University of Puerto Rico

Rio Piedras Campus

INGL 3217

Prof. Olsen

Final Exam

Research Paper: Comedy as a Means of Presenting Social Issues

Julissa Ayala Quiones

843-13-0546
 Back in ancient Greece, there was only tragedy (used to purge emotion) and

comedy, which involved characters of humble origin having happy endings. Comedy

specifically aimed to make people laugh. Pavis Dictionary of the Theatre states: The

audience feels protected by the silliness or frailty of the comic character and reacts with

a feeling of superiority to the use of exaggeration, contrast or surprise. (Pavis, 63).

Comedy was the first to present people as they are in everyday situations, and

somehow always getting out of trouble, contrasting greatly with the negative endings

found in tragedies.

Unlike tragedy, comedy lends itself well to alienation effects and is quick to
parody itself, laying bare its devices and fictional mode. It is highly self-aware
and often functions as a critical metalanguage and as a play within a play.
(Pavis, 65)

Depending on the comic devices used, comedy would be classified as low

comedy (farcical: visual comedy, lazzi, blows) or high comedy (uses word play and

has witty situations). Low comedy causes hearty laughter; high comedy, on the other

hand, most often invites only a smile, and tends to become serious, then grave.

(Mauron, 9)

In the fifth century, when dramatists competed in City Dionysia, satyr play

achieved great development. Little is known of the origin of the satyr play. A satyr was a

comical play that parodied the mythological and heroic tales that were considered

serious in tragedies. They could get away with parodying prestigious Greek institutions,

religion, folk heroes and philosophers. Often, elements of vulgarity were used, for
example, most costumes involved a protruded fake phallus (these types of elements

would be considered today as bad taste). Its name comes from its chorus of satyr,

which were half-human, half-beast. Many satyr plays were written and recovered, but

only Euripides Cyclops remains complete. They were performed after tragedies as a

way of providing comic relief. Soon after, comedy was accepted in City Dionysia, which

in this period were called Old Comedies.

Old Comedy always makes fun of society, politics, or culture, and frequently its
characters are recognizable contemporary personalities. In The Clouds, for
instance, the philosopher Socrates is shown as a character suspended in midair
in a basket in other words, his head is always in the clouds. A present-day
equivalent might be the kind of television variety-show sketch that caricatures
political figures, such as the president of the United States. (Wilson, 45)

Old comedies have different sections, just like tragedies, one of them being the

parabasis, which is a scene where the chorus speaks directly to the audience (what

would be referred to today as breaking the fourth wall), makes fun of specific audience

members or satirizes different subjects. This is the counterpart of modern-day standup

comedians that target their audience. The term satire draws significance from the satyr

play: A satirical comedy is a play that exhibits a critical view of a social or political

practice or human vice. (Pavis, 321)

Satire is a powerful art form which has the ability to point out the deficiencies in
certain human behaviors and the social issues which result from them in such a
way that they become absurd, even hilarious, which is therefore entertaining and
reaches a wide audience. Satire also has the ability to protect its creator from
culpability for criticism, because it is implied rather than overtly stated; in this
 way, it becomes a powerful tool for dissenters in difficult or oppressive political
and social periods. (LeBoeuf, 1)

Throughout history, comedy has been used to present serious topics in a way

that isnt intimidating to the spectator. In some cases, only conscious people in the

audience receive the real message from the play. Its very common for comedy to

mock in order to address issues and since its just for laughs people get away with

even the riskiest topics. Humor can engage the audience in a positive way towards

sensitive, complex, or controversial issues; this is important because not everyone is

open-minded enough to embrace new ideas.

Ideas are dangerous. History is full of people that have died for their ideas, just

because people in higher power or larger groups didnt agree. Ideas have a lot of

power: it was the idea of producing the perfect race that caused one of the greatest

human sufferings in history. So much blood has been drawn because of ideas, its no

wonder people resist them and are stubborn to change their views.

