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Types of Social Comedy
Hardcover
Literary CriticismPlay Anthologies
ISBN13: 9781026056110
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 760
Weight: 2.71
Height: 1.56 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Types of Social Comedy offers a comprehensive examination of one of the most enduring genres in dramatic literature. Edited by Robert Metcalf Smith, this collection brings together a diverse array of plays that exemplify the comedy of manners and the sharp-witted satire of societal conventions. The work explores how playwrights throughout history have utilized the stage to mirror and critique the fashions, foibles, and hierarchies of their times.
This volume highlights the technical and thematic variety within social comedy, from the biting irony of classic satire to the sophisticated dialogue of high society dramas. By focusing on the structural elements of the genre, the book demonstrates how humor serves as a potent tool for social commentary, revealing the absurdities of human behavior and the rigidity of class structures. Types of Social Comedy is an invaluable resource for students of drama, theater practitioners, and any reader interested in the evolution of theatrical wit. It captures the essence of plays that continue to resonate for their insightful observations of the human condition and the complex dance of social interaction.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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