Comicotragedy

/ˌkɒmɪkoʊˈtrædʒədi/ noun

Definition

A dramatic work or situation that blends both comic and tragic elements, where funny and sad moments coexist.

Etymology

Compound of 'comic' (Greek 'komikos') and 'tragedy' (Greek 'tragodia,' literally 'goat-song'). This follows the pattern of 'tragicomedy,' blending two opposite dramatic modes.

Kelly Says

Shakespeare was a master of comicotragedy—'Hamlet' has hilarious scenes with gravediggers right alongside murder and madness. Life itself is comicotragic: we laugh and cry about the same things, sometimes in the same moment, which is why the greatest stories feel true to real experience.

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