Making someone accept (or even respect) an idea is not easy. Its easier to

reach minds if theyre still at a young age, but when theyre past that line, what can

achieve a breakthrough? Comedy. How does it work? The stand-up comedian Chriss

Bliss held a TEDtalk conference explaining the importance of humor. He speaks of how

humor works from a psychological point of view:

A great piece of comedy is a verbal magic trick, where you think its going over
here and then all of a sudden youre transported over here. And theres this
mental delight thats followed by the physical response of laughter, which, not
coincidentally, releases endorphins in the brain. And just like that, youve been
 seduced into a different way of looking at something because the endorphins
have brought down your defenses. This is the exact opposite of the way that
anger and fear and panic, all of the flight-or-fight responses, operate.
Flight-or-fight releases adrenalin, which throws our walls up sky-high. And then
comedy comes along, dealing with a lot of the same areas where our defenses
are the strongest race, religion, politics, sexuality only by approaching them
through humor instead of adrenalin, we get endorphins and the alchemy of
laughter turns our walls into windows, revealing a fresh and unexpected point of
view. (Bliss, 7:52)

Of all the great playwrights that satirized social aspects, Ill focus on Feydeau,

Molire and Shakespeare. These three playwrights encountered public discomfort and

in some instances, their plays were banned from being performed.

Georges Feydeau (1862-1921) was a dramatist who took farce to new heights on

the French stage, and although he didnt do much serious social critique, he satirized

every new tendency that would arise in France. He was known for his complex use of

mechanical props and using double entendre (double meaning) in his plays.

Feydeaus farces are masterpieces of improbable contrivance, usually

dependent of far-fetched cases of mistaken identity. His favorite theme is the
anxious and comic efforts of an unfaithful spouse to conceal amorous
escapades, and his favorite comic device is the meeting of characters who are
assiduously trying to avoid each other. (Merriam-Webster, 413)

He wrote during La Belle poque or The Beautiful Era (1890-1914). Feydeau

used his comedies to send a message, but it wasnt until after his death that people

recognized the brilliance behind them. Among his plays are The Girl from Maxims
(1899), A Flea in Her Ear (1907), and Hey, Cut out the Parading Around Stark Naked!

(1911).

In Hey, Cut out the Parading Around Stark Naked! he satirizes high class society

and their standards, in a way, making it a comedy of manners. In it, Clarisse and her

husband Ventroux discuss about what is proper for her to wear around people.

Contrary to what the title of the play indicates, Clarisse is not stark naked; she just

prefers to lounge around her household in her underwear; and happens to forget when

she is around her child, her servant and houseguests.

This play also mocks your stereotypical marriage who dont know how to

communicate. Stark Naked is full of bits in which the couple doesnt listen to each other

and cant admit when theyre wrong. For example, in the next dialogue, you can

appreciate Clarisses stubbornness:

Clarisse: I realize that. Im not waiting for a word of gratitude. Dont I owe you
my all? Ha! Remember when I came home? I was hot and perspiry.
I had to sit and relax. I believe that was permissible?

Ventroux: Well, yes. I would ah, permit that.

Clarisse: Good for you. In here youre cool. Youd never guess that outside
its eighty-five or eighty-six degrees of, um, latitude.

Ventroux: Latitude, eh?

Clarisse: Not catching his tone, Absolutely, eighty-six degrees.

Ventroux: Whats this latitude? You know what it means?

Clarisse: Slightly contemptuous, You dont know what latitude is? Thats sad,
at your age. Latitudes on the thermometer.
 Ventroux: Mocking, Sorry about that. I didnt know.

Clarisse: Is going to college worth the strain? Think of it: eighty-six degrees
of latitude and you force us to stay in Paris. All because youre a
politician and cant get away before the end of the session. As if
your colleagues couldnt do without you.

(Feydeau, 285)

Clarisse ignores Ventrouxs mockery and insists on using the word latitude

even though she knows its not the correct term. Additional funny business in this play

involves puns, clever remarks and physical/sexual humor. This is also common in plays

by Molire.

