English Literature A-Level
Tension between laughter and unease
What Tension between laughter and unease means in English Literature A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definition of Tension between laughter and unease
Check what you remember
Read the wording for your board, then hide it and explain Tension between laughter and unease in your own words. Rough notes are fine. This is a self-check, with no mark or grade.
Reference: AQA
The question of whether laughter at folly and joy at resolution coexist or pull against each other, for example where a resolution leaves a character excluded or a joke leaves discomfort.
Topics that use Tension between laughter and unease
- Aspects of comedy (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Audience response and emotional effect
- Comic mood and tonal balance
- Comic versus tragic structure
- Complex plotting
- Courtship and desire
- Courtship and domestic life
- Courtship and social codes
- Discomfort contained rather than disastrous
Using Tension between laughter and unease in the exam
Check the command word and mark scheme for your exact question. After comparing your explanation with the reference, use the term in an answer on the linked topic. This practice does not predict an exam mark.
Practise English Literature questions
Create a free account to answer exam-style questions on this topic and get feedback on your answers.
Start free
All English Literature A-Level termsA week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge