1. Comedy in Literature OpenCourseWare: MIT's Free Online Undergraduate Literature Class
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Comedy in Literature OpenCourseWare: MIT's Free Online Undergraduate Literature Class

Published Feb 07, 2009

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Tickle your funny bone with MIT's undergraduate OpenCourseWare on comedic texts and films. Students who take this course read selections by Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare and other classic comedic authors. 'Comedy' is a free online undergraduate-level course intended for students who are interested in English, History and Drama.

Comedy: Course Specifics

Degree Level Free Audio Video Downloads
Undergraduate Yes No No Yes

Lectures/Notes Study Materials Tests/Quizzes
Yes Yes No

Comedy: Course Description

From ancient Greek theater to modern 'mockumentaries,' comedy is a theme that has run through classic literature, theater and film for millennia. Many influential theorists, including Mark Twain, have used comedy and satire to comment on politics, philosophy and other socio-cultural topics. In MIT's 'Comedy in Literature,' students read many classic comedic texts written through the ages, including Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors, Cervantes's Don Quixote, Mark Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson and Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. The course introduces students to a variety of comedic films, including Some Like It Hot and Dr. Strangelove. Professor Wyn Kelley of MIT teaches this undergraduate-level course.

The 'Comedy' course page includes sample written assignments and a list of class texts, including links to download selected readings from a variety of open text projects. If this free online course has piqued your curiosity, visit the history of comedy in literature course page.

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