Proper Name as an Instrument for Enhancing Comic Effect in Theatrical Discourse

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to determine the particular functions that a proper name can perform in the texts of comic opera librettos. Proceeding from the functional approach to the study of proper names, one finds it possible to assume that an onym is capable of performing the function of enhancing the comic effect. This study takes into account the existing theories of verbal humor in order to determine the mechanism according to which humorous onyms function. The novelty of present research lies within its subject, i.e. a proper name in theatrical discourse. So far proper names as a tool to create a comic effect were analysed solely within works of literary fiction. The libretto texts used in musical theater have not yet been studied to a considerable length. The analysis of onyms in the libretto of “Thespis; or Gods Grown Old”, a comic opera by William Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, revealed that proper names can enhance the comic effect created within a theatrical text when said onyms follow the path of “inconsistency”, which is a key component of theories of verbal humor. In addition, the charactonyms found in the analysed libretto can also create a comic effect when placed in an appropriate context.

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