THE USE OF HUMOUR TO OVERLOOK THE DARK REALITIES OF LIFE: A DRAMATIC STUDY IN SELECTED MODERN ENGLISH PLAYS

Abstract

Modern day dramatists have taken a big leap by using humour as the soul of their plays to lighten moods and make people to see the funny side of life in varied situations. Robert Askins, Laura Wade and Patrick Barlow have done exactly that. Through their plays, namely, Hand to God, The 39 Steps and Home, I’m Darling they have connected with the audiences in an emotional manner and emphasized the need of humour to survive the storms of life. Furthermore, the playwrights have endeavoured to arraign the beliefs held by people which are nothing but conventions that have been ingrained in the human consciousness – be it religion, family or simply living a life. Humour, is a serious art and the dramatists take it seriously to make the audiences overlook their anxieties and distresses through hearty laughter.