspect of society

•  Slapstick: mostly physical, low humor

• Travesty: frivolously presents serious things

Theories of Comedy:

• Superiority: character has some failing
• Incongruity: different
• Relief: relief from societal constraints
• Ambivalence: attracted to repulsiveness

Requirements for comedy (according to that one handout we got):

• Appeal to the intellect rather than emotions
• Be mechanical
• Be inherently human
• A set of established social norms must be in place
• Situation must be inconsistent with social norms
• Be perceived as harmless and painless

Pride and Prejudice Discussion
High comedy that appeals to both intellect and emotions

• Mrs. Bennet, Jane: mechanical -> funny
• Elizabeth more serious. Develops instead of remaining single-sided

Elizabeth: protagonist, most levelheaded, most successful
Jane: pretty, stereotypical successful woman, second most successful 
Lydia: stupid, fails