Comparison and Contrast of Two Comic Plays

Introduction

In our lives, during the period of academic life and sometimes just for the sake of pleasure we read a lot of books. In a book there are various characters that play their part in delivering the actual theme of the story to the readers. Different books have different themes and belong to different genre. The aim and purpose of this essay is also to undertake the discussion about the comparison and contrast of the two comic plays. For the purpose of this assignment the two comic plays that are chosen for the purpose of the comparison and contrast of are Lysistrata by Aristophanes and The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. The essay comapares the two comic plays on the basis of content, style, expressions and time period. “Different books have different themes and belong to different genre. The aim and purpose of this essay is also to undertake the discussion about the comparison and contrast of the two comic plays”

Meaning of humor

Humor is the middle ground between frivolity, for which almost nothing makes sense, and seriousness, for which all makes sense. The frivolous fun of all is dull and annoying, and often does not care to avoid hurting others with his humor. The serious thought to anything or anybody should be objects of ridicule never have anything funny to say and are uncomfortable if they make fun of him. It is a social virtue: we can be sad alone, but to laugh need the presence of others (Aristophanes, pp. 8).

Discussion

Lysistrata is a comedy of Aristophanes, written and taught in 411 BC. It is considered one of the oldest and most typical anti-war works. The case has to do with sex strike to preach the women of Athens and Sparta, so trying to convince their husbands to stop the Peloponnesian War (Aristophanes, pp. 27). The Importance of Being Earnest is a work of Oscar Wilde written in 1895. It is a comedy about the customs and the seriousness of society. It is divided into three or four acts (depending on the edition) and inspired by the book Engaged of William Gilbert (Christopher, pp. 38). This initial brief discussion about the two comic plays shows a number of similarities and differences between the two plays. The first and foremost difference between the two different plays is that both the plays made an attempt to ...