High Comedy Allusions And Wordplay Analysis

“That’s really funny!” That phrase may bring back memories that are associated with happiness. High comedy comes in more forms than just sophisticated jokes, it also involves elements such as wit, wordplay, sarcasm, puns, hyperboles, and allusions. The two most important elements of high comedy allusions and wordplay are used by many comedians, television shows, and literature. Allusions and wordplay are important elements because they require the audience to think about what is said, keeping them engaged and amused. Through all of these examples, the universal truth of not judging a book by it’s cover is addressed. Allusions are used in a lot in modern literature. For instance, in the book Harry Potter: Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone, the three-headed dog is an allusion to the mythological creature, Cerberus in Greek mythology. This is an accurate reference because the mythological creature Cerberus, guards the underworld like the three-headed dog is protecting a chamber. Allusions can also be found in the media such as the show Family Guy, Stewie’s character says,”Redrum” as an allusion to the show The Shining. They use this allusion because they know their audience will most likely be familiar with the show and
understand that Stewie is obsessed with murder. Redrum=Murder which backwards was reflected in the mirror in the show The Shining. This helps the viewers understand Stewie’s character better. Although allusions are imperative, wordplay has a substantial role in the use of high comedy.
Wordplay invigorates the audience to understand what is being referenced. Examples of wordplay in literature include, William Shakespeare's Hamlet: “A little more than kin, and less than kind.” He is talking about his uncle, who is also now his step father. When he says “less than kind” this is ironic because his uncle is the one who murdered his father. Wordplay is used in most episode titles of the television show Charmed, especially puns that involve the words "witch," "charmed," etc., or the names of the characters. These pun based titles were successful because they informed the audience of what may happen next by forcing the audience to
think. The use of allusions and wordplay have been used in a great deal of literature and media. From Hamlet to Family Guy, the use of these important elements has impacted the meaning of high comedy. Next time you watch television or read a book, take some time to find these two important elements of high comedy.