Comedy and the power of the Human Spirit
Paving the way, comedy traditionally deals with the efforts of individuals to survive and create a new and better world - or at least one that is better than the reality the character find themselves in if only for a short period of time. In this way this genre seems to be a means of dealing with both human suffering and failure. This fact is found present in the works of Aristophanes, Voltaire and Altman dealing with a general theme of survival and creativity in their humor. In the light that these authors shed on this topic, comedy celebrates the creative and restorative power of the human spirit by mocking the very soul of their characters; through defeat and tragedy the author degrades the character's spirit and at the same time allows enough time for their character to regain or discover their identity. The satire found in these three works, Lysistrata, Candide, and "M*A*S*H" is obvious but at the same time subtle. Evidence of the satire in these works is found in general through the story as a whole, however subtle criticism can be found through individual analysis. As each work progresses the sat
Somewhat different from the other two works, Lysistrata by Aristophanes celebrates the power of the human spirit in an ironic and simple satire. Lysistrata is a Greek play that deals with the joining of the women from Sparta and Athens in coordination to abstain from their men in order to arrange peace between their countries. The theme of this Greek comedy may seem all too ridiculous to perceive as possible, however the satire behind it is clever and successful. Aristophanes mocks Greek culture at that time through the interactions between his characters (for the most part between the women and the men). These interactions while seemingly absurd and ridiculous also make a very clear point about culture at that time. By mocking what the Greeks perceived as plausible as well as their attitudes towards women, Aristophanes creates a satire about their society. The creative and reconstructive power of the women's spirit is shown through their abstinence and their courage in their goal for peace. ire it expresses becomes more evident, but even in the beginning the reader can find careful criticism within the s
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Approximate Word count = 750
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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