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 Andre Breton in 1935. 1 Notable ExampleJonathan Swift's satirical writing, which Surrealist theorist Andre 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 Connections
Sources
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.
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