Frye writes: “Thus the action of the comedy begins in a world represented as a normal world, moves into the the green world, goes into a metamorphosis there in which comic resolution is achieved, and returns to the normal world” (p.10).
This brings to mind the process Jenna undergoes in the film ‘13 Going on 30’, in which she is transported from 1987 to 2004 and sees a glimpse of her potential future life. In this film, the potential future world of 2004 represents Frye’s conception of the ‘green world’, as Jenna is suddenly 30 and coming to terms with the consequences of her decisions. The comedy of the film arises from ‘green world’ through Jenna’s 13-year-old mind being trapped in her 30-year-old body and the incongruities and awkward interactions that occur as a result.
However, as Jenna’s characters undergoes ‘a metamorphosis there’ in 2004 and understands that she does not want the life she has made and does not like the person she has become, the ‘comic resolution is achieved’; Jenna’s presence in the ‘green world’ is no longer comedic and mismatched but the result of Jenna’s growth has her longing for the ‘real world’ once more. The film concludes with her magical return to the ‘real world’ of 1987 with the knowledge and motivation to change the future life for her 30-year-old self.
Furthermore, Frye’s description of “the fact that the dying and reviving character is usually female strengthens the feeling that there is something maternal about the green world, in which the new order of the comic resolution is nourished and brought to birth” (p.11) highlights the significance of it being Jenna’s character who enters the ‘green world’ rather than, say, Matty. However, it is interesting to highlight his depiction of the character who enters the ‘green world’ as ‘dying and reviving’- while it could be argued that the time jump represents a ‘death and revival’ for Jenna’s character, this does not seem quite accurate given that Jenna takes a certain consciousness from her 13- to 30-year old self. Furthermore, to argue that the ‘death and revival’ takes place upon returning to the ‘real world’ seems to undermine the growth Jenna’s character undergoes and takes with her back to her younger self. As such, this seems to pose a question for Fyre’s account of ‘the action of the comedy’: does the metamorphosis of a character in the ‘green world’ necessarily require this process of ‘death and revival’? Or, as in the case of Jenna, can this notion of ‘death and revival’ be understood as character growth transported from the ‘green world’ to the real world?
Bibliography:
Northrop Frye, “The Argument of Comedy,” English Institute Essays (New York: Columbia, 1949)
13 Going on 30 is such a perfect demonstration of the use of the ‘green world’! I really like the idea of it representing a stage in a character’s life in which they must learn something about themselves in order to change and develop.
I thought this was a good example of Frye’s description of the green world! I think it is interesting that you highlighted that it’s not a complete death and revival because she takes her consciousness between selves and I think that could be found in other works.