Comic Problem:
Romantic: (Shakespeare)—focus is young couple trying to overcome blocking agent and get together
Satiric: (Ben Jonson)—the blocking agent itself is
the focus, not what is wrong with it
Comic Climax:
Comes when confusion is at a peak,
decisions must be made, solutions must be found
Resolves the problems from the
beginning and sets things right on all levels
Individual and relationships are
reconciled, married, fixed, made healthy, social order reestablished.
Comic Education and Change:
At least some characters learn
something about themselves, society, the way to live, the way to love.
Education
improves them and their world
Or audience
is educated and that will change the world
Comic Characters:
They are usually not as deep as tragic characters, usually stock characters.
Comic Language:
Comic language is one of the most
important elements in humor and extends from elegant and witty language to puns
to bawdy humor. Comic language is used
in showing a character either to be the master of comic language or to be
mastered by it. When a character is
master of comic language, we admire his skillful use of satiric language,
slicing things apart. When a character
is mastered by comic language, we laugh loud and hard at his accidental puns
and misuse of language.