Blackadder

1) Summary Of Blackadder
Throughout history, England has been blighted by members of the Blackadder
dynasty.
The first season- The Black Adder is set in medieval England at the conclusion of the
War of the Roses - but in a different reality. Here, King Henry VII was defeated, and his
nephew, King Richard IV was crowned king. The tale is focused on the slimy, not-so-bright
son of King Richard IV, Prince Edmund (Rowan Atkinson), who christened himself as The
Black Adder. The Black Adder wants the crown for himself, and the surest way to achieve
this is by making himself the favoured prince of the King. He's accompanied by his equally
dim-witted friend Percy (Tim McInnerny) and his slightly smarter manservant Baldrick
(Tony Robinson).
In Blackadder II, we encounter Lord Edmund Blackadder, direct descendant of the
odious Prince Edmund. He plots and schemes in the court of Queen Elizabeth I, aided by his
friend Lord Percy and his servant Baldrick.
In Blackadder The Third, Edmund Blackadder is butler to George, the Prince Regent
(Hugh Laurie).
In Blackadder Goes Forth, Captain Edmund Blackadder shares a World War I dugout
with Lieutenant George Barleigh and Private Baldrick.
Ten years after the final series, a special episode called Blackadder Back And Forth
was made to celebrate the new millennium.

2) Award
3) Humour elements in Blackadder
a. Insult
+ Definition: Insult is saying or doing something to someone that is rude or offensive

+ Example: (S2: E2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4IQjUpTNVU

BlackAdder: Right Baldrick, let's try again shall we? This is called adding. If I have
two beans, and then I add two more beans, what do I have?
Baldrick: Some beans.
BlackAdder: Yes...and no. Let's try again shall we? I have two beans, then I add two
more beans. What does that make?
Baldrick: A very small casserole.
BlackAdder: Baldrick, the ape creatures of the Indus have mastered this. Now try
again. One, two, three, four. So how many are there?
Baldrick: Three
BlackAdder: What?
Baldrick: And that one.
BlackAdder: Three and that one. So if I add that one to the three what will I have?
Baldrick: Oh! Some beans.
BlackAdder: Yes. To you Baldrick, the renaissance was just something that
happened to other people wasn't it?
 In this example, BlackAdder tried to teach Baldrick the basic math by using
beans. While he expected Baldrick to give out “4” as an answer, Baldrick kept
come up with unexpected ones ranging from “some beans” to “small casserole”.
Blackadder then offends Baldrick by making a hilarious expression which is
Baldrick is less smart that the ape in Indus era and he is the only person who
doesn’t go through the Renaissance.

b. Allusion:
+ Definition: Allusion is something that is said or written that is intended to make you
think of a particular thing or person. More specifically, allusions refer to popular
culture, history, persons, customs, or events (Leppihalme 1997: 6). They may be
references to specific literary works, pieces of art, or famous historical events.
+ Allusions require a high degree of cultural and historical knowledge and, therefore,
characters who are shown to use allusions are often portrayed as "[…] well educated,
literate and quick-witted".

+ Example: (S2: E5 – 27:05-27:18) https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5szynf

Queen: I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and
stomach of a concrete elephant.
 Blackadder and the men are planning a party, and the Queen expresses her wish to
join. The men, however, think that the Queen should not participate, which
prompts her to exclaim that she is far stronger than she seems. The Queen claimed
that she is far stronger than she seems by modifying the famous statement of
Queen Elizabeth's "I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have
the heart and stomach of a king".
c. Exaggeration:
+ Definition: Exaggeration is a way of over-emphasizing something, either making it
better or worse than it really is. In literature and oral communication, writers and
speakers use exaggeration as a literary technique, to give extra stress and drama in a
work or speech.

+ Example: (S3: E4 - 20:21)

BlackAdder: Baldrick, I would like to say how much I will miss your honest, friendly
companionship.
Baldrick: Thank you, Mr. B
BlackAdder. But, as we both know, it would be an utter lie. I will therefore confine
myself to saying simply, ‘Sod off and if I ever meet you again, it will be twenty
billion years too soon.’
 This example is extracted from the third season of the series, Blackadder is
leaving his job as Prince George´s butler and says goodbye to Baldrick.
Exaggeration occurs in “if I ever meet you again, it will be twenty billion years
too soon” which means Blackadder would never meet Baldrick again.

d. Mistake
+ Definition: Mistake is an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong. In comedy,
mistakes are usually caused by bad judgement, lack of knowledge or sheer stupidity to
create humor.

+ Example: (S3: E3 - 17:57)

Blackadder: Am I jumping the gun, Baldrick, or are the words ’I have a cunning
plan’ marching with ill- deserved confidence in the direction of the conversation?
Baldrick: They certainly are.
Blackadder: Forgive me if I don’t jump up and down with joy – your record in the
cunning plan department is not exactly 100 per cent. So, what’s the plan?
Baldrick: We do nothing.
Blackadder: Yep. It’s another word-beater.
Baldrick: Wait – I haven’t finished. We do nothing until our heads have actually been
cut off.
Blackadder. And then we spring into action?
Baldrick: Exactly! You know when you cut a chicken’s head off, it runs round and
round the farmyard.
Blackadder: Yeees.
Baldrick: Well, we wait until our heads have been cut off then we run round and
round the farmyard, out of the farm gate and escape. What do you think?
Blackadder: My opinion is rather difficult to express in words, so perhaps I can put it
this way.
 The example from the third season of the series Blackadder and Baldrick have
been imprisoned once again, and execution is imminent. As expected, Baldrick
comes up with a plan to save their lives. Baldrick´s idea is based on a mistake
according to which it is actually possible for a person to run around after a his/her
head has been cut off. After they have been beheaded they run away like chicken.