The concept of comedy is used with various senses in our language, although the most widespread and common uses turn out to be those that call, on the one hand, the dramatic work whose history deals with humorous aspects and issues and that normally have a happy ending. end; and to the dramatic genre to which the works with the aforementioned characteristics belong.
Origin in classical Greece
We understand comedy to be those forms of discourse that are based on humor, irony or amusement. Comedy is, along with tragedy, one of the two dramatic forms that the ancient Greeks developed and that have remained in force to this day.
So many centuries ago, in Classical Greece where they arose with such repercussion, they were represented in the theater but today, both comedy and drama can be represented both in theater and in cinema, on radio or television and are clearly opposed to each other since tragedy represents sad and dramatic situations or circumstances, while as we have already seen, comedy is the opposite, it bets on the representation of funny and funny situations so that the public can have fun; in drama the focus is on the emotion of the audience, many even come to tears because of the shock it causes them.
Whereas in Ancient Greece comedy was not only a space for the amusement or entertainment of the citizens of the polis but it was a means through which criticism and mockery of political issues were made clear, today the Comedy is much less influential and, except for a few cases, has more general objectives than simply political ones. Today you can find romantic comedies, action comedies, comedies without too many pretensions, etc.
Characteristics
In general, in comedy works, whatever the space in which they are represented, there are usually characters who go through absurd and hilarious situations. These scenes, being so different from those in real life, serve as triggers to create dialogues and also absurd and comic speeches that are usually intended for a certain type of audience and that seek to find identification or approval in it.
The central character or the main characters of a comedy are usually archetypes, that is, they represent stereotyped situations and their characteristics are also, for example, the stingy, the liar, the ladyboy, the one who uses fine irony, among others. All these actions will be exaggerated so that the viewer or reader has fun with them and obviously can also identify with some, why not?
Sitcoms, a hit today
Throughout history the notion of comedy has varied a lot and nowadays it has become especially popular in programs known as sitcoms or 'sitcoms' that normally revolve around themes such as family relationships, love affairs, work, conflicts and different kinds of difficulties in everyday life. These sitcoms are particularly popular and successful in the United States and hence consumed in the rest of the world.
These sitcoms or sitcoms are broadcast exclusively on TV, in episodes or chapters, with a daily or weekly periodicity and their themes are developed with the same characters and in the same places, although they usually introduce space modifications in some chapters and include special participations of recognized actors.
They are called that way because their salient feature is the inclusion of live or recorded laughter, which is heard in each humorous punch line of the characters.
They emerged in the sixties of the last century and today they are still hyper valid.
Comic fact
But we had raised at the beginning that the concept allowed other uses that come from its main definition and so it is that in common language we usually use it to account for that funny or comic event that occurs in some context and that as such causes grace and fun to those who contemplate it.
Synonym of farce
On the other hand, the concept is often used as a synonym for sham or pretense. "His run for president of the club was a comedy."