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (1622-1673), better known as Molire is considered the

greatest of all writers of French comedy. As an actor, playwright and troupe member

(eventually leader), Molire contributed greatly to the French theatre scene. When he

returned to Paris in 1658 from provincial touring with his troupe, he worked on a string

of satirical comedies that he named miroirs publics (public mirrors). In these plays he

satirized multiple subjects: contemporary literary fashion (The Affected Young Ladies),

court aristocracy (The Bores), bourgeois men (The School for Husbands and The

School for Wives), scholars (The Forced Marriage), doctors (Doctor Cupid), medicine

(The Imaginary Invalid) and religious extremists (Tartuffe: The Imposter).

Molire had in six years or so, pretty well pointed his satiric mirror at the full
gamut of contemporary society (excepting, of course, the untouchable monarch
and royal family). The playwright was quickly celebrated as the Painter of the
portrait of his own time. The resemblance of his satiric depictions to
contemporary life was so striking that some accused him of moving through the
 streets and salons of Paris with a hidden notepad in which he transcribed
overheard conversations and drew sketches of his contemporaries for future
replication in the dialogues and performances of his plays. Audiences guessed
as to the origins in real life who inspired the copies that his troupe played on
stage; recognizing the ridiculed person in Molires mirror became a popular
sport. In short, a public endlessly fascinated with its own image adored his
plays. (Norman, 58)

Of course, another part of the public detested his plays. Molire knew a lot of

people, and most of them were used as targets for his satires, something that is never

pleasing. Plays like Tartuffe particularly received worse feedback, as it satirized bigger

ideas, rather than just people. After it was first performed in 1664, it was censored by

King Louis XIV, because, as Molire claimed in the preface to the plays first edition:

hypocrites will not stand to be mocked. (Norman, 59).

In this play, a pious fraud (Tartuffe) enters the life of Orgons family, and

manages to convince Orgon and his mother about his sanctity. However, between the

many antics that Tartuffe is up to, one of them is trying to seduce Orgons wife Elmire:

Tartuffe: Well, anyway, I can dispel your scruples. You are assured
that I will keep the secret. Evil does not exist until its
published; Its worldly scandal that creates the offense; And
a sin in silence is not sin at all.

(Molire, 96)

William Shakespeare also satirized common topics in his plays. Shakespeare

(1564-1616) is frequently said to be the greatest dramatist of all time. No playwright

uses language as effectively as Shakespeare. His poetic and figurative dialogue not

only arouses specific emotions, moods, and ideas, it creates a network of complex

associations and connotations that transcends the immediate dramatic situation.

Shakespeare was by far the most comprehensive, sensitive, and dramatically effective

playwright of his time. He attempted almost all the popular dramatic types and subjects

of his age, and in each instance gave them their most effective expression. (Brockett,

110) Hes more famous for his tragedies than for his comedies; one of his earliest

comedy plays is Loves Labours Lost (1594).

Loves Labours Lost tells the story of the King of Navarre who swears off women

with three of his colleagues for three years (that theyre supposed to dedicate to study).

Ironically, a princess and her ladies arrive to court and they all fall in love. This play

satirizes couples, love and poetry. It has sophisticated wordplay and puns for additional

comic effect. There is also a satire of the Spanish armada found in the character Don

Adriano de Armado. This particular character is very grand and pompous; he thinks

highly of himself and it alludes to a Capitano-type character from commedia dellarte. In

the following monologue from the play, you can tell this character is also the main

source of satire on romantic poetry:

Armado: I do affect the very ground, which is base, where her shoe, which is
baser, guided by her foot, which is basest, doth tread. I shall be forsworn,
which is a great argument of falsehood, if I love. And how can that be true
love which is falsely attempted? Love is a familiar; Love is a devil: there is
no evil angel but Love. Yet was Samson so tempted, and he had an
excellent strength; yet was Solomon so seduced, and he had a very good
wit. Cupid's butt-shaft is too hard for Hercules' club; and therefore too
much odds for a Spaniard's rapier. The first and second cause will not
 serve my turn; the passado he respects not, the duello he regards not: his
disgrace is to be called boy; but his glory is to subdue men. Adieu, valour!
rust rapier! be still, drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth.
Assist me, some extemporal god of rhyme, for I am sure I shall turn
sonnet. Devise, wit; write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio.
(Shakespeare, 26-28)

