@article{article_1762752, title={Between Laughter and Lament: Exploring Death, Art, and Fantasy in Tragicomedy and Dark Comedy}, journal={AKRA Kültür Sanat ve Edebiyat Dergisi}, volume={13}, pages={161–184}, year={2025}, author={Belaid, Mohammed Amine and Sari, Imane Hind}, keywords={Gerçeklik, Fantezi, Meditasyon, Kara Mizah, Trajedi, Ölüm}, abstract={This paper investigates the intricate collision between fantasy and reality in the realms of dark comedy and tragicomedy, with particular attention to the fairy-tale elements embedded in both genres. Drawing primarily on Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman and Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, the study explores how these texts highlight the interplay of death, art, and human imagination. By placing grotesque humor side by side with existential despair, both playwrights invite audiences to confront life’s paradoxes while reflecting on the fragility of human agency. The analysis shows that dark comedy employs grotesque and taboo subjects to force laughter amid horror, while tragicomedy balances despair with faint glimpses of hope, underscoring the instability of human emotions. Ultimately, the paper argues that art emerges as both a refuge from and a mirror of suffering, transforming trauma into creative energy. The conclusion emphasizes the necessi meditating on life rather than fixating on death, as genuine wisdom lies in apprecia-ting the fleeting yet meaningful essence of existence.}, number={37}, publisher={Tuzla Belediyesi}