Black comedy, also known as dark humor, black humor, bleak comedy, dark comedy, gallows humor or morbid humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discuss, aiming to provoke discomfort, serious thought, and amusement for its audience.
Facts
Place of OriginLiterary critics trace the mode as far back as the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes; the modern French term humour noir was coined by André Breton in 1935. 1 Notable ExampleJonathan Swift's satirical writing, which Surrealist theorist André Breton drew on in 1935 when he coined the term black humor (French humour noir). 1 Defining TraitComedy that makes light of subject matter generally considered taboo or normally serious and painful, aiming to provoke discomfort, serious thought and amusement together; also called dark humor, black humor, bleak comedy, dark comedy, gallows humor or morbid humor. 1 Black Comedy
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1. Black Comedy (Wikipedia, Dark humor)
Wikimedia FoundationLead paragraph, first sentence
Dark humor, also known as black comedy, black humor, bleak comedy, dark comedy, gallows humor or morbid humor is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discuss, aiming to provoke discomfort, serious thought, and amusement for their audience.
Etymology section, on Andre Breton and Jonathan Swift
The term black humor (from the French humour noir) was coined by the Surrealist theorist André Breton in 1935 while interpreting the writings of Jonathan Swift.
Lead paragraph, on Aristophanes
Literary critics have associated black comedy and black humor with authors as early as the ancient Greeks with Aristophanes.
In Group: Comic Drama Forms, Lead section
Dark humor, also known as black comedy, black humor, bleak comedy, dark comedy, gallows humor or morbid humor is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discuss, aiming to provoke discomfort, serious thought, and amusement for their audience.
View the Source Wikipedia: A Confederacy of Dunces
WikipediaFeatures Author: A Confederacy of Dunces, Infobox, genre fieldQuote, Features Author: A Confederacy of Dunces, Infobox, genre field
Genre: Black comedy, tragicomedy
View the Source A Clockwork Orange (novel) (Wikipedia)
Features Author: A Clockwork Orange, Infobox, genre fieldQuote, Features Author: A Clockwork Orange, Infobox, genre field
Genre: Science fiction, dystopian fiction, satire, black comedy
View the Source Wikipedia: Joseph Heller
Features Author: Joseph Heller, Infobox, genre fieldQuote, Features Author: Joseph Heller, Infobox, genre field
Genre: Satire, black comedy
View the Source The Good Soldier Svejk (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationFeatures Author: The Good Soldier Švejk, Infobox: genreQuote, Features Author: The Good Soldier Švejk, Infobox: genre
Satire, black comedy
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