Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic

Name: Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic
Author: Henri Bergson

By Henri Bergson

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About This Book

The essay investigates what makes things comic, isolating a core element common to gestures, situations, words and characters. Bergson argues the laughable is strictly human, requires a detached observer and social resonance, and functions as a corrective social force. He analyzes comic effects as arising from rigidity or automatism interrupting living behavior—mechanical inelasticity imposed upon life—and shows how verbal misunderstandings, bodily attitudes, and character types produce laughter. Examples move from forms and movements to situations and character studies, concluding with reflections on the comic's relation to art and the imagination.

About the Author

Henri Bergson

Henri Bergson (1859-1941) was a French philosopher renowned for his influential ideas on time, consciousness, and evolution. His work is characterized by a unique blend of philosophical inquiry and scientific thought, challenging the mechanistic views of his time. Bergson's notable works include "Creative Evolution," where he explores the concept of life as a dynamic process, and "Time and Free Will," which examines the nature of human consciousness and perception of time. His philosophical contributions have had a lasting impact on various fields, including psychology, literature, and the arts, making him a pivotal figure in the development of modern thought.