Nowadays, one of the most common ways to present satire and parody is

through standup comedy. Standup has come a long way; contemporary standup has

great female comedians, and subject matter for shows have long-spread. This form of

comedy can be used to send a message in a more direct way than one would in a play,

considering the content is more concentrated. For example, John Leguizamos Mambo

Mouth is a series of stories that portray Latino stereotypes. Creating multiple characters

like Agamemnon, Loco Louie, Manny The Fanny and Crossover King. The most

impacting of all, in my opinion, being Crossover King: a former Latino (now Japanese)

tries to sell us the idea that being Japanese is the best option for Latinos (this battling

the stereotype that all Latinos want to be American). With this, Leguizamo shows

Latinos that no matter where they are or how they act, they cant hide who they are.

Crossover King Now, Im your Crossover King, and Im going to

help you to cross over. And if you dont like it, you can just kiss my
yellow tail. Yes, I said it. Because we are going to own everything
anyway. We are going to own your mother, your father, everybody,
so you better cross over while you still can. Its nothing personal,
just big business. And were going to take all our competition, and
were going to sucker-punch them, head-butt them, body-slam
them (Shakes, sweats, and begins to fall apart.) Ay coo, yo
quiero perder control, ser lo que soy ayudame, mamacita, estoy
jodido, quiero bailar y gozar (Becomes completely unhinged,
conking, tearing open shit, and spewing forth a torrent of Spanish
profanity.) (Leguizamo, 248)
 Whether its through satire or even parody, being funny is not easy, and neither is

being funny while giving a message. With the recent rise of standup comedians and

comedy in general, it would seem the world is in need of laughter. Its hard to state if

there are still any taboo topics out there, but if there are, you cant help but wonder:

What will they get away with next?

 Humor is a rubber sword it allows you to make a point without drawing blood.

-Mary Hirsch, Humorist

Works Cited:

Bliss, Chris. Comedy Is Translation. TEDtalk lecture: Dec 2011

Brockett, Oscar & Hildy, Franklin. History of the Theatre: Foundation Edition.
New York: Allyn and Bacon, 2007.

Feydeau, Georges. Hey, Cut out the Parading Around Stark Naked!. Version
used in class.

LeBoeuf, Megan. The Power of Ridicule: An Analysis on Satire. Article. Rhode

Island: Digital Commons @URI, 2007.

Leguizamo, John. Mambo Mouth. Version used in class.

Mauron, C. Des metaphors obsdantes au mythe personnel: Introduction la

pychocritique. Paris: Corti, 1936.

(Molire). Great Books of the Western World: Vol 31. Chicago: Encyclopaedia
Britannica, Inc., 1990.

Norman, Larry. Molire as satirist. Essay found in: The Cambridge Companion
To Moliere. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006.

Pavis, Patrice. Dictionary of Theatre: Terms, Concepts, and Analysis. Toronto:

University of Toronto Press, 1998.

(Shakespeare) Hart, H.C. The Works of Shakespeare: Loves Labours Lost.

London: Methuen And Co., 1913

Wilson, Edwin & Goldfarb, Alvin. Living Theatre: A History. Fourth Edition. New
York: McGraw Hill, 2004.

- Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature. Merriam-Webster, 1995

Additional Bibliographical Sources:

Bermel, Albert. Comic Agony: Mixed Impressions in the Modern Theatre. Illinois:

Northwestern University Press, 1993.

Bordonove, Georges. Molire: Crtico Apasionado de la Naturaleza Humana.

Buenos Aires: El Ateneo, 2006.

Norman, Larry. The Public Mirror: Moliere and the Social Commerce of

Depiction. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999

Smith, Emma. Shakespeares Comedies: A Guide to Criticism. New Jersey:

Wiley-Blackwell, 2003