Literary Term - Bathos

 

Literary Term

Bathos 

Bathos is a literary term used to describe an abrupt and jarring shift in tone or mood within a work of literature, often resulting in a descent from the sublime or serious to the trivial or absurd. This shift is typically unintentional and can create a humorous or anticlimactic effect.

Bathos is the opposite of pathos, which is a quality in literature that evokes strong emotions of pity or sadness. While pathos aims to create a deep emotional connection with the audience, bathos disrupts this emotional engagement by introducing something incongruous or out of place.

Example of bathos:

"The solemn funeral procession made its way through the town, with mourners weeping and the slow tolling of the church bells. Suddenly, a clown on a unicycle pedaled by, honking his horn and juggling bowling pins."

In this example, the serious and somber tone of the funeral procession is disrupted by the unexpected and comical appearance of the clown on a unicycle, creating a bathetic effect. Bathos is often used for comedic purposes, but it can also be seen as a flaw when it detracts from the intended emotional impact of a work.

Examples of Bathos in Literature

Bathos is a literary device that is often used for comedic effect or to create a sense of anticlimax.

 

Alexander Pope's "The Rape of the Lock":

In this mock-epic poem, Pope describes a trivial event, the cutting of a lady's hair, in a grand and heroic manner. However, he employs bathos when he describes the dire consequences of this act: "The Barba'rous' Names of ev'ry Fish he swore, / That swims the Sud'ring Stream and warty Moor; / The full-fraught Urn in aching Sorrow stood, / And nodding Turtles heav'd their Sighs for Wood."

The seriousness with which Pope treats this seemingly trivial event creates a humorous effect.

 

Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities":

In this novel, Dickens employs bathos when he describes the absurdity of the legal system of the time. He writes, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way." This grandiose description of the times is followed by the statement that "there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England."

The shift from the grand and philosophical to the mundane and specific is a classic example of bathos.

 

Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy":

Adams frequently uses bathos throughout his humorous science fiction series. For instance, he describes the Vogon spaceships, which are portrayed as enormous and terrifying, and then adds that they are "not only the most unpleasant race in the Galaxy, but also the most administratively incompetent."

This juxtaposition of grandiose descriptions with humorous and trivial details is a hallmark of Adams' writing style.

 

These examples illustrate how bathos is used in literature to create humor and irony by juxtaposing the serious with the trivial or absurd, often for satirical or comedic effect.

 

Function of Bathos

The function of bathos in literature serves several purposes:

Humor: Bathos is primarily used to elicit laughter and amuse the audience. The abrupt shift from a serious or grandiose tone to one that is trivial or absurd creates a comedic effect. It can make a reader or audience member find humor in the unexpected and incongruous nature of the juxtaposition.

Satire and Parody: Bathos can be a powerful tool for satire and parody. By highlighting the ridiculous or absurd aspects of a situation or character, authors can critique or mock certain elements of society, culture, or literature itself. It allows writers to point out the contrast between what is presented as important or profound and what is actually mundane or ridiculous.

Emotional Impact: In some cases, bathos can be used intentionally to create an emotional impact. By setting up an expectation of a serious or emotional moment and then subverting it with something trivial, authors can evoke a range of emotions in the reader, from surprise to amusement to even pathos if done skillfully.

Highlighting Themes: Bathos can draw attention to certain themes or ideas within a work. By contrasting the serious and the trivial, authors may emphasize the contrast between different aspects of life, society, or human nature. This can help convey deeper messages or themes in a story.

Breaking Tension: Bathos can be used as a tension breaker in a story that is becoming too intense or emotionally charged. By injecting humor or absurdity into a tense situation, authors can provide relief to the reader and prevent the narrative from becoming overwhelming.

Character Development: The use of bathos can reveal aspects of character. How a character responds to a bathetic situation can tell the reader a lot about their personality, values, and sense of humor.

In summary, bathos serves as a literary device that adds depth, humor, and complexity to literature. It can be a versatile tool for authors to achieve various effects and engage their audience in different ways, from creating laughter to conveying deeper messages and themes.