Final answer:
Comedy, as a literary and theatrical genre, is designed to entertain and amuse the audience, often through the use of exaggerated situations and characters. Comedic works, from ancient Greek plays by Aristophanes to Shakespearean comedies and modern situational comedies, serve as a reflection on society, highlighting and poking fun at human weaknesses and societal issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The definition of comedy articulated by scholars reflects its role as a genre in literature and theatre that centers on humor and societal reflection. Northrop Frye did not specifically define comedy; however, the concept of comedy as outlined relates to themes of entertainment, the characteristic commonness of characters involved, and the eventual positive resolution, typically symbolized by events such as weddings. Aristophanes, an ancient Greek playwright, is noted for his comedic works that were filled with satire and targeted at the political and social issues of his time, suggesting that comedy has always been a medium for reflecting on and critiquing societal norms.
Comedy serves to provoke laughter and enjoyment, often utilizing devices such as misunderstandings, physical humor, and mistaken identities, as demonstrated in the works of playwrights from Aristophanes to Shakespeare and modern writers. The humor in comedy stems from situations that are often ridiculous or exaggerated, and it may include elements such as situation comedy, in which the circumstances themselves provide the humor, as is seen in television sitcoms and plays like Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors. In this way, comedy serves as a form of social commentary, allowing audiences to laugh at the foibles and eccentricities of human behavior within a safe and structured environment. It humbles and comforts by showing the audience that they are not alone in their failures.