Thomas Hobbes Theory Of Laughter

Laughter and humor are ongoing topics amongst philosophers to ponder and to determine what makes one laugh, what’s funny? Thomas Hobbes’ theory, though short, is one that is a central point of reference, to date, when analyzing what makes us laugh. According to Hobbes “the passion of laughter is nothing but sudden glory arising from sudden conception of some eminency in ourselves, by comparison with the infirmity of others” (Hobbes 458). Hobbes believes that it’s one’s superior feelings over another person’s inferiorities that the superior finds humorous, which result in laughter. He also theorizes on Wit. Wit, by the comedic definition, is natural aptitude for using words and ideas in a quick and inventive way to create humor. Hobbes

(Hobbes

This allows Wycherly to exploit the social beliefs of the Restoration Period through Horner and his relationship with the married women in town. During this era the focus was on good breeding, fine manners, the pleasures of the leisure class, and the standards of London society, which were considered to be the only part of life much worth regarding. The satirical look at this shallow society has one laughing at the moral and social infirmities of an entire population of people. Horner, the rake/eunuch/male courtesan, is the most moral and wittiest of the characters. Though he lies and connives he is not pretentious and often comments on the absurdity of the social mores: “Your women of honour, as you call 'em, are only chary of their reputations, not their persons; and 'tis scandal that they would avoid, not men” (I.i. 153-155). He shoots from the hip with his commentary and his view of society reveals the absurdities in the social behaviors of the period. The Importance of Being Earnest, too, is a satirical look at society. The social mores in the Victorian era also focus heavily on manners, morals, class and pretention. Unlike Wycherly, Oscar Wilde does this through the dialogue between his characters and in personifying Victorianism through the character, Lady Bracknell. She is the epitome of the absurdity of the social belief system and her hypocrisy is the infirmity one laughs