Assignment-Anti-sentimental Comedy

Assignment  

Anti-Sentimental Comedy

Name :Asha R.Dhedhi

Roll no : 02

Paper : Neoclassical Literature

Semester : M.A. Sem-1

Topic : Anti-Sentimental Comedy

Submitted to : Smt. S.B.Gardi 

                      Department of  English

Introduction

Literature is an expression of human feelings, thoughts, ideas and emotions. Literature gives us pleasure as well delight and moral lessons too. Writers can choose any form for their expression like...Drama, Novel, Essay, Short-story, Epic, Poem, Sonnet, Ballads, Tragedy, Comedy, One act play etc.. Here I am going to deal with What is Anti-sentimental comedy? For that first we have a look on What is Comedy?

What is Comedy?

Comedy is a work of art which was created with intention to create laughter among readers. Comedy is for entertainment and amusement. Comedy as a genre used in films, television, Drama, theatre for creating humors and making indirect satire. Examples of some movies like…

•  Phir Hera pheri
•  Chup chup ke
• Entertainment
• Golmaal series
• The Modern Times by Charlie Chaplin

Definitions of Comedy

According to Oxford Dictionary

"Professional entertainment consisting of jokes and sketches, intended to make an audience laugh."

Shakespeare's comedies

"a play characterized by its humorous or satirical tone and its depiction of amusing people or incidents, in which the characters ultimately triumph over adversity."

Different Types of Comedy

There are a number of types in comedy….

• Classical comedy
• Romantic comedy
• Comedy of Humours
• Comedy of Manners
• Comedy of Errors
• Sentimental Comedy
• Comedy of Intrigue
• Farce
• Black Comedy/Dark Comedy
• Restoration comedy

Anti Sentimental comedy grows against sentimental comedy. So first have a look at sentimental Comedy. 

Sentimental Comedy

In 1800, in England a new form of drama emerged, called sentimental comedy, which rose against the Comedy of Manners, well accepted during the Restoration period. In this comedy laughter, fun and humour is completely driven out and in place of laughter, sadness or misery is portrayed, emotions and feelings of sorrow are introduced. So, in this manner we can say Anti Sentimental comedy lacks the true spirit of sentimental comedy.

Characteristics of Sentimental Comedy

¶ Pathos is introduced in the place of humour and humorous situations replaced by pathetic situations.

¶ Characters are from Middle Class families and displayed as virtuous men without any vices.

¶ Morals are depicted through sentimental Comedy and writers are also mostly moralists.

¶ Sentimental plays remain popular for nearly half a century.

¶ It gives Moral Lectures instead of Entertainment or laughter.

¶ It takes tears in your eyes to laugh. Characterised by emotional pity rather than wit.

Anti-sentimental Comedy

Anti sentimental comedy is literary Genre came into existence around the 18th century which is a reaction against the Ofcourse Sentimental comedy. It is also known as Comedy Of Manners and an artificial form of drama. Oliver Goldsmith is considered as the pioneer of the same comedy, who made criticism on the trending comedy named Sentimental comedy in his essay…

"Essay on Theatre"

Or

"Comparison between laughter and Sentimental Comedy"

Oliver Goldsmith is the first critic who ridiculed the Sentimental Comedy and after that Richard Sheridan was the second writer who wrote against Sentimental comedy. 

Goldsmith believes that comedy is to provide Laughter and humor not sadness and tears, while Sentimental comedy is full of tears in eyes. 

Sheridan believes that comedy is not only for spreading or weeping moral lessons. It is to provide fun and happiness. Function of Comedy is to create laughter and tragedy is to end with pity and fear. If Comedy is to make people cry then there is no need for tragedy. Preaching moral lessons is also not a function of comedy. Then it is better to call Tragedy to Sentimental comedy.

Characteristics of Antisentimental Comedy

1) Wit

Wit is an ability to create laughter in a very intellectual manner in a way to create intelligent humor. Tell the things in a very clever and in a funny way.

  2)  Laughter

 Laughing is the best medicine. To create   laughter is the primary tool of comedy. Without fun there is nothing like comedy. In comedy laughter created by satires. Directly when you look it is funny but deeply when you study it you try to satirize the human community.

"Laughter is the language

 of the soul."

(Pablo  Naruda)

 3) Farce

It is also a kind of comedy used in highly exaggerated and funny situations for entertaining their audiences. The original definition of farce is related to the field of cooking. The word taken from french word Farce means "stuffing" or "forcemeat" So in comedy we can also see farce as the extravagant and improbable situations used to create Farce.

4) Irony

     

Irony is the contrast between what is expected and what exactly things are. Irony can be the difference between the surface meaning of something that is said and the deeper meaning of that said. Read between the lines. Through use of Irony, the writer wants to convey a message, for the words used which are opposite to the literal meaning.

