Twelfth Night As A Comedy

THE ISLAMIA UNIVERSITY BAHAWALPUR
TOPIC:
Twelfth Night as a Comedy
SUBJECT:
Classical Drama 2
SUBMITTED TO:
Ma’am Ambreen
SUBMITTED BY:
Noor Ul Ain
Roll No. 13
SEMESTER:
Second Semester
DEPARTMENT:
English
DATE:
April 11, 2019
Twelfth Night as a Comedy
What is Comedy?
Everything whether it is tragic or comic, emerges from life itself because
tears and smiles, sobs and shouts, death and birth go side by side. Comedy surely
makes an appeal to man’s intellect and it always aims at correction and
exhortation. So, we can define comedy as a play which deals with the trivial and
insignificant happenings of everyday life and which aims at the reform of society.
Shakespearean Comedy:
While every comedy aims at correction and by appealing to man’s reason
it helps him to get rid of evils. Shakespeare’s comedy aims at sheer joy and
pleasure. Charlton says that Shakespearean comedy is not finally satiric, it is
poetic. It is not conservative. It is creative. Shakespearean comedy aums at
nothing but pare thoughtful laughter. He wrote tragedies because it was his taste,
but he wrote comedies to relieve his mind from the heaviness.
Romantic yet Real:

All Shakespeare’s comedies are romantic. They are removed from reality.
The scene is set far away the sick hurries of the life. Only the background us
romantic; the plot of the play and the action of the play is directly based upon the
facts of life. In Twelfth Night the shipwreck, the lonely coast of Illyria, the very
disguise, the duel and the knightship of Sir Toby and Aguecheek are the romantic
elements; yet the main plot as well as the sub-plot are nicely woven love stories
having the realistic touch.
The Role of Women:

Second and the most evident characteristic of Shakespearean comedy is
the predominance of women. In Twelfth Night Viola overshadows the passive
existence of Duke. Woman is always on the front and the males are insignificant
though they are not behind the curtain. Since all the active part is played by Voila,
the poor Duke remains sitting on his high throne and thus the readers and the
audience are in a fix as to whom to declare the hero of the play. Sebastian cannot
be the hero because he stands on the stage for a very little time and Duke’s
position is also suspect. We are not wrong if we find the hero and the heroine
both in Viola herself.
Humour:
None of the Shakespearean comedies lacks in humour. Since satire is
usually absent, neither the actors nor the spectators suffer any wrinkle upon their
foreheads. Smile prevails upon their lips and the laughter hovers in the
atmosphere. This humour is not absurd, it is always wise and intellect has more
part to play than animal vigour. What a fine example of humour of dialogue is it:
“I’ll drink to her as long as there is passage in my throat and drink in Illyria”.
This humour which Shakespearean comedy aims at is general, sympathetic,
tolerant and sparkling. Shakespearean characters laugh with and not laugh at the
vicious.
Optimistic Note:
Shakespearean comedies are “comedies in the finest sense not mere
collection of mirth provoking incidents but pictures of life in its sunnier aspects,
its sparkling and vivacious moods. In Twelfth Night every character is optimistic
and therefore busy in the concerned endeavor. Orsino’s proposals are coldly
rejected yet he sends Viola again and again; Olivia’s love is not returned by
Cesario; yet she sends the Clown to call her lover; Malvolio is after the countess
and has a strong hope and Viola ceases not loving because she us determined to
reach her goal. Thus, the action is based upon optimism and everything looks
bright.
Love, Music, Song:

Since Shakespearean comedies are romantic comedies, love is bound to
be there; and a heart that loves must sing. Twelfth Night has also the music that is
heard by Orsino and the songs which are sung by Feste and Viola. The heard
songs are four in numer.
1. O mistress mine, where are you roaming?
2. Come away, come away death.
3. I am gone sir.
4. When that I was and a little fine boy.
Fools and Clowns:

In Shakespearean Comedy, the fools and the clowns have a significant
part to play. They are professionals, and they do not provide as much humour
as the other characters do because they were not fools by birth; they are
rather wise than the heroes and heroines. A critic says about the Clown of
Twelfth Night: “He is the wisest character of the play”.
Conclusion:
In short we may say that Shakespearean comedies are unrivalled
because if their strange blending of pathos and joy, realistic element, superb
characterisation and their universal appeal. Since Twelfth Night fulfills all the
features of Shakespearean comedy we can say that it is one of the best
written comedy of Shakespeare.

Twelfth Night As A Comedy

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THE ISLAMIA UNIVERSITY BAHAWALPUR

Romantic yet Real:

The Role of Women:

Love, Music, Song:

Fools and Clowns:

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