There is no natural human behavior, therefore there is no depiction to the hypocrisy of human behavior in the play. Although there is a decent amount of word play, the verbal jokes are not by any means sophisticated, they are rather simple. There is a great deal of physical humor since the entire play has a washing machine that has a head pop out of it, another trait of low comedy. The play could be characterized as a Romantic Comedy because of Mabel’s part in the story, the Repairman does eventually find true love with her after various amusing joke-filled break ups. But in the end I feel the best category to place this play under is a farce comedy, because of how fast the plot unfolds, how unpredictable and improbable the plot is, and the variety of different humor.
Early on in the play (Act 2 Scene 3) the audience enjoys the jovial atmosphere alongside the characters until Malvolio abruptly ruins the mood. “Have you no wit, manners, nor honesty, but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night?” Malvolio seems to relish scolding Sir Toby and the others as he includes the simile “gabble like tinkers” which proves he has taken the time to select the right words to insult them with. The audience dislikes him for disrupting the fun of the scene whilst it provides a specific motive for the conspirators to plot his deception. Shakespeare uses one detail about Malvolio to instantly turn the audience against him: Malvolio is a puritan. At the time the play was written, puritans were not popular with the general public because of their miserable rules against most forms of entertaintment.
How does Shakespeare successfully create comedy in Act 1 of Twelfth Night? Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night takes place during celebrations when the social hierarchy seems to be nearing towards non-existent and rankings seem to be overrun by excess partying. Tricking each other and speaking in puns was common at this time meaning Shakespeare could easily incorporate humour into the play. Through physical comedy, wit and wordplay and the use of dramatic irony, Shakespeare brings out the elements of comedy to the audience, keeping them entertained throughout. In Act 1 Scene 1 we are introduced to the Duke, Curio and Valentine.
‘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.
The first impression most have of the Fool is that his presence serves as form of comic relief, in order to set a lighter tone to the play; however, because of this, his death is crucial to the bleak ending of the play. The Fool uses wit, rhyme and music and criticises Lear in an entertaining way, alleviating some of the tension particularly when Lear has been cast out in the cold night by his daughters. The fool remarks ‘naughty night to swim in’, in which the alliteration bring rhythm to his words, and the verb ‘swim’ highlights the rainy weather and the danger it poses for Lear’s health. ‘Naughty’ also suggests disobedience, which has been demonstrated by Lear’s daughters, however by using it instead to refer to the ‘night’, the Fool deflects the blame and attempts to draw Lear into the present in order to reach clarity. 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.
Comic Relief Date: 25/07/2011 Course Code: ENG4U Shakespeare often adds some comedy to his plays. It is generally known as ‘comic relief’ because the tragedy is so overwhelming with murders, ghosts, suicides and anguish. It gives everyone some breathing room before the intensity of the next act. Comic relief is a humorous scene, or incident occurring in the middle of a serious or tragic selection and intentionally designed to relieve emotional stress. At the same time to increase, and emphasize the tragic plot.
However, the characterization the Luhrmann’s movie is off compared to Zeffirelli’s. Mercutio is again a comedian, aided with the precautious Benvolio on his side, but Mercutio could be considered more serious and aggressive when he says “Consort? What, dost thou make us minstrels? An’ thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords. Here’s my fiddlestick; here’s that shall make you dance.
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.
Because people are making fun of his nose he is able to provide witty humor that makes the book become a comedy. Valvert says “Ah…your nose…hem!...Your nose is…rather large!” “Rather” “Oh well” “Is that all” “Well of course.”(35-36 Act 1) But Cyrano does not leave it like this he replies by insulting Valvert and ultimately making him angry by telling him all the better insults that he could have had. He threw it right back in his face by making it a joke. Throughout the story comedy like this occurs and that is why I believe it is a
Manipulation At It’s Best Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is a play about love and manipulation. It is a clever comedy that has people fighting and celebrating over the misconception of love within a kingdom. I think this is a classic Shakespeare piece that was sure to bring out a smile in everybody reading and watching the play. The play begins with the return of two soldiers, Claudio and Benedick, from a war that they have been fighting in. Claudio soon after confesses his love to the Governor’s daughter, Hero, during a masked party.