Final answer:
Humour is characterized as "sudden glory" by Thomas Hobbes, reflecting the idea of gaining an unexpected advantage leading to laughter. Mary Douglas, among other scholars, has suggested that humor acts as a societal pressure valve. Various comedic devices, such as mistaken identities and satire of social norms, are used to create humor across different cultures and time periods.
Step-by-step explanation:
Humour is characterized as "sudden glory" by Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher known for his work in political ethics. Hobbes described humor as a form of "sudden glory" arising from the unexpected realization of an advantage over another person. This definition reflects the concept that humor often involves a surprising twist or revelation that leads to amusement. In analyzing humor, scholars like Mary Douglas have proposed that it serves as a release for thoughts and actions that could disrupt social norms, effectively diminishing the potential threat posed by such dangers through laughter and lightheartedness.
Throughout history, various comedic devices have been used to provoke laughter and entertain audiences. These devices include misunderstandings, the use of foul language, the violation of social hierarchy, coincidences, and extreme physicality, all of which can be observed across different cultural forms of comedy from ancient Greek plays to contemporary theatre. Well-known playwrights such as Aristophanes and Shakespeare have employed these comedic elements to great effect in their works. For instance, Shakespeare's "Comedy of Errors" relies heavily on mistaken identities to create humorous situations.
Additionally, the notion of humor as a reflection of societal values and norms can be seen in sub-genres of comedy such as the Comedy of Manners, which satirizes social customs, often highlighting the absurdities within the behaviors and expectations of the upper classes. This form of comedy gained significant popularity in the 19th century, with Oscar Wilde being one of the most notable authors of the genre.