ENG-236 Literature and Comedy

In this course we study the evolution and variety of comedy in literature, from classical Greece to contemporary United States. Along the way, we examine different comedic categories, such as the picaresque, absurdism, parody, satire, and black comedy. We examine the rhetoric of comedy: What makes a particular work funny? Why do we laugh? What are the motivations for comedy; when is it meant as "comic relief" from reality, and when is it meant as subversive critique of society?(Introduction to Literary Studies) Prerequisites: FYS-101 or FYS-110

Credits

3 credits