Literary notes about Humorous (AI summary)
The term “humorous” in literature plays a multifaceted role, often serving to lighten a narrative, enrich character portrayal, or underscore the irony underlying serious themes. Authors employ it both as a descriptor of witty repartee—as seen when a character seeks a humorous reply [1]—and as a marker of creative excellence, when a work is celebrated for its humorous ingenuity [2]. It can signal a moment of comic relief or even be used to subtly critique social norms, such as the humorous deprecation of one’s own missteps [3] or the playful, almost imperceptible, humorous impudence shining in a character’s eyes [4]. This versatility allows humorous elements to coexist with gravity, from dramatic tragedies incorporating droll observations [5] to light, entertaining interludes that balance the overall tone of a narrative [6][7].
- " Nabendu made great efforts to smile, and find a humorous reply.
— from The Hungry Stones, and Other Stories by Rabindranath Tagore - It would have been strange indeed if he had not been proud of the most humorous creation in all fiction.
— from Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra - But now——” He shrugged his shoulders in humorous deprecation of the state of things which he had himself done so much to produce.
— from The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle - She started; till a humorous impudence sparkled in her eyes, and she spoke.
— from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy - This is the humorous side of the question—tragic humour: Paul again set up on a large scale precisely what Jesus had overthrown by His life.
— from The Will to Power: An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values. Book I and II by Nietzsche - This gratuitous contribution of a humorous character occasioned a fair amount of laughter among his entourage .
— from Ulysses by James Joyce - At this humorous feat he laughed outright.
— from The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
