'Essay on the Theatre; or, A Comparison Between Laughing and Sentimental Comedy'

Essay on Theatre; or, A Comparison Between Laughing and Sentimental Comedy'

Description

Oliver Goldsmith published ‘An Essay on the Theatre; or, A Comparison between Laughing and Sentimental Comedy’ in the first edition of The Westminster Magazine, in January 1773.

The essay sets out Goldsmith’s argument that the fashion for sentimental comedy or, as he terms it, ‘bastard tragedy’ (p. 6), was killing off laughter among audiences. Laughter, he believed, was the true purpose of theatrical comedy. The crucial question he puts to the reader and critic is ‘whether the exhibition of human distress is likely to afford the mind more entertainment than that of human absurdity?’ (p. 4). Sentimental comedies – which are rarely read and performed today – drew on aspects of tragedy and presented noble, ‘good, and exceedingly generous’ characters who elicited audiences’ sympathy. Goldsmith found the genre tedious and wanted to offer audiences pure, unruly and well-written comic entertainment.

Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer was staged two months later in London. The timely appearance of ‘An Essay on the Theatre’ may have been a strategic move by Goldsmith to smooth the way for his play, which eschewed the sentimental and self-identified as a laughing comedy.

Full title:

The Westminster magazine; London Vol. 1, Iss. 1, (Jan 1773)

Published:

Jan 1773, London

Format:

Magazine

Creator:

Oliver Goldsmith

Usage terms

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Held by

ProQuest

Shelfmark:

The Westminster magazine; London Vol. 1, Iss. 1, (Jan 1773): 4-6.

This item is featured in:

Discovering Literature: Restoration & 18th century

An introduction to 18th-century British theatre

Article by:: Andrew Dickson
Theme:: Theatre and entertainment

Andrew Dickson charts the growth of 18th-century theatre, looking at the new venues, stage technology, audiences, playwrights and great actors of the age.

An introduction to She Stoops to Conquer

Article by:: Diane Maybank
Themes:: Politeness, sensibility and sentimentalism, Theatre and entertainment, Gender and sexuality

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. Diane Maybank introduces She Stoops to Conquer, which uses satire to explore divisions between city and countryside, men and women, and rich and poor.