This, to the audience, will seem ridiculous and unnecessary creating a subtle sense of humour. Nearing the end of Act 2 we learn about Viola’s plans for her disguise in order to appear less vulnerable. She then goes on to say ‘thou shalt present me as an Eunuch to him’ which will yet again appear an overdramatic act to the audience. In act 3, Sir Toby Belch is introduced into the play. Shakespeare’s wit and word play used even for simply just the names of the characters can build up laughter.
Shakespeare has chosen to insert comedy into his play as it reliefs the reader from the very depressing scenes that happened through out the book and changes the reader’s perspective on the characters. Comedy was added to the play it two main parts and many small sections in different scenes. One of the main Scenes that had a big role in the comedy in Hamlet is Act 2 Scene 2, the scene where the first meeting that happened between Polonius and Hamlet. Hamlet enters the room, and he immediately insults Polonius by calling him a “fishmonger”, then Hamlet says directly after it “Then I would you were so honest a man”, complementing him by calling him an honest man. Hamlet was trying to be clever with Polonius as he kept asking him questions that he already knew the answers to such as “…have you a daughter” pretending that he does not know that Ophelia is his daughter.
Devices that are used by Benedick and Beatrice are Bawdy language, word play and puns, which are very different compared to Dogberry’s According to Aristotle the idea of comedy comes from speculation concerning men dancing, signing and cavorting around the image of a phallus. True or not this idea of high-spirited celebration of sexuality and love, tragedies happen on the battle field more than likely comedy would be staged in the bedroom. Although not all literary works must involve crude humor, simply a happy ending is enough, with expectations and conventions of plot and characters. The language of prose has a particularly prominent place in Much Ado About Nothing; nearly three quarters of the play is written in prose. The pragmatic and realistic views of central characters like Benedick suit the prose style that Shakespeare uses in Much Ado About Nothing, much of the humor that is generated by Benedick and Beatrice’s ‘merry war’ is delivered in prose.
His comedy is so great that he is able to transcend normal societal rules; Elizabethan England was an incredibly hierarchal society in which absolute respect ought to be shown to those in power, and yet although he is a servant, the Fool’s humorous nature seems to exempt him from the expectation of respectfulness. The Fool is not present after Act 3, and his absence removes the comic relief of the play and plunges it into more serious,
Robbins called upon the musical talents of composer Leonard Bernstein and the words of Arthur Laurent for the script and book. The love story proved to have universal appeal. Westside Story and Romeo and Juliet are both similar, because the relationships between the characters of Westside Story and Romeo and Juliet are reflective of their respective time periods. Maria and Juliet Represent a slightly practical counterpart to both Tony’s and Romeo’s idealistic nature. Maria’s brother and Juliet’s cousin Tybalt both were portrayed as being stubborn and violent.
‘Comedy involves men of middling estate; its perils are small scale, its outcomes peaceful’. To what extent do you agree with this definition of comedy in relation to Much Ado about Nothing*? Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing is one of the most popular comedies in history, selling out Shakespearean theatres until their closure in 1642. The comedy is thought to be written in 1598 and is often described as a ‘problem play’ meaning it shares tendencies with that of a tragedy. Of course MAAN follows Shakespeare’s traditional comedy structure but modern critics have their own agenda that a comedy, being such a complex genre, should conform to.
Romeo raises his voice by saying “The prince expressly hath Forbid this bandying in Verona streets” this quote shows us that his reminding them about what the Prince said and is avoiding the fight, this reminds the audience the consequences of any fight. In order to try to stop this fight Romeo comes between them, obstructing the fight. Mercutio gets wounded. Shakespeare creates suspension through Mercutio when he was dying. Mercutio repeated “A plague on both your houses” for several times in the play.
It is suggested by this then that the play holds no deeper meaning or message of morality; it is simply designed to fulfill a purpose through usage of traditional comedic techniques. However, some have interpretated themes of sexuality and a gentle mocking of Victorian customs ultimately leaving the play open to assumption. The Importance of being Earnest certainly maintains many traits of a great comedy of manners, "A comedy that satirizes behaviour in a particular social group"(dictionary.com). In fact many people have hailed it as "the greatest stage comedy of all time", this triumph supports the viewpoint that Wilde merely succeeded in entertaining his audience rather than channeling a deeper understanding. The use of slapstick by Wilde produces a contrived and absurd plotline that is in every way unrealistic.
Mercutio, the hot-headed best friend of Romeo, adds wit and humor to the play Romeo and Juliet and was included in the play to make the audience laugh and also to keep them on the edge of their seats with suspense. Mercutio, in his humorous nature, loved to tease Romeo about his lovesickness; he calls Romeo a
As the play “King Lear” is a well-known play to the reader, adjustments to its normality gives the reader a joyful experience. The “get ready man”, whose name himself is already funny, interrupts the play and presents himself as a lunatic. His hyperbole of “the world is coming to an end” is of course absurd and incredulous to the reader, but it arouses the reader’s unexpectedness, which is relieved through the form of humor. Furthermore, his ridiculous shouting fits well in the dialogue and special effects of the performance, which adds dramatic effects to the story. All of this adds to the humor of the play.