British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: Comedies
From cross-dressing in Twelfth Night to magical storms in The Tempest; from deception in Much Ado to biting satire in The Alchemist, discover the beauty and complexity of Shakespearean and Renaissance comedies.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Internet Classics Archive: "The Clouds" by Aristophanes
This site provides a complete text from the Internet Classics Archive of the play "The Clouds," by Aristophanes. This great satire mocks Socrates and other great learners.
British Library
British Library: Wilde's the Importance of Being Earnest: A Close Reading
In this lesson, students will consider several aspects of Oscar Wilde's most popular of comedies, "The Importance of Being Earnest". The success of this play is in part due to its examination of moral principles - in this case, the...
University of Victoria (Canada)
Internet Shakespeare Editions: "As You Like It"
Some background information for William Shakespeare's comedy "As You Like It." It discusses such topics as the Romantic comedy and satire, marriage, court life, love, and country life in the context of the play.
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: An Introduction to "She Stoops to Conquer"
Oliver Goldsmith published several critiques of audiences and playwrights before writing a laughing comedy that was the triumph of its season and that continues to be performed today. This article introduces "She Stoops to Conquer",...
New Advent
Catholic Encyclopedia: Ludovico Ariosto
This site gives a thorough biography of Ariosto. Please note that ?The Catholic Encyclopedia? is a historic reference source and should be viewed in the context of resource material dated around 1910.
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: Politics and Religion
The Civil Wars and the Restoration of the monarchy, the Enlightenment or 'Age of Reason', and British colonialism: investigate the political and religious contexts of Restoration and 18th-century literature.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Dick Gregory
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Dick Gregory, an African-American comedian, civil rights activist, and spokesman for health issues, who became nationally recognized in the 1960s for a biting brand of comedy that attacked...