SENTIMENTAL COMEDY.

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v SENTIMENTAL COMEDY.

Sentimental comedy is a genre of comedy that first appeared in the 18th century. It seeks an emotional response from the audience by emphasising the character's strengths and goodness rather than mocking their follies and vices.

It was a response to the restoration's well-known comedy of manners. Laughter and humour were utterly absent from this comedy, and grief took their place. Because comedy is largely about laughing, and this comedy is about sentiment, the sentimental comedy lacks the core essence of comedy.

In sentimental comedies, there was very little humour. They were frequently moralistic stories about a genuinely good person who suffered difficulties. Sentimental comedies aim to offer moral lessons to their audiences while also generating significant emotions in them. They also promoted the idea that persons are either naturally good or evil, with little variation.

During King Charles II's reign, England changed extremely. Social customs eased significantly, and an emphasis was placed on enjoying life's pleasures.

The majority of the sentimental comedies deal with family, marriage, and marital relations concerns. It is called comedy because it has Happy ending.

Lovers are often showed separated from each other by socioeconomic factors at the beginning, but brought together in the end.

The conscious lovers (1722) by Sir Richard Steele.

Bevil Junior, a wealthy young man, aspires to marry his beloved, Indiana, but is unable to do so due to her low social standing. Instead, he is betrothed to Lucinda, the daughter of a wealthy and respectable family. Bevil's best friend, Myrtle, is deeply in love with Lucinda, but he is unable to marry her due to his poor finances . They are not allowed to marry until their parents approve. One such scene occurs in the play when poor Indiana is reunited with her long-lost father, who also happens to be Lucinda's father. He had no idea he had a daughter from his previous marriage. Finally, the play finished on a cheerful note.

 

Characteristics of Sentimental Comedy.

1.     Themes of virtue versus sin

The natural goodness of the protagonist is opposed by the sinful path they take during the play.

2.     Moralistic in tone

It provided moral lectures in place of entertainment. These plays had a message behind them and were trying to teach people something.

3.     Emotional dimension

Sentimental comedies set out to invoke emotions in their audiences.

4.     It appeals our heart more than our mind.

5.     Laughter was replaced by pity or sadness.

6.     Full of imagination.

Writers associated with Sentimental Comedy.

Colley Cibbber

Sir Richard Steele

George Farquhar

Edward Moore

Hugh Kelly

 

Examples of Sentimental Comedy.

Love’s last shift (1696) by Colley Cibber.

The constant couple (1699) by George Farquhar.

The lying lover (1705) by Sir Richard Steele.

The conscious lovers (1722) by Richard Steele.

The foundling (1748) by Edward Moore.

The school for lovers (1762) by William Whitehead.