Topic > Understanding the Role of Laughter by William Hazlitt

Every day, people encounter many difficulties and adversities that inflict heartbreaking pain and sadness. Misery and suffering linger in people's minds, with little or no chance of recovery. Laughter, however, provides relief from these types of feelings. Although forgetting pain and tragedy is extremely difficult, William Hazlitt uses first-person point of view, passionate tone, and periodic syntax to propose that entertainment provides comfort and healing from misfortunes, which proves that laughter is a trait human necessary to face life.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayHazlitt uses first-person point of view to argue that entertainment relieves people's distress. He uses first-person point of view to relate to the audience and support his argument when he states: “we shed tears of sympathy…; while we burst out laughing due to lack of sympathy. Connecting with the audience, he talks about the same emotions he feels in moments of anguish and claims that everyone, including himself, finds comfort in having fun. He shows that it is not just a small minority, but the majority of people who find emotional relief from distress through comical events. He strengthens his argument by being able to convey his own feelings on this topic to his audience, to show that other people feel the same way. Arguing that fun saves people from distress, he argues that fun is necessary for life. Without some sort of pleasure, people would simply live monotonous and banal lives, which would overall affect social health. Hazlitt also uses emotional diction to create a passionate tone, which supports his claim that laughter provides relief from distress. He uses words like “bad luck” and “sympathy” to reach his audience and make his argument very personal. By using words like these, people are more likely to understand what context Hazlitt is coming from. The emotional words used by Hazlitt create the passionate tone he has throughout his lecture. Through his tone, he captures readers' attention and instills the same feelings in his audience that he feels. Readers are able to feel his passion for this topic and relate to Hazlitt. They are able to become more aware of how laughter can heal the distress caused by difficulties. At the same time, however, Hazlitt is able to suggest that emotions, particularly pleasure and enjoyment, provide happiness in life. Without it, people would not be able to live life to its fullest enjoyment. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Additionally, Hazlitt argues that laughter calms emotional distress through the use of periodic syntax. In his periodic sentences, Hazlitt incorporates scenarios to illustrate the same devastation that people experience due to misfortunes, then shows how laughter solves the problem when he says, "if every thing that has gone wrong, if every vanity or weakness in another gave us a pang of sense, it would be difficult indeed: but as long as the unpleasantness of the consequences of a sudden disaster is kept hidden by the immediate strangeness of the circumstances, and the absurdity or inexplicability of a senseless action is the most surprising thing, the ridiculous prevails over the pathetic and we receive pleasure instead of pain. By providing examples of similar depressing emotions, readers are able to relate to them and become more convinced of them..