Tasneem Hossain | Bangladesh

When was the last time you laughed wholeheartedly?

How do you feel after laughing? I believe this question itself has prompted some of you to smile. It does feel good to smile-right? It brings a kind of satisfaction, a sense of relief – doesn’t it?

Today, 3 May 2024, is World Laughter Day.

Few of us realize how valuable laughter is.

That’s what World Laughter Day is for! It’s a day of great significance to promote awareness about the numerous benefits of laughter and its healing benefits. Thousands of community groups in most large cities around the world, regularly, practice comedy inducing laughter that promotes our wellness and overall well-being.

Though World Laughter Day is celebrated worldwide, it has its origins in India. Dr Madan Kataria, a Mumbai-based doctor, was studying the effects of facial expressions on mood. He realized the positive effects of laughter and smile on the body. So he founded the Laughter Yoga Movement in 1995 to create awareness of these positive effects. Later, to spread the message to the world, he created World Laughter Day in 1998. The first World Laughter Day was observed in Mumbai on May 10. The day is an annual celebration held on the first Sunday of May, and this year it falls on May 3 worldwide. This Day has since been observed in creative and enjoyable ways worldwide. Thanks to the internet!

Laughter is normally an involuntary reflex, but it can also be a conscious action that we can employ to enjoy its mental and physical benefits. Dr. Kataria, interestingly, points out that there is no difference between pretended laughter and real laughter for the body, as long as the laughter is deep.

Laughter yoga isn’t about thinking of something funny but it’s a combination of laughter exercises with breathing techniques which like other types of yoga supports our physical and mental well-being. It helps intake of oxygen in our body and brain. A fifteen minute of this combined exercise can reduce stress and make our immune systems stronger. The physical and health benefits can be felt, after regularly attending these exercises.

In different parts of the world, community groups regularly practice simple laughter techniques to promote wellness and overall well-being. These community groups are known as Laughter Clubs.

For over 26 years, thousands of people from more than 120 countries get together and celebrate World Laughter Day. The Day is celebrated by laughter club members, their families and friends assembling together in city squares, public parks, beaches, or even online to laugh.  There are a variety of music and dance programs and laughter contests. The Day can be celebrated by anyone, but it’s mostly observed in cities where large groups of people gather to laugh and bond together and spread joy. Laughter is a universal language. The power of laughter can unite us and help overcome many obstacles.

The day promotes global consciousness of fellowship and friendship through laughter – a positive manifestation of world peace. Laughter club members participate in peace marches, carrying banners and placards written “World Peace Through Laughter,” “The Whole World Is An Extended Family” etc.

“Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.” — Lord Byron

There are a number of health benefits associated with laughing:

• First of all laughter helps us connect with those we’re laughing with and creates a bond of friendship. It can also help form bonds with strangers and facilitate positive communication.
• Releases endorphins (happiness hormone) which are natural painkillers within our bodies and can ease chronic pain. In addition, the brain releases a balanced level of dopamine, which causes feelings of happiness.
• Reduces the level of stress hormones;
• Boosts T-cells, a type of white blood cell in the immune system. When activated these help protect the body from infections and may help fight cancer.
• Helps intake of oxygen which is good for the lungs and heart.
• Regulates the heart rate improving heart function and reducing blood pressure.
• Helps increase blood flow and improves the function of blood vessels, Lowers blood pressure which in turn can reduce the risk of a heart attack or a stroke.
• Tones abs as it makes the muscles in the tummy to expand and contract.
• Helps burn about 40 calories (laughing for 10-15 minutes) -specially recommended for those who are unable to do physical activities because of illness or injury.
• Helps in social interactions by creating a more comfortable and relaxed environment.

The neurologist Sigmund Freud also stressed on the importance of laughter. He opined that it releases suppressed emotions resulting from stress or nervousness.

One of the best examples of the positive physical effects came from Professor Norman Cousins, a famous 20th-century writer.  He was diagnosed with a serious illness in his late forties. He moved with difficulty and suffered from constant pain. He was told that he had a limited time to live. He thought if stress or negative emotions can cause illness, then maybe positive emotions can help in getting better. He started watching comedy films on his sick bed. Daily laughter became a part of his daily life. Along with laughter, he started taking high doses of Vitamin C. Amazingly, within six months he recovered well, and within two years he started to work.

Though laughter has many benefits, it should be remembered that sometimes we may be struggling with medical conditions like anxiety, depression, suicidal tendencies or trauma which require professional assistance.  Don’t neglect. Laughter isn’t an alternative to physical, psychological or psychiatric care. Immediately, consult a health professional.

Life isn’t a bed of roses. There are certain times when we are struck with grief or sadness. Acknowledge those. Give some time to yourselves. But remember prolonged periods of grief or sadness can have a negative impact on us. Laughter gives us the impetus to lighten and improve our mood.  Watch a comedy movie; get together with friends or family and have a fun time: Laugh, share jokes and move on with a healthy and productive life full of positivity.

Laughter is good for the soul and body. It may not solve critical conditions, but it does make us feel better.

“I am especially glad of the divine gift of laughter: it has made the world human and lovable, despite all its pain and wrong.” — W.E.B. Du Bois

World Laughter Day is a good time to start adopting wellness strategies in our homes, classrooms, offices and communities. We should also incorporate these into our daily lives to ensure that we benefit physically and mentally from all that laughter brings.

“A day without laughing is a day wasted” – Charlie Chaplin

So, let’s share some jokes, go to a comedy show with friends, watch a funny movie, have some fun and spread some joy throughout our communities on World Laughter Day.

“I have not seen anyone dying of laughter, but I know millions who are dying because they are not laughing.” — Dr. Madan Kataria

In stressful situations, take a deep breath, smile and laugh. Take every opportunity to laugh as it aids to cope with stress and makes us feel positive about life.

Most of us take ourselves too seriously! Take this opportunity today to learn to laugh at yourself too.

We have all heard that laughter is the best medicine. Is it?

It may not be the best medicine but it does work as balm to the human body and soul. Laugh and enjoy the world around you.

Life is for the living -smile and laugh your way through this journey.

First published on bdnews24.com

Read: Self- Care: A Holistic Approach

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Tasneem Hossain is a multilingual poet, columnist, op-ed and fiction writer, educator, translator, and training consultant. She writes poems in English, Urdu, and Bengali. As an op-ed writer, she has authored over 130 articles. Her articles deal with day to day life events and deals with personal development issues; and creates awareness about social and human rights issues. Several of her articles and poems are utilized as teaching material in universities and academies across various countries; some have been referenced in university research papers by academics. She is author of three poetry collections—Grass in Green, The Pearl Necklace, and Floating Feather and a book of articles ‘Split and Splice’, she also leads an international poetry project and group called Life in Lyrics. Additionally, four more books are currently in progress

The post Laughter is the best medicine first appeared on Sindh Courier.

• It intertwines humor, social critique, and narrative structure, engaging audiences both emotionally and intellectually.

Souad Khalil | Libya

Comedy is often perceived merely as a source of laughter, yet its nature is far more complex and nuanced. Throughout history, from ancient Greek theater to modern dramatic forms, comedy has served not only to amuse but also to provoke reflection, reveal social contradictions, and explore human behavior.

The term “comedy” itself has evolved over time. In medieval usage, as noted by scholars, it signified harmony, reconciliation, and resolution rather than mere wit or boisterous amusement. Even in contemporary contexts, comedy encompasses both laughter and a narrative drive toward resolution and unity, highlighting the interplay between humor and deeper human insights.

This article examines the multifaceted dimensions of comedy, exploring its historical development, its theoretical foundations, and its enduring role in literature and theater as a vehicle for both entertainment and cultural reflection.

Comedy—also known as ‘Comedia’ in its second technical term—derives from the Greek word ‘komos’, meaning noisy merriment, associated with the Dionysian festival procession. Comedy, as one of the two main genres in dramatic art, encompasses various forms of humor across ages, spirits, and personality traits, such as farce, amusement, jig, burlesque, and others. However, the precise dividing line between comedy and other dramatic forms cannot be definitively established, as technical elements often overlap among different genres.

