Literary notes about Comical (AI summary)
The word "comical" in literature functions as a versatile tool to evoke humor and underscore the absurd or exaggerated aspects of a situation or character. It may describe a physical appearance or expression that borders on the ridiculous, eliciting laughter through its visual incongruity ([1], [2]), or highlight situations that mix earnest intent with an unexpected twist, thereby lightening otherwise serious narratives ([3], [4]). Additionally, authors employ "comical" to comment on societal norms, presenting human idiosyncrasies and contradictions in a way that both amuses and enlightens the reader ([5], [6]). Across various contexts—from round, jovial characters to humorous contrasts in tone—the term enriches literary works by creating moments that are both entertaining and thought-provoking ([7], [8]).
- He was the most comical-looking creature that can be imagined.
— from The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain - His little bald head quivered, imparting a comical vibration to the wisp of white goatee.
— from The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale by Joseph Conrad - But at length all the past night’s events soberly recurred, one by one, in fixed reality, and then I lay only alive to the comical predicament.
— from Moby Dick; Or, The Whale by Herman Melville - This was done and said with a comical mixture of jest and earnest, and, leading to a great amount of laughter, made them very merry indeed.
— from Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens - In fact, man is a comical creature; there seems to be a kind of jest in it all.
— from Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky - She saw Benoist, who looked to her very comical.
— from Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant by Guy de Maupassant - Mr. Weller paused when he arrived at this point, and cast a comical look at his master out of the corners of his eyes.
— from The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens - I've just got into the habit of giving things a comical twist if I can, when I'm writing to Jem and Walter and Ken, to make them laugh.
— from Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery
