Portia Coughlan : Drowning While Laughing The humour in Mariana Carr's 1996 play, Portia Coughlan , richly emphasises the poignant story of harrowing tragedy because it is humour that humans rely on when the depth of tragedy runs overbearingly deep, " Comedy and tragedy , however, confront man with the most extreme situations that he can experience."(Guthke.166.) It is through these extremes in emotions that the audience can truly experience second-hand what the characters must be feeling , their loss, …showed first 75 words of 1459 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1459 total…and lively tapestry of characters, characters that cry and laugh, and hurt, such as Portia. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography** Bibliography Carr, Mariana.Portia Coughlan.Boston:1996;faber and faber Guthke, Karl.S.Modern Tragicomedy.New York:1966;Random House Hirst, David.C.The Critical Idiom: Tragicomedy No.43.New York:1984;Methuen Bibliography Carr, Mariana.Portia Coughlan.Boston:1996;faber and faber Guthke, Karl.S.Modern Tragicomedy.New York:1966;Random House Hirst, David.C.The Critical Idiom: Tragicomedy No.43.New York:1984;Methuen