High comedy
High comedy is a type of humor that aims to be smart and refined. It often features witty dialogue, satire, wordplay, realistic characters, carefully planned plots, social commentary, or big intellectual themes. It usually centers on characters from higher social classes and can use a naturalistic acting style.
The humor in high comedy is subtle and may rely on things outside the text, so you might need some education or awareness to catch all the jokes. People who enjoy it are often more aware of the difference between high and low humor.
High comedy is the opposite of low comedy, which relies on broad silliness or physical humor. But many works mix elements of both styles, and there isn't a strict line between them.
A work can be considered high comedy and still include some low-comedy moments, used in a smart, ironic way. High comedy is often linked to high culture, but it is still meant to entertain.
Examples include The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde; the novels of Jane Austen; Don Quixote; Menander (an early example); Aristophanes (debated as high comedy); Molière; George Bernard Shaw; and Annie Hall.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 19:30 (CET).