5) Disguise

Disguise means the change in clothing to change a person's physical appearance. Here Glasses, wigs, makeup, costumes, hairstyle, hats are used to change personality. So Disguise is also useful to enrich the plot structure.

6) Amazing intrigues and situations

7) Marriage for Money and Marriage for  Love

8) Emotions have Boundaries

Difference Between Anti Sentimental and Sentimental comedy

Sentimental Comedy

• Presents Pity and fear
• Depiction of Middle Class family
• Very very close to tragedy
• Characters are almost Good without no faults
• Presenting Emotions and Feelings
• Preaching Morals

Antisentimental Comedy

• Presenting Laughter with vulgarity
• About High class society
• Closer to Comedy
• Good and both sides of human are evoked
• Characters are Sophisticated and Arrogant
• Create Laughter
• High moral standards of upper class family is introduced

'The Rivals' as Antisentimental Comedy

The Rivals is a Comedy of Manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It is divided into five acts. At first the writer makes us familiar with a sentimental heroine. She likes to read romances and because of that she wants a husband from a lower class family. The play examines the social customs, especially the upper class family, the way people interact with one another.

The play was set in 18th century London. Heroine Lydia languish and Jack Absolute is the Hero. Jack disguised as poor officer Ensign Beverley. Both fell in love with each other and decided to become one. The story makes satire on sophisticated high class society. Plot mostly revolves around love affairs between Lydia and Jack and side by side Mrs. Malaprop sent a letter to Sir Lucious as Delia. Words are used as weapons, witty dialogues make the plot more vibrant. Mrs. Malaprop is a practical woman she considered marriage as like business. Character of Faulkland and Julia is also absurd. Description of Faulkland is something like this...

"most teasing, captious

 incorrigible lover”

Julia suffers from too much sentimentality. She also made herself absurd and ridiculous in some manner. Description of her husband in front of Lydia is too exaggerated. We smile at her behaviour. There is an excessive lack of emotions.

The School For Scandal

First performed in 1777, at London in Drury Lane Theatre. Here we can see a triangle of Love. Lady sneerwell loves Charles Surface. Charles surface loves Maria and Maria also loves him. Joseph Surface Loves Maria. Sir Benjamin is also in love with Maria. Oliver Cromwell is uncle of Charles and Joseph came to town in disguise with the help of Rawley in order to check who is better for the owner of his property. Sir Peter and Lady Teazle are facing hard times in their marriage because she is a young woman while he is older. So Lady Sneerwell and Joseph make a plot against it to show that Charles Surface and Lady Teazle are having an affair. So Maria will not be ready to marry Charles and Lady Sneerwell can Marry with him and Joseph can marry Maria.

Rumors is the major theme and also practices in society as fast as air can reach from person to person. Here gossips which are circulating may be true or may not be true. There are two kinds of Gossips..one which is spreading through the newspaper and the second one which is so unofficial, spreading through Mouth and talking. Lady Sneer, Joseph and Snake spread gossip that Lady Teazle and Charles Surface were having an Affair. Charles is in debt is also a widespread rumor.

Women in the Upper class 18th century were generally seen as less than men. Women are always treated as merely an object or the puppet of the hands of man dominant society. Sir Peter shows some kind of authority or power over his daughter Maria and his wife Lady Teazle. Women should always live by the criteria which is decided by men. Lady Teazle said…

"If you want authority over me, you should have adopted me and not married me."

Gossip in novels centered around women. Women have always become the topic of discussion because of the makeup and clothes used by them. Light and darker skin, having or lacking dimples on face, customs and tradition of wearing clothes that are sophisticated ways of living are highlighted in a simple and comedic manner.

She Stoops to Conquer

She stoops to conquer is also named as The Mistakes of Night first appeared in 1771. The entire plot is intr5 and tricks played by Tony Lumpkin. Charles Lamb the father of Marlowe makes a match between the daughter  of Hardcastle and his son. The main character of the play is Hardcastle…

"Who loves Everything which is Old, Old friends, Old time, Old Manner, Old Books and Old Wine"

Tony Lumpkin directs Marlow in his neighbouring inn by suggesting the Hardcastle's home and Marlow who consider Hardcastle as a landlord of that land  instead of his in-laws and the real fun and Laughter starts from there.

Conclusion

To Sum up, Anti-sentimental comedy is a reaction against the serious form of comedy called sentimental comedy. Here mentioned three examples are the best examples for Anti Sentimental Comedy. This king of comedy presented the harsh reality of society in a very satirical and farcical manner which creates laughter from upperly but deeply gives moral lessons to society. Goldsmith and Sheridan both great writers of Anti Sentimental comedy wrote very few but still praiseworthy and remarkable. With the passing of time sentimental comedy loose it's place and comedy of manners rooted its place deeply.