The object of a comedy is not to correct morals or ridicule the vices of society; no, a comedy should depict the discrepancies between life and purpose, should be the fruit of bitter indignation aroused by the degradation of human dignity, should be sarcasm, and not an epigram, convulsive laughter and not an amused grin, should be written with bile and not diluted salt, in a word, it should embrace life in its highest significance.
Interpretation
Comedy serves to highlight the discrepancies between life and purpose, rather than merely correcting morals or mocking society.
This quote by Vissarion Belinsky emphasizes that true comedy should aim to reveal and critique the contradictions in human existence and societal values. Rather than being a mere tool for ethical correction or light-hearted laughter, it should evoke a sense of profound indignation and deep reflection about the human condition, embracing both the absurdity and dignity of life.
In practice
During a comedy night, the host referenced Belinsky's view to remind comedians to focus on life’s deeper meanings.
Whereupon a strange euphoria came over me. Not only was I exiled, paralyzed, mute, half deaf, deprived of all pleasures, and reduced to the existence of a jellyfish, but I was also horrible to behold. There comes a time when the heaping up of calamities brings on uncontrollable nervous laughter - when, after a final blow from fate, we decide to treat it all as a joke.
You've got to be honest; if you can fake that, you've got it made.
If I was your wife Sir, I'd poison you! Madam, if you were my wife, I'd let you!
Here I am paying big money to you writers and what for? All you do is change the words.
The truth is, Pavlov's dog trained Pavlov to ring this bell just before the dog salivated.
But satire, ever moral, ever new, Delights the reader and instructs him, too. She, if good sense refine her sterling page, Oft shakes some rooted folly of the age.
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