The representation of love within “Much Ado about Nothing” is in its finality and basic format is commonly perceived as socially appeasing and harmonious, as outstanding abnormalities are resolved. Although these aforementioned abnormalities are from which the majority of comedic instances are derived from. Stemming from the anarchic characters of Benedick and Beatrice who unlike their conventional counterparts, vilify and harangue the proposed concept of ‘conventional love’ that is preached throughout the piece. The couples themselves in behaviour and innate moral values seem to juxtapose one another, politically correct versus anarchy. Claudio and Hero share a conventionality, and compliant behaviour which contrasts sharply with Benedick's/Beatrice’s independent spirit, jaded opinions about the opposite sex, and their shared eccentric wit.
Characterising Feste, Shakespeare gives him the aphorism, Better a witty fool than a foolish wit. [Feste. Act 1, scene 5] This line illustrates the clown's acumen; and is a delightful example of the way in which he uses language, as well as form to manifest Feste's character. Far from being a fool, the clown is erudite and sagely and able to present the audience with a higher knowledge of the plot than that presented by the other characters in the play. This witty remark is a clear
Many of Wilde’s works feature a dandy, and in many cases, the dandy stands in for the author. As the Wildean dandy’s life is a work of art, he represents the ideal of the Aesthetic movement of which Wilde was a spokesman and figurehead. Wilde’s innovation was to make his dandies heroes with whom the audience can identify. His dandies are often profoundly good and moral people (such as Lord Goring in his play An Ideal Husband). Unlike the dandies of tradition, Wilde’s dandies are not meant to be laughed at; rather, in their role of a truthful observer of society and individuals, they point to what is ridiculous or hypocritical, and the audience laughs with them.
He pretends he is a real “gentleman”, so much that he might actually believe that he is. He dresses nice and says the right things in the right environment around the right people. But in actual reality he is inhumane and narcissistic and uses his power to his advantage. “In the Induction, Sly is transformed by the Lord’s orders and for the Lord’s “sport” (7).” The Lord uses his power, dominance, and inhumanity to assure Sly, the beggar, that he is not a poor man, but in fact a Lord with a wife (8). The Lord is inhumane because he is enjoying the pleasure of the beggar forgetting himself and altering his reality.
Iago, who is known as the Machiavellian villain perpetuates the tragedy by bringing forward a hamartia or a fatal flaw from Othello. As soon as the play begins, Shakespeare used dramatic irony to illustrate Othello’s view of Iago as an honest and trustworthy man through his repeated description of “honest Iago” and “a man of exceeding honesty” to the audience. Of course that is not the case, the audience views Iago to be “Janus-faced” and deceptive through his constant declaration of “I am not what I am” and how he “hates the moor”. This juxtaposition is created so that the audience can empathise with Othello. I know I can definitely empathise with him.
John sees a serious person as anxious and solemn while humorous person as relaxed, cheerful and dissatisfied. Therefore, Harvey argues that the individual approach humor and asses its value according to their approach to life. Therefore, individual approach to humor is unsuitable because expressing a sense of humor is a social act and how other people are involved in this humor is very essential (Harvey 26). Additionally, intentional humor incorporates the initiator, the audience and the subject of the joke. Therefore, humor is a chancy dealing because its succession relies on the response of the desired audience.
As far as the comedy plot is concerned, there is the common trait that it connotes the comic poet’s view of the society but not like the tragedies, which were ultimately based on legend and myth. Thematic Content of the Comedy Aristophanes comedy was significantly characterized by comic fantasy. Ideally the plays presented problems in the society and ultimately offered plausible solutions in the most comical way
His presence on the stage makes the audience feel that he is closest to what happens and therefore the most knowledgeable about the drama. “I am inclined to notice the ruins in things…” Furthermore, a chorus figure makes the audience feel pity for the hero, which in this play is Eddie. The audience might not necessarily feel pity for Eddie, but Alfieri definitely changes the audience’s opinion of him. At the beginning of the play Alfieri says, “He was as good a man as he had to be in a life that was hard and even.” This is how Alfieri introduces Eddie to the audience, which could leave them with mixed feelings for him. This remark shows that Alfieri has a good deal of respect for Eddie and yet he feels able to
The Fool is one of the most alluring characters in Shakespeare’s King Lear. He is a choric commentator whose lines reveal thematic motifs within the play, as well as a character that strategically uses humorous language as comic relief to Lear, but does not diminish the intensity of Lear’s misery. As he alleviates the intensity through humor, he equivocates because he says metaphors that speak the truth like the three witches in Macbeth, but the opposite. The Fool’s role is essential because he is aligned with Cordelia. Like Cordelia, the Fool is honest, but his comical language masks his honesty.
Oscar Wilde knew the upper class, and he knew that the lives they lead were so dry, boring, concerned with manners and customs, and so perfectly earnest that it was almost inhuman. It is being earnest that the play mainly focuses on, as may be surmised from the title. Characters who lie to get gains are rewarded with love, and are later shown to have been lying at all. Jack, in saying that his name is Earnest, is found to be telling the truth at the revelatory end of the story, and Lagernon’s lie of being Jack’s brother is also found to be true when they find Jack’s real parents. In this way, the ‘earnestness’ of these two men is shown.