How does Shakespeares use of disguise and misinterpretation of human nature link to comedy? In Much Ado about Nothing; Shakespeare uses disguise and misinterpretation through comedy to present human nature in different aspects. Shakespeare’s use of misinterpretations shapes the play and makes it pleasurable for the audience as well as entertaining. There is perplexity between lovers, the encounter of sexes, and the restoration of love and marriage. Shakespeare uses incessant word play, and constant mockery between key characters to portray the comedic effect.
The Friar responds with, “Young men’s love then lies/ Not truly in their hearts but, in their eyes jesu maria, what the deal of brine/ Hath washes thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline!”(2.3.68-90). In the first act, Romeo thought himself to be in love with Rosaline. Romeo had been distraught over the fact that his beloved Rosaline was going to become a nun. Romeo would never be able to love Rosoline, or be with her. Friar Lawrence makes fun of Romeo saying that young men only love what they see.
“To be or not to be, that is the question; whether’ tis nobler in the mind to suffer...” (Shakespeare Act 3, Scene 1). This quotation proves Hamlet becomes inferior to others and the environment through his madness, causing him to express himself explicitly towards others. Hamlet’s madness not only causes his loved ones lives but it allows his “end” to come because he accepts every challenge from his opponent. Hamlet’s madness not only affects him but Ophelia, who is mentally torn apart by Hamlet. Ophelia was once flawless, but since her encounter with Hamlet she has fallen into the same madness and wants to kill herself.
“The gulling of Malvolio is a joke that goes too far”. To what extent does Shakespeare blur the boundaries of comedy in his depiction of the gulling of Malvolio? The boundaries of comedy can sometimes be blurred as they range between light and dark comedy. Dark comedy is often used to dismember the potential discomfort an audience may feel should heavy moral subjects arise in pieces of art such as psychological impairment in Twelfth Night. Malvolio is used in Twelfth Night to personify the notion of Lent and order in the text and is the butt of the comedy in the sub-plot.
It was a play that made controversy in the lush mansions of Victorian society. Subtitled "A Trivial Comedy for Serious People," The Importance of Being Earnest jokingly criticized Victorian manners and morals and attacking the society of the rich and luxurious. Oscar Wilde incorporated his own beliefs and ideology into the play by alluding to Victorian society "lets duplicity led to happiness." It is this "happiness" Wilde's play focuses on by concentrating the theme of the play on marriage. Alluding to marriage, The Importance of Being Earnest begins with the witty and selfish Algernon.
The Importance of Being Earnest is more often, and perhaps somewhat more accurately, regarded as a comedy of manners. Ridicule and exposure of vanities, the hypocrisies, and the idleness of the upper classes is, to be sure, the main function of its verbal wit. Moreover, the stock patterns of Restoration and eighteenth-century manners comedy are evident in various characters (Foster 19) “The Importance of Being Earnest is a comedy of manners, where Oscar Wilde uses satire to ridicule marriage, love and the mentality of the Victorian aristocratic society” (Satire in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest Par. 1). The play satirized the hypocrisies the Victorian society and the people who lived in it.
"Modern comedy is cruel and cynical” Barry Cryer. To what extent do you agree that cruelty and cynicism are at the heart of the comedy in ‘Educating Rita’? Cruelty and cynicism play a vital role in creating comedy in ‘Educating Rita’. Both of the characters have aspects of their lives that the audience can laugh at, however for a majority, it can be perceived as cruel due to the fact that most of the circumstances we laugh at negatively impact the lives of the characters. Willy Russell uses superiority theory to engage the audience by creating comedy through the misfortune of others.
Beginning with David's wig, his vain attempt to pass as a member of a higher society that has already dropped the wig from fashionable dress, and ending with Faulkland's last attempt to trick Julia into admitting base motives for loving him, no one willingly presents things as they really are. In fact, many of the characters lie outright. Fag lies to Sir Anthony for Jack about the son's reasons for being in Bath, and Lucy lies to Sir Lucius about who is writing love letters to him. Other characters simply misrepresent themselves. Jack masquerades as Ensign Beverley in order to win Lydia's love, while Mrs. Malaprop tries to appear more sophisticated by peppering her speech with fancy vocabulary that she neither means nor understands.
Although it was Hamlet who wooed her, and with whom she was intimate it is Hamlet himself who later chastises her for her impious actions. “Get thee to a/nunnery, go: farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs/marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough/what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go,/and quickly too.” (III.i.131), he commands her, leaving her without a response. By saying these words to her he is crassly calling her a harlot, and making to appear that he never really loved her.
THE THEATRE AS A VEHICLE TO SOCIAL SATIRE It could be said that satire is a means of using comedy and high humor to expose social problems and ills. The genre is often lauded as an intelligent form of criticism. Artists and writers use comedic devices to get their message through to audiences without resorting to bald statements. It is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement. Although satire is usually meant to be funny, its greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit as a weapon.