In this sharply angled book of criticism, Albert Cook offers a new approach to comedy in literature. Breaking through narrow traditional categories and concepts, he enables the reader to broaden his range of reference and to examine comedy and comic works from fresh philosophical and critical perspectives.

Professor Cook develops his philosophical exploration of comedy from the ideas of the probable and the wonderful. These two profoundly different approaches to human experience imply the related poles of rationalism-idealism, society-individual, concept-symbol, and reason-imagination. In discussing the implications of these symbolic attitudes, Professor Cook casts new light on the nature of both tragedy and comedy, their subjects, goals, and techniques.