This seminar will explore the genre of comedy.

Its main objectives are (1) to read closely some famous ancient and modern comedies, and see a few taped stage performances; (2) to grasp the esthetics of major writers such as Aristophanes, Shakespeare, Molière, and Beckett; (3) to develop an overall sense of the traditions and cultural contexts of comedy, how comedy has changed over time, and which features have remained constant. Specific topics include: the origins of comedy; the forms and features of “high” and “low” comedy; the conventions and techniques of romantic and satirical comedy; types and functions of laughter; tragicomedy, travesty, and farce. Texts: Aristophanes, Four Plays by Aristophanes (The Clouds, The Birds, Lysistrata, The Frogs), tr. Dudley Fitts (Harvest). Plautus, Four Comedies (The Braggart Soldier, The Brothers Menaechmus, The Haunted House, The Pot of Gold), tr. Erich Segal (Oxford World’s Classics). Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors (Dover Thrift). Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Signet). Molière, The Misanthrope and Tartuffe, tr. Richard Wilbur (Harvest). Wycherley, The Country Wife (Cambridge ppb). Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest (Dover Thrift.). Beckett, Waiting for Godot (Grove). The above are editions I recommend; you can use other editions so long as they contain the full text we’ll be reading. There will be several brief assignments on individual authors and a final.