Comedy: Developments in Criticism: A Casebook

by D.J. Palmer (Editor)

This volume is a companion to the Casebook on Tragedy. It presents critical statements relating to Comedy - its nature and different forms - ranging from classical times to the present day. Its main concern is with Comedy as a literary genre (notably in the drama but with reference also to fictional narrative) rather than witn psychological theories of laughter. The Editor's Introduction surveys the different traditions and developments of the genre.
The classical and medieval tradition is outlined in Part One. Part Two covers developments from the Renaissance to Meredith and Bergson. In Part Three modem critical standpoints are represented by Mikhail Bakhtin, Eric Bentley, F M Comford, R S Crane, Ian Donaldson, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Northrop Frye, Walter Kaiser, Susanne Langer and Elder Olson.

165 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973