Comedy: A Very Short Introduction
Title | Comedy: A Very Short Introduction PDF eBook |
Author | Matthew Bevis |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Total Pages | 169 |
Release | 2013 |
Genre | Humor |
ISBN | 0199601712 |
With a broad scope across the millennia, from high literature to popular culture, between page and stage and screen, this Very Short Introduction considers comedy not only as a literary genre, but also as a broader impulse at work in many other historical and contemporary forms of satire, parody, and play.
Humour: A Very Short Introduction
Title | Humour: A Very Short Introduction PDF eBook |
Author | Noël Carroll |
Publisher | OUP Oxford |
Total Pages | 144 |
Release | 2014-01-23 |
Genre | Philosophy |
ISBN | 0191642592 |
Humour has been discovered in every known human culture and thinkers have discussed it for over two thousand years. Humour can serve many functions; it can be used to relieve stress, to promote goodwill among strangers, to dissipate tension within a fractious group, to display intelligence, and some have even claimed that it improves health and fights sickness. In this Very Short Introduction Noel Carroll examines the leading theories of humour including The Superiority Theory and The Incongruity Theory. He considers the relation of humour to emotion and cognition, and explores the value of humour, specifically in its social functions. He argues that humour, and the comic amusement that follows it, has a crucial role to play in the construction of communities, but he also demonstrates that the social aspect of humour raises questions such as 'When is humour immoral?' and 'Is laughing at immoral humour itself immoral?'. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Humour: A Very Short Introduction
Title | Humour: A Very Short Introduction PDF eBook |
Author | Noël Carroll |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Total Pages | 145 |
Release | 2014 |
Genre | Humor |
ISBN | 0199552223 |
Examines the leading theories of humor, focusing on the incongruity theory.
The Cambridge Introduction to Comedy
Title | The Cambridge Introduction to Comedy PDF eBook |
Author | Eric Weitz |
Publisher | Cambridge University Press |
Total Pages | 412 |
Release | 2009-04-16 |
Genre | Drama |
ISBN | 1316154289 |
'Laughter', says Eric Weitz, 'may be considered one of the most extravagant physical effects one person can have on another without touching them'. But how do we identify something which is meant to be comic, what defines something as 'comedy', and what does this mean for the way we enter the world of a comic text? Addressing these issues, and many more, this is a 'how to' guide to reading comedy from the pages of a dramatic text, with relevance to anything from novels and newspaper columns to billboards and emails. The book enables you to enhance your grasp of the comic through familiarity with characteristic structures and patterns, referring to comedy in literature, film and television throughout. Perfect for drama and literature students, this Introduction explores a genre which affects the everyday lives of us all, and will therefore also capture the interest of anyone who loves to laugh.
Shakespeare's Comedies
Title | Shakespeare's Comedies PDF eBook |
Author | Bart Van Es |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Total Pages | 145 |
Release | 2016 |
Genre | Drama |
ISBN | 0198723350 |
In this Very Short Introduction Bart Van Es analyses Shakespeare's comedic plays, picking out the family resemblances across these works. He considers their shared themes such as confusion and cross dressing, misguided love, twins and substitutions, and explores the bard's verbal artistry and wit.
On Humour
Title | On Humour PDF eBook |
Author | Simon Critchley |
Publisher | Routledge |
Total Pages | 145 |
Release | 2011-08-26 |
Genre | Art |
ISBN | 1135199035 |
This is a fascinating and beautifully written book on what philosophy can tell us about humour and about what it is to be human. It will fascinate and intrigue anyone with a sense of humour.
Theatre: A Very Short Introduction
Title | Theatre: A Very Short Introduction PDF eBook |
Author | Marvin Carlson |
Publisher | OUP Oxford |
Total Pages | 153 |
Release | 2014-10-23 |
Genre | Performing Arts |
ISBN | 0191648612 |
From before history was recorded to the present day, theatre has been a major artistic form around the world. From puppetry to mimes and street theatre, this complex art has utilized all other art forms such as dance, literature, music, painting, sculpture, and architecture. Every aspect of human activity and human culture can be, and has been, incorporated into the creation of theatre. In this Very Short Introduction Marvin Carlson takes us through Ancient Greece and Rome, to Medieval Japan and Europe, to America and beyond, and looks at how the various forms of theatre have been interpreted and enjoyed. Exploring the role that theatre artists play — from the actor and director to the designer and puppet-master, as well as the audience — this is an engaging exploration of what theatre has meant, and still means, to people of all ages at all times. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.