A purely comedic play, meaning one without musical or lyrical interludes, consists of verbal and action-based material crafted in a special theatrical style. Its purpose, during performance, is to generate a general atmosphere of cheer that elicits the audience’s delight, smiles, or laughter. Consequently, it provides a cathartic effect, releasing sorrow, anxiety, despair, or frustration. In comedic plots, one does not encounter catastrophic or tragic scenes that distress the viewer. Characters, with their frustrations and contradictions in behavior, speech, actions, and appearance, primarily engage the audience’s playful side rather than the serious, profound one. Ultimately, all events conclude happily.

Dr. Johnson defined comedy as a theatrical representation of human life intended to evoke joy in the spectator. Aristotle, on the other hand, devoted no specific treatise to comedy, though he made brief references to it in Chapters Four and Five of his Poetics. Just as tragedy, in his view, originated spontaneously through leaders of dithyrambic choruses, comedy emerged under the guidance of leaders of phallic choruses—a point clarified by Dr. Ibrahim Hamadeh in his ‘Dictionary of Dramatic Terms’.

In ‘The Theory of Comedy’, by T.H. Nelson (translated by Mary Edward Nasif), numerous examples are analyzed and evaluated regarding comedy and laughter, both supporting and challenging these concepts. What, then, is the meaning of comedy? Many often understand comedy simply as something that provokes laughter, but this is inaccurate. In the middle Ages, as Neville Coghill noted, the term ‘comedy’ implied reconciliation and accord, rather than wit, quickness, or noisy mirth. Most comedies of that period began with an obstacle to happiness, ultimately resolving all difficulties. This conception persisted during the Renaissance, reminiscent of John Harington’s description of an innocent lady narrowly escaping execution for adultery, which he considered amusing—not for its humor, but for her ability to avoid disaster.

In this context, Philip Sidney and Ben Jonson warned against limiting comedy merely to laughter, even as they valued and appreciated humor and amusing others. The author distinguishes two evolving concepts of comedy: the first, widespread over time, associates comedy with laughter; the second, prevalent in the Middle Ages, emphasizes movement toward reconciliation, accord, and happiness. These two concepts often conflict, as laughter is typically linked to conflict, hatred, and vengeance, disrupting harmony rather than reinforcing it.

The psychoanalyst Charles Morgan observed contradictory notions in comedy: the drive toward reconciliation responds to human longing (e.g., the desire to restore a lost mother), while laughter arising from ridicule expresses a desire to triumph over a repressive authority figure. Yet, this is not meant as a reaction to psychoanalytic theory in general. Often, tension exists between elements of satire, challenge, and irreverence in any comedy, and the narrative trajectory toward harmony

This book contains 269 pages of studies, testimonies, comparisons, and analyzed examples. I have selected some summarized pages on comedy and its traditional and modern concepts.

One of the first observations about laughter is its problematic nature. Freud, who emphasized the importance of laughter for humans, noted the prevalence and superiority of aggressive and satirical jokes over non-satirical ones. When we laugh, it is usually directed at a person or a particular situation. As Neil observed in Beckett’s play ‘Endgame’, laughter often arises from fear or unhappiness. People seem to enjoy laughing at the misfortunes of others or at their deformities, especially physical impairments.

The English philosopher Bernard Mandeville, in the eighteenth century, described the human reaction to others’ misfortunes:

“In the face of disasters, we either laugh at others or pity them, depending on our feelings toward them—whether scorn or compassion. If a man falls and suffers a minor injury without affecting us, we usually laugh. This triggers alternating feelings of pity and scorn, as we apologize for our laughter, laugh again, and repeat the cycle.”

Thus, in the same situation, conflicting emotions blend: one may feel both compassion and ridicule. Many plays and films provide examples where satire and empathy coexist. After discussing some theories of laughter and its relation to controversial topics, two essential questions arise:

1. Why do we need theories of laughter and comedy?
2. Do laughter and comedy conform to theories, or are they diverse and resistant to strict theorization?

Shakespearean critic L.C. Knights argues that the comprehensiveness and solidity of literary production determine the value and quality of comedy. The methodology of comedy requires detailed explanation and analysis. Therefore, theories of comedy primarily aim for entertainment and amusement. As Redfern notes, the only generalization when discussing comedy is that laughter is one of three phenomena that capture human attention, the others being sneezing and sexual arousal.

