Achieving Humor in Educating Rita by Willy Russell

After analyzing Jim Gaffigan, Dane Cook, and Maz Jobrani we see the true genius it takes to be a successful comedian. Through their work, comedians have manipulated minds and infiltrated society’s way of thinking. Humor is a powerful tool and it is important to recognize the way it works so that positive messages can be sent to audiences rather than detrimental ones. Jokes and puns become an intricate cover-up to new thoughts and ideas. Next time we hear a comedian, we can remember the methods used to evaluate a routine and decide if we will support the implicit messages being conveyed by these goofballs.

Mary O’Hara wrote about comedy for a BBC article titled “How Comedy Makes us Better People”: “Comedy is more than just a pleasant way to pass an evening, humour more than something to amuse. They’re interwoven into the fabric of our everyday existence. Whether you’re sharing an amusing story down the pub, making a self-deprecating joke after someone pays you a compliment or telling a dark joke at a funeral, humour is everywhere. (O’Hara)” This is certainly an accurate statement about modern comedy. Comedy is not sadness, but rather a way to forget the woes of everyday life.

When Oedipus is talking to his real mother, Jocasta he says ?still to fear?my mother?? (Sophocles 52) it has an amusing effect on the audience. The overuse of irony is very effective because Sophocles is constantly recycling it, which gives a more humorous and irritating aspect to the play. Dramatic irony is used commonly throughout the play: sometimes obviously, sometimes it is more subtle. By using it so often it makes the audience think about the subtleties moments and how they could be ironic, which is a very clever way to keep their attention.

In stand-up comedy most comedians will ease their audience into the more racy jokes; in other words the comedian will “warm them up.” Lisa Lampanelli’s jokes tend to come close to crossing the line, but she had perfect execution. For example, “You’ve put up more worthless hotels than an autistic kid playing Monopoly.” which was pertaining to Donald Trump. Making people laugh while being offensive is difficult and it takes real talent to be a stand-up

The audience would laugh at Malvolio for thinking that Belch is beneath him and also at his pompous attitude. As a... ... middle of paper ... ... are left out which again would invite the sympathy of a modern audience. The treatment of Malvolio brings discord to the ending. It can also be debated that at the end of the play, an audience from/of any period of time would feel guilty for having laughed at Malvolio or been participants in his humiliation as Malvolio evokes the sympathy of both the audience and the characters. In conclusion, Malvolio is not seen to be funny in a sense that the audience laugh with him but instead the audience laugh at him because of his puritanical ways and his pompous nature.

His insolence and irresponsible bawdiness make him a brilliantly effective figure on stage. Love to him is to be treated roughly and his outrageous comments and gestures to the other characters are wittily exaggerated, bringing great entertainment and comedy moments to the play. Mercutio's main role in the play is to enhance the purity of Romeo's love by contrast. He acts as Romeo's conscience when he urges him in to the ball. Moreover the figurative 'Queen Mab' speech, where the almost mystical and enchanting midwife ends up as an incubus, shows how Mercutio us... ... middle of paper ... ...nd comedy makes his character vital to the play and to keep the audience entertained.

In the play, Pygmalion, Bernard Shaw creates many events that consist of comedy, seriousness, sympathy and empathy. These four emotions helps the audience decide what they feel towards --------------Shaw creates a lot of humour often in ways where Higgins is not aware of it. After Eliza had showed her anger and hatred towards him by throwing insults at him Higgins calmly replies back. The surprise for the audience in this is that usually the audience would expect Higgins to retaliate in a similar fashion, but instead he talks to her in a peaceful manner. Higgins says, “The creature is nervous after all.” He calls her a ‘creature’ in third person which seems to be an attempt to wind Eliza up.

Inversion theory can be applied as this is an improbable moment where we question why the boys idolise a teacher so much to remove his clothing. This creates a farcical moment as this is un-orthodox in context of reception. In addition, when an audience views this, an instinctive response of laughter could arise, because of the surreal nature and a sense of shock of the wrongdoing of their actions as their behaviour is the antithesis of the norm, as students should not be removing a teachers clothing who appears god-like – the ‘taking-off of the helmet reveals Hector’ shows the audience that Hector is idolised by the students. As Bennett crafts Hector to attain omnipotent qualities and be central to the plays comedic effect, his teaching style appears recognisably atypical and ther... ... middle of paper ... ...deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap (Galatians 6:7).’3 Besides Dakin and Scripps, Akthar, Lockwood and Timms are less defined but still contribute to the play’s comedy. This comedy is accompanied with the title ‘sir’, however this contributes to the plays comedic effect, as this gentle mockery is towards Hector and Irwin whilst the trio provide the wit in the classroom to echo the wittiness of Hector for the entertainment of an audience.

Take away the lady”.Other characters can not talk to Olivia in the same way as Feste, as she is someone looked up to and respected. This could be due to the Twelfth night celebrations being able to speak his mind-being the fool. Feste is actually a clever and witty character and he shows and presents this through his use of language, quick wit, word play and punning. In scene 5 Feste begins with a pun “he that is well hanged in this world needs to fear no colours” The Elizabethans enjoyed such punning jokes in which the word was pronounced giving two meanings. Maria and Feste are like a comedy duo participating in quick fire exchanges, scoring points off each other and in act 1 scene 5 he hints at her relationship with sir Toby Belch.

This stark contrast of characters brings attention to their behavior which can be at its worst, rash and ex... ... middle of paper ... ...eatre has failed them. Simon presents a new alternative to predictable. He presents reality which can be laughed at because it is removed. Yet his comedy moves the audience to look inward. As Taylor says, “Only in that Age of Reason, the doctoral dissertation, does that lesser playwright appear to shine forth” (Taylor 46).