History of Comedy

Comedy Through The Ages 

The comedic plays can be dated back to the as far a 425 BCE. Arisophanes, a comic playwrighter of the ancient Gree theater wrote 40 comidies. In ancient Greece, comedy originated in bawdy and ribald songs or recitations apropos of phallic processions and fertility festivals. Aristotle states a comedy is about the fortunate arise of a sympathetic character. Aristotle divides comedy into three categories: farce, romantic comedy and satire. Comedy in Elizabethan time had a very different meaning from modern comedy. A shakespearean comedy is one that has a happy ending, usually involving marriage between the two unmarried characters. In early 19th century, comedy evolved into a pantomine style which included slapstick comedy and British comedians who honed their skills in music hall sketches. The invention of cinema in the late 19th century, and later radio and TV in the 20th century broadened the access of comedians to the general public. Charlie Chaplin became one of the best known faces on the earth.

Studies on the theory of the comic

The phenomena connected with laughter and that which provokes it has been carefully investigated by psychologist. They agreed the predominant characteristics are contrast in the object and shock or emotional seizure on the part of the subject. It has also been held that the feeling of superiority is an essential factor.