Comedy Device / Literary Term / Definition / Description
Banter
/ playful/witty remarks and harmless teasing
DarkHumor
/ humor about grave topics, such as death, murder, etc.
Blenderword
/ combination of words to make new words
Blunder
/ an actor makes foolish, yet funny, mistakes
Caricature
/ exaggeration of a person’s mental, physical, or personality trait in a wisecrack form
Farce
/ entertainment by means of unlikely, improbable, and extravagant situations
Foil
/ a character who is used as a contrast to another character; The use of a foil emphasizes the differences between two characters, bringing out the distinctive qualities in each. This contrast may be used for a comedic effect.
Freudian Slip
/ a funny statement which seems to pop out of nowhere but actually comes from the person’s subconscious thoughts
Hyperbole
/ a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express a strong sentiment or create a comic effect; Also called overstatement, hyperbole does not express the literal truth; however, it is often used to capture a sense of intensity or to emphasize the essential nature of something.
Inversion
/ the taking on of the gender role of the opposite sex; It is also defined as a reversal of position, order, form, or relationship. It refers to situations or circumstances where the normal hierarchy of power is reversed.
Irony
/ what is expected isn’t what occurs (= situation irony)
Parody
/ the use of imitation to mock or make fun of
Pun
/ a line that exploits the different possible meanings of a word or two words that simply sound alike
Repartee
/ speech with witty comebacks and clever replies
Sarcasm
/ a type of verbal irony, in which praise is used tauntingly to indicate its opposite meaning
Understatement
/ the opposite of exaggeration/ hyperbole and is a form of irony; It is a figure of speech that consists of saying less than what is really meant or saying something with less force than is appropriate.
Wisecrack
/ witty remark thrown in at the perfect timing
Wordplay
/ is the witty exploitation of the meanings and ambiguities of words (In other words, it’s when one character takes the meaning of a word in a different direction than was originally intended.) similar to pun Comedy Genres / Definition / Description 1. STAND UP / One comic stands in front of an audience and tells quick, fast- paced, humorous stories that are usually connected to current events. 2. SITUATIONAL / More commonly known as “Sitcoms.” These routines exaggerate the humor found within the home or workplace. They originally started with radio but became extremely popular with the introduction of the television. 3. DRAMEDY / A coined word to describe instances of combining humor with serious events. 4. SATIRE / Comedy that represents actual events or individuals in a humorous way often meant to point out flaws and to induce change. 5. FARCE / A type of comedy in which ridiculous and often stereotyped characters are involved in far-fetched situations. The humor in farce is based on slapstick. 6. SLAPSTICK / A form in which actors use deliberately clumsy and/or exaggerated physical actions to prompt silly responses. 7. IMPROVISATION / More commonly known as “improv.” This style challenges actors to quickly react to suggestions given to them by an independent source. 8. Commedia dell’ Arte / A type of comedy developed in 16th and 17th century Italy, characterized by improvised text based on plot outlines (scenarios). Using sexually challenging language and physical comedy, Commedia pokes fun at elements of society’s respectable values by means of exaggerated styles and insightful character traits. Featured stock characters = Pantaloon: rich, miserly old man; thinks everything can be bought or sold Capitano or Braggart: never from the town where the story is set, so he’s able to seem high status; arrogant Arlecchino or Harlequin: servant; intelligent, but his plans rarely work out Il Dottore: of high social status; wordy Innamorati (Lovers): high social status, but seem low b/c of their infatuation; young, attractive, naive
