Literary
Term
Black Humor
Imagine
you're reading a book or watching a play, and suddenly, there's this unique
kind of humor called black humor. It's like a secret weapon writers use to talk
about things that are usually considered too sensitive or taboo, all while
making you laugh. According to the Cambridge dictionary, it's a way of not
taking serious stuff too seriously.
Even
in the face of serious, even grim situations, black humor swoops in to lighten
the mood. It's a tool writers use to dive deep into important issues, making
you think hard and maybe feel a bit uneasy.
In
the world of literature, especially in tragic stories, black humor is like a
sidekick. It kind of turns a heavy and intense moment into something a bit more
bearable. Even though it's there to make you chuckle, it's not just for laughs;
it actually helps move the story along.
Now,
breaking down the name itself, "black humor" is a combo of
"black" and "humor." Basically, it's humor that's a little
dark and edgy. People also call it black comedy, dark comedy, or even gallows
humor. So, next time you stumble upon a twisted joke or a funny moment in the
midst of something serious, you might just be experiencing a dose of black
humor.
Examples
from Literature
“Billy
is spastic in time, has no control over where he is going next, and the trips
aren’t necessarily fun. He is in a constant state of stage fright, he says,
because he never knows what part of his life he is going to have to act in
next.”
(Kurt
Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five, Chapter 2)
These
words are from the second chapter of Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. The
author talks about how the main character, Billy Pilgrim, never really had
control over his life. The chaos of war messed with Billy's head and messed up
the normal flow of his life. Billy believes he's already lived through all the
important moments of his life. His thoughts about planets and life and death
have a big impact on how he lives. This description adds a touch of dark humor
to the story and helps highlight the novel's anti-war message.
“They’re
trying to kill me,” Yossarian told him calmly.
No
one’s trying to kill you,” Clevinger cried.
Then
why are they shooting at me?” Yossarian asked.
They’re
shooting at everyone,” Clevinger answered. “They’re trying to kill everyone.”
And
what difference does that make?”
(Catch-22
by Joseph Heller, Chapter- 22)
In
chapter twenty-two of Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, Yossarian, the main character,
is sharing his worries with his friend. Yossarian believes that everyone is out
to get him, but his friend Clevenger sees death as a normal part of being in a
war. To Clevenger, death is just a fact of life during wartime, and he thinks
it's not something to be overly concerned about. So, he jokes that they're not
trying to kill Yossarian specifically; they're after everyone. It's a kind of
humor in the story, providing readers with a lighter moment when the overall
tone gets too serious and tragic.
“Since
she happened to be clutching the long broom, she tried to tickle him from the
door way. This had no effect, and so she grew annoyed and began poking Gregor.
It was only upon shoving him from his place but meeting no resistance that she
became alert. When the true state of affairs now dawned on the charwomen, her
eyes bulged with amazement and she whistled to herself. But instead of dawdling
there, she yanked the bedroom door open and hollered into the darkness; “Go and
look it’s croaked; it’s lying there absolutely crooked.”
(The
Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka)
Towards
the end of the story "Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka, there's a part
that talks about the attitude of the woman hired by Gregor's family to clean
his room. This is after the shocking event of Gregor's death. In these lines,
the term "crooked" is used to describe Gregor's death, adding a touch
of dark humor to the situation. The narrator tells the sad story of Gregor in a
strange and absurd way. Ironically, Gregor's death brings relief to his family
and highlights that his transformation was necessary to change their
circumstances. This incident introduces dark humor by portraying the death of a
family member as if he were really an insect.
“ESTRAGON
Let’s
go.
VLADIMIR
We
can’t.
ESTRAGON
Why
not?
VLADIMIR
We’re
waiting for Godot.”
(Waiting
for Godot by Samuel Becket, Act- I Scene-II, Lines 91-94)
In
this funny part of the play "Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Beckett,
there are two characters chatting about this mysterious guy named Godot they're
waiting for. The lines reveal how this never-ending wait stops them from making
their own decisions. Vladimir is so determined that he won't budge until he
finally meets Godot. It's a kind of dark humor that lets the audience glimpse
their struggles and maybe even chuckle a bit at the absurdity of it all.
Functions of Black Humour
Black
humor is like a breather for the audience after some intense and serious
moments—it's a bit like comic relief. It's a way to mix laughter with a touch
of discomfort. Essentially, black humor comes in to lighten the mood after a
heavy and serious scene, making the subject a bit less intense. For instance,
think about discussions of death in something like Catch-22 or the silliness of
a really serious situation, where people's fates are in someone else's hands,
but it's turned into a common and absurd scenario, like in Waiting for Godot.
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