Dramatic Foundations - Computers as Theatre - page 47

Comedy deals with “the ridiculous,” which Aristotle defi nes as a “mis-
take or deformity not productive of pain or harm to others” ( Poetics 1449a,
30-36). Its power is to deliver pleasure and laughter. Aristotle mentioned
that both comedy and tragedy “work” because “it is natural for all to de-
light in works of imitation.” He continued, “The explanation is to be found
in a further fact: to be learning something is the greatest of pleasures not
only to the philosopher but also to the rest of mankind, however small their
capacity for it; the reason of delight . . . is that one is at the same time learn-
ing—gathering the meaning of things. . . .” ( Poetics 1448b, 4-24)
Both tragedy and comedy, Aristotle asserted, had their origins in im-
provisation; comedy began with “phallic songs,” says Aristotle ( Poetics
1449a, 10-13). They probably began as village revels. People came in pro-
cessions through the countryside and other towns brandishing phallic icons
and hurling insults, a practice called fl eering (e.g., “your mother was a ham-
ster”). Eventually, over time, these comic performances earned a place in
the Festival of Dionysus. They were the ancestors of the great Greek Com-
edies such as those written by Aristophanes.
The Comic form throughout its evolution was disrespectful, taunting,
transgressive, and funny, meaning no serious harm. The great comedies of
the Greeks, as well as those of the Elizabethan and Restoration periods,
were wonderfully structured works of art that utilize the same causal pat-
terns and structural characteristics as great tragedies but for different pur-
poses, often with social and political referents. Aristophanes was a master
at this. Among his many political plays, we're probably most familiar with
Lysistrata . Performed in 411 BCE, the play protested the Peloponnesian War
by depicting a political movement among women to deny sex to their hus-
bands until they stop fi ghting. When we look now at transgressive and crit-
ical games, we see the descendants of Comedy in interactive form.
Melodrama as a form was not treated by Aristotle, but later scholars
(including my mentor, Professor Donald R. Glancy) describe it as a form
that is “seemingly serious” but which fails to rise to the level of moral and
ethical choice that is characteristic of tragedy. Its power is to arouse and
purge pity and terror. Terror is understood as an emotion that is intense
but transient. Most often, characters in melodrama evoke sympathy (feel-
ing with —that's awful for you and I'm glad it's not happening to me), but
not empathy (feeling into —that could be me ).
In summary, drama is not equivalent to tragedy. It exists in several
forms—tragedy, comedy, melodrama, and various mash-ups.