8-5Comedies

WHAT ARE SHAKESPEARE’S COMEDIES? WHAT ARE CONSIDERED TO BE HIS MOST IMPORTANT COMEDIES? //Answer prepared by Bryce P.//

Shakespeare’s comedies are some of the most renowned and hilarious in all of playwriting history. There primary purpose, however, is to display a certain theme. Whether it is love, foolishness, wisdom, cleverness, or simple comical value, Shakespearean plays have underlying messages. Shakespeare’s comedies are generally divided into three groups: “Happy” comedies (which are funny), “Problem” plays (involving real-life conflicts), and Romances (which usually have a fairytale settings).

Shakespeare’s early comedies are basically written with jokes and slapstick humor. This is all used in order to get the audience to laugh. The most famous comedies of Shakespeare’s early comedies are; //“The Comedy of Errors”// and //“A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” //The two plays are arguably considered Shakespeare’s most important comedies. In the early comedies, Shakespeare uses tricksters, fools, and/or jokers to provide a humorous element to the play. //Puck// in //“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”// is a standout example of a trickster causing mischief, and subsequently laughs from the audience.

In the later comedies, character personality and intelligence replaces much of the slapstick humor present in the earlier comedies. These comedies usually involve a woman whom figures out her issues through wit and wisdom. Two standout later comedies are; //“The Merchant of Venice”// and //“Mush Ado About Nothing.” //Both involve lovers who have to confront with issues of infidelity, pre-arranged marriage, and deceitfulness. It is important to keep in mind that even though the later comedies are more serious, they still maintain quality elements of humor.

Another main piece of the later comedies is love and marriage. The relationships between people are more in depth in contrast to the earlier comedies. These themes ultimately create flirtatiousness and rude jokes, thus providing laughter to the plays. Although characters’ wits are tested, everything is restored to normal in the end. Indeed, the later comedies of Shakespeare can truly be classified as “happy-ever-after” stories.

E__yewitness Books “Shakespeare”__ “The Usbourne Internet-Linked World of Shakespeare.”
 * Works Cited**