British humour

British humour carries a strong element of satire aimed at the absurdity of everyday life. Common themes include sarcasm, tongue-in-cheek, banter, insults, self-deprecation, taboo subjects, puns, innuendo, wit and the British class system. These are often accompanied by a deadpan delivery which is present throughout the British sense of humour. It may be used to bury emotions in a way that seems unkind in the eyes of other cultures. Jokes are told about everything and almost no subject is off-limits, though a lack of subtlety when discussing controversial issues is sometimes considered insensitive. Many British comedy series have become successful internationally, serving as a representation of British culture to overseas audiences. Themes Some themes (with examples) that underpinned late-20th-century British humour were: Innuendo Innuendo in British humour is evident in the literature as far back as Beowulf and Geoffrey Chaucer, and it is a prevalent theme in many British folk songs. William Shakespeare often used innuendo in his comedies, but it is also often found in his other plays. One example in Hamlet act 4 scene v reads: Young men will do't if they come to't / By Cock, they