A second issue arises from discussing laughter seriously, which often leads to analyses inconsistent with the playful nature of laughter. It is difficult to explain all instances of laughter and comedy through a single theory. Some recurring forms appear in commercial theatre, which Knights considers good comedy. For example, he analyzes the interaction between ‘commedia dell’arte’ (improvised comedy) and ‘commedia erudita’ (literary comedy) in Renaissance Italy, noting also the influence of music and silent cinema on Beckett and Queneau. These examples demonstrate the close relationship between theory and practice.

In Chapter Two, M.H. Abrams observes that the term “comedy” is applied primarily to plays, despite comical elements in poetry and prose. Since drama is the primary context for comedy, it is central to the history of written humorous literature, beginning in fifth-century BCE Athens. These dramatic comedies, written by Aristophanes, competed with other playwrights, and their works quickly faded from prominence. Aristophanes’ plays were characterized by structural plotlines, lively contemporary language, and remarkable humorous, ribald, and politically satirical scenes.

Thus, the term “comedy” or “farce” has been associated since ancient times with satire and laughter. Modern comedy, as explained in the book, primarily relies on written texts, rather than improvisation. Improvised comedy (commedia dell’arte), which flourished in Italy during the 16th and 17th centuries, is a prominent form of comedy, focusing mainly on contemporary comedic forms. Hence, the terms modern comedy and ancient comedy correspond, as do ‘commedia dell’arte’ and literary comedy (commedia erudita). Literary comedy traces its roots to Plautus and Terence, while ‘commedia dell’arte’ often borrowed dramatic plots from literary comedy.

Returning to the beginning, comedy involves two contrasting elements: laughter (often involving satire and discord) and the narrative movement toward a harmonious, joyful conclusion. Defining “comedy” precisely remains difficult. Umberto Eco explains that anyone attempting to define comedy from antiquity through Freud or Bergson concluded it is a broad term encompassing diverse, sometimes contradictory phenomena, including amusement, comedy, grotesque, parody, satire, wit, and more.

Laughter and the movement toward cohesion and consistency are central to comedy. These elements may conflict, with some works emphasizing one over the other. Eco suggests that any work containing these two fundamental comedic elements deserves study and reflection. Certain forms, such as behavioral farce and satire, fall under the broader concept of comedy.

Satire resembles comedy in its aim to amuse the audience. However, satire addresses topics or lessons that critique its audience. For instance, some works satirized apostate Hebrews with vivid imagery and sophisticated style, combining humor with moral and social commentary. Some theorists view comedy as an integral part of satire, functioning to educate and reform.

When observing a comedic work, one challenge is distinguishing which humorous elements are to be taken seriously and which are for laughter. The author draws on numerous examples and plays, summarizing content from the first and second chapters. The book contains fourteen chapters; the final chapter focuses on laughter and harmony, highlighting the tension in comedy between laughter (which can be destructive) and the narrative drive toward reconciliation, harmony, and acceptance of the surrounding world.

Bergson argues that laughter arising from ridicule and scorn affects social coexistence, contributing to adaptation and integration into society. Despite its harshness, the comedic character being mocked has lost flexibility and adaptability. Positive aspects of laughter are recognized, even with its cruelty.

In conclusion, comedy, while provoking laughter and satire, ultimately evokes amusement or sympathy, illustrating its dual nature.

Comedy, far from being merely a source of laughter, is a complex artistic and cultural phenomenon. It intertwines humor, social critique, and narrative structure, engaging audiences both emotionally and intellectually. Whether through satire, farce, or literary comedy, it illuminates human contradictions, fosters reflection, and offers a path toward reconciliation and harmony.

As discussed, laughter in comedy can both entertain and challenge, provoking responses ranging from amusement to empathy, from critique to insight. The enduring value of comedy lies not only in its capacity to amuse but also in its ability to reveal deeper truths about human nature and society. Thus, the study of comedy enriches our understanding of literature, theater, and the intricate interplay between humor, narrative, and human experience.

References:

The Theory of Comedy in Literature and Theatre, T.H.A. Nelson

Dictionary of Dramatic Terms, Dr. Ibrahim Hamadeh

Read: Bakhtin: Ideology and Language

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Souad Khalil, hailing from Libya, is a writer, poet, and translator. She has been writing on culture, literature and other general topics.

The post Does Comedy Mean Laughter? first appeared on Sindh Courier.