Comparative Literature 231 - Comedy

Comedy is ambivalent: it can serve as a tool to challenge the status quo (for instance, in the form of satire) but it can also reinforce existing power structures (for example, by making fun of marginalized groups). In this course, we will reflect precisely on comedy?s socio-political significance, by focusing on categories such as class, gender, and race, as well as on non-Anglophone literary traditions. Course materials may include a wide range of genres and media (plays, short stories, films, and videos). (Gen. Ed. AL)