Rhetoric - bathos

bathos [ˈbeɪθɒs] n.

1.) A humorous descent from the sublime to the commonplace (Garner's Modern American Usage 3rd Ed.)

Etymology: adoption of Greek βάθος, depth. Introduced into English by Alexander Pope in his treatise Peri Bathous, or the Art of Sinking in Poetry (1727), the title being a parody of περὶ ὕψους (Peri Huphous, "On the Sublime"), written by an unknown author in the 1st century.

"—Arthur: The Castle Aaaagh. Our quest is at an end! God be praised! Almighty God, we thank Thee that Thou hast vouchsafed to us the most holy...[a sheep is catapulted onto Arthur] Jesus Christ!
—French Guard: Allo, dappy English k-niggets and Monsieur Arthur King, who has the brain of a duck, you know. So, we French fellows outwit you a second time!" (Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin, 1975).

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A little video to spice things up today (it's the scene from Holy Grail). Also, a quick reminder that today is the last day to submit your weekly challenge entries. See here for details. Thanks for reading!