What Makes the Play Twelfth Night a Comedy? Term Paper

play of Shakespeare, Twelfth Night particularly the comedy and the conventions used in it.

What makes the play twelfth night a comedy?

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare presents the best example of a true Elizabethan romantic comedy. Though the themes constituting the play like lunacy and absurdness of love place it in the category of a rather unconventional comedy. Nevertheless, if closely analyzed for conventions of romantic comedy, Twelfth Night certainly is one. The many elements of this play by Shakespeare provide resemblance to the Elizabethan romantic comedy. These conventions of comedy used in Twelfth Night are complex and interesting characters in disguise. These disguises include mistaken identities, cross-dressing as well as a fascinating blend of the separation of the twins. The comedy is full of mild ridicule with a touch of mockery and a mixture of romantic misunderstandings. All these elements used in this comedy have been beautifully transformed in order to provide a perfect end to the story.Various critiques and literary experts consider this play, Twelfth Night a true romantic comedy because it covers a rich array of conventions of Shakespearean comedy. Twelfth Night follows the foremost convention of Shakespearean comedy, which involves the actions of the characters determined by the intensity of love (which is usually depicted through marital and other relationships). For instance the obvious and smooth changeover of innocence in the case of Viola and Sebastian throughout the play. As well as the transformation from the single to the married status and quests of matrimony of other characters of the play are some of the examples that prove it's a comedy. Shakespeare has used different forms of comedy in this play in junction with distinct characters. For example, Shakespeare on many occasions in this play has ridiculed the opulence of wealthy class. Even the over blown mourning by Olivia in this play gives it a funny touch thereby making it a….....