Theories of Humour

Abstract

The well-known theories are the incongruity theory, the relief theory, and the superiority theory and I only discuss the first two theories. The incongruity theory is central to the present study and especially the one developed by Nanavira thero through the works of Kierkegaard and Heidegger. Tragedy and comedy, fear and laughter are the two sides of a contradiction which creates cracks and fissures, and by non-reactive good humour we look at them, disarm and exorcise them. Freud considers humour functions to release tensions which exist at a subliminal level and this is clinically interesting.