01.04 - Examples of Humorous Devices in Media

Hyperbole

Angels & Demons by jxdn

01.04 - Examples of Humorous Devices in Media

Nothing in the world can stop me now

Screwed up like a rockstar

Ridin' in a cop car

No one in the world can help me now

Analysis

In this song, the artist is describing the feeling of becoming famous and all the good and bad parts of it. He talked about how "nothing" can stop him, meaning his success and feeling of euphoria at the moment. However, it is not true that nothing can stop him, he exaggerated the lyrics to help the audience fully understand how he is feeling. It takes a turn when he says "nothing can help me now", expressing that he no longer is feeling the euphoria of fame but has fallen into a dangerous and risky life and realizes he needs help. But he says nothing to show how hopeless he must feel and that he feels like he can't get out of this life.

Pun

From the movie Winnie the Pooh

Rabbit: “Tie them together Piglet can you tie a knot?”

Piglet: “I cannot.”

Rabbit: “Uh, so you can knot?”

Piglet: “No, I cannot knot.”

Analysis

Situational Irony

This exchange between Rabbit and Piglet in Winnie the Pooh is a great example of a pun. They are playing off each others words. They are playing the on the words "knot" and "not" as well as "cannot" and "can knot". This produces a humorous scene between the two since Piglet is trying to tell Rabbit that he can't tie a knot, but Rabbit thinks he is saying that he can.

William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

"Here, here will I remain

With worms that are thy chambermaids. O, here

Will I set up my everlasting rest

And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars

From this world-wearied flesh! Eyes, look your last.

Arms, take your last embrace. And, lips, O, you

The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss

A dateless bargain to engrossing death.

Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavory guide!

Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on

The dashing rocks thy seasick weary bark!

Here’s to my love. Drinking. O true apothecary,

Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die."

Oxymoron

All of Me by John Legend

- Romeo

Analysis

Verbal Irony

All your perfect imperfections

Give your all to me

I'll give my all to you

You're my end and my beginning

Even when I lose I'm winning

In this quote from Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is saying his departing words before he kills himself to be with Juliet. He talks about how Juliet still looks beautiful as if she was not dead. Juliet is actually not dead, but rather in a deep sleep from a sleep potion, but Romeo does not know this. This is an example of dramatic irony since the audience knows that Juliet is not dead but Romeo thinks she is dead. It paints a sad and dramatic tone since Romeo talks of how Juliet doesn't look dead but still believes she is, resulting in his death. The audience is saddened because they know the truth as these events unfold.

From the movie Mean Girls

Analysis

Regina: "Oh, my God! I love your skirt. Where did you get it?"

Other girl: "It was my mom's in the 80's"

Regina: "Vintage. So adorable"

Other girl: "Thanks"

Regina turns away from the girl

Regina: "That is the ugliest skirt I've ever seen"

In this song, John Legend uses several oxymorons. The first being "perfect imperfections" which are directly contradictory to each other and shows that the imperfections of the speakers love interest makes her perfect for him. He also expresses that not matter what happens, he will always be faithful and love her even if he is feeling down by saying "you're my end and my beginning" and "when I lose I'm winning". The contradictory words in these phrases are "end" and "beginning" and "lose" and "winning.

Analysis

This scene from the movie Mean Girls is a great example of verbal irony. Regina compliments a girl on her skirt and when she turns away from the girl and says "that's the ugliest skirt I've ever seen" clearly shows that she does not mean what she actually said. In other words, she didn't actually "love" the skirt, but rather thought it was ugly. The use of verbal irony helps the audience to see who Regina truly is and the intentions behind her actions

Image by Tom Mooring