Comedy and the Art of Subversion

ENG 3403

Comedy is often seen as a lighthearted diversion, but it is also a nuanced literary mode that influences values and perceptions. This course explores comedy as both a genre and a rhetorical force, examining its many forms—including satire, parody, irony, farce, and wordplay—while considering its intersections with humor, laughter, and wit. From ancient comedies to contemporary stand-up, we will investigate how comedy entertains, critiques, and subverts expectations. Why do we laugh? How does comedy create meaning, build communities, or reinforce and challenge power structures? Through literary and theoretical texts, students will analyze the dynamics of comedic storytelling across cultures and time periods, engaging with the tension between comedy's capacity for both inclusion and exclusion, its potential for both celebration and critique. Readings will range from classical and canonical Western literature to modern film, television, and contemporary fiction, providing a broad and rich exploration of comedy's enduring role in human expression.

Prerequisites: ENG 1002 and one Principle of Textual Analysis course.