Classical Drama and Comedy

Aristotle delineated the classical appeals studied earlier: ethos, pathos, and logos. Aristotle also applied these terms specifically to drama:

Ethos appeals to the credibility of the protagonist or speaker and corresponds with a first-person perspective, the perspective of the author.
Pathos appeals to emotion and corresponds with the second person or the audience's perspective.
Logos appeals to logic and corresponds with the third person/logical perspective.

How do these elements relate to comedy? Developing and recognizing perspective in literature is crucial in understanding the dimensions of a text. Keep these classical appeals in mind while exploring the traits of classical comedy.

Reading Assignment: Distinctions Between Classical Comedy and Classical Tragedy Handout

Take a look at the following document that illustrates some of the major differences between classical tragedy and comedy. You may also download this handout if you would prefer to print it out.

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