Types of Comedy

Tragicomedy / Seriocomedy

A comedy with serious elements or overtones. Main plot is serious and might lead to catastrophe but ends happily for the protagonist.

Double Entendre

A double meaning, a pun that contains a word or phrase can be understood in two ways - one of those meanings could be interpreted to mean something risqué, crude, or improper

Burlesque

A parody that either treats a trivial or ridiculous subject (the "matter") in a serious, high-toned way (or "manner"), or by doing the opposite, treating a serious subject in a light or derogatory way. Horatian in manner, not meant to be too mean

Slapstick

Also called physical comedy. Its a boisterous form of comedy with chases, collisions and practical jokes where people just do silly things such as tripping, falling over or embarrassing themselves just to make people laugh. Noted comedian Charlie Chaplin who acted in the silent movies, used a lot of this comedy.

Caricature

An exaggerated parody, "over the top" portrayal of a person's mental, physical, or personality traits in wisecrack form. Can be insulting, complimentary, political or can be drawn solely for entertainment too. If it is crude, coarse, or bitter it might be called a lampoon.

Comedy of Manners / High Comedy

Contrived plot in which the artificialities of a sophisticated society are exposed and satirized. Characters are more important than plot. Its witty, cynical, and light.

Farce

It is a comedy style, which aims to entertain the audience by means of unlikely, improbable and extravagant situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humor of varying degrees of sophistication. It can include sexual innuendo and word play, or a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases, culminating in an ending that often involves an elaborate chase scene. Can also be characterized by physical humor and the use of deliberate absurdity or nonsense. Also categorized as melodrama.

Wit

Keen perception and the ability to express one's perceptions in a clever way denotes a kind of verbal or written expression which is brief, deft, and intentionally contrived to produce a shock of comic surprise

Juvenalian Satire

Named after the Roman satirist Juvenal (late 1st century - early 2nd century CE), is a type of satire that is more contemptuous and abrasive. It addresses social evil through scorn, outrage, and savage ridicule. This form is often pessimistic, characterized by irony, sarcasm, moral indignation and personal invective, with less emphasis on humour. Strongly polarized political satire.

Horatian Satire

Named for the Roman satirist, Horace (65 BCE - 8 BCE), playfully criticizes some social vice through gentle, mild, and light-hearted humour. It directs wit, exaggeration, and self-deprecating humour toward human folly rather than the evils of humanity. Its sympathetic, playful tone is common in modern society.

Travesty

Satirical parodies that are Juvenalian in nature (mean, biting) A work that treats a serious subject frivolously-- ridiculing the dignified. Often the tone is mock serious and heavy handed. Can be direct or more subtle.

Blunder

This is a genre of humor, which involves a character or a comedian making foolish mistakes, which seem humorous to others.

Gallows Humor

Type of humor which arises from traumatic or life-threatening situations such as wartime events, mass murder, hostilities or in other situations where death is impending and unavoidable. This genre is similar to black comedy but, the only difference is that the comedy is created by the victim.

Pun

Using different meaning of the same word or similar sounding words to make a "joke". Often utilize homonyms: words that are pronounced the same, but are spelled differently, and that have different meanings.

Satire

While not all of this type of comedy is humorous, it can be used for comedic effect. Human or individual vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to reprimand by means of ridicule, burlesque, derision, irony, or other methods. The purpose of this comedy is not primarily humor, but an attack on something or some subject the author strongly disapproves of.

Parody

defined as a work created to mock, comment on, or poke fun at an original work, its subject, or author, by means of humorous or satiric imitation, is nothing but a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, in a humorous way.

Irony

involves incongruity between what is expected and what occurs and hence is a popular type of humor. Its portrayed through words or actions to express something completely different from the literal meaning.

Black Humor/Dark Comedy

often refers to the juxtaposition of morbid and farcical elements to create a disturbing effect. Is a sub-genre of comedy and satire where grave topics like death, rape, murder, marital affair, human annihilation or domestic violence are treated in a satirical manner There is a thin line between black humor and vulgarity since it is based on taboo subjects like body parts, bodily functions, sex, religion, death, etc.