Artist's rendering of Mark Twain. (Image courtesy of America's Library.)
Instructor(s)
Wyn Kelley
MIT Course Number
21L.421
As Taught In
Spring 2008
Level
Undergraduate
Course Description
Course Features
Course Description
This course looks at comedy in drama, novels, and films from Classical Greece to the twentieth century. Focusing on examples from Aristophanes, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Molière, Wilde, Chaplin, and Billy Wilder, along with theoretical contexts, the class examines comedy as a transgressive mode with revolutionary social and political implications. This is a Communications Intensive (CI) class with emphasis on discussion, and frequent, short essays.
