Howard Jacobson

If it's bathos you want - and I suspect we are all bathos junkies in the end - nothing gives it to you quite like watching sport. Unless it's playing sport.

British Novelist

Bathos is often intentional, creating an abrupt shift from serious to silly to stimulate humor or irony.

Unexpected Shift

Authors may use bathos to critique or mock high-minded writing or ideas by contrasting them with the trivial.

Literary Device

Bathos can be a literary pitfall; avoid unintentional shifts that may undermine serious content.

Avoid Unintentional

Bathos describes moments that aim for deep emotion but fall short, often evoking amusement instead.

Emotional Depth

Recognizing bathos in writing helps critique whether the emotional depth of a work is genuine or forced.

Literary Critique

Using bathos, writers can inject humor into emotional scenes, creating a balance or contrast.