A note on charecteristic features of romantic comedies Essay

A NOTE ON CHARECTERISTIC FEATURES OF ROMANTIC COMEDIES BY SHAKESPEARE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE PLAY A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM. HARMONY OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS:Shakespears’ romantic comedies vividly display true comic scenes with every humor and predominant hilariousness. They are rich with subtlety, humour and romance. There is a wonderful harmony of plot and character. His large hearted sympathy and tolerance bring about a soothing influence and congenial atmosphere in comedies. Everything fits well and every single individual lives with robust vitality.

There is no discordant element in the world of his comedy, as the conflicting elements are welded together in such a harmonious manner that they form a single organic whole. Even bottom with a head of an ass, is not felt inconsistent in the world of Fairies in a Shakespearean comedy. The romance and gladness and love form the theme which is permeated trough by the essence of integrity. ROMANTIC ATMOSPHERE: The romantic element is one essential feature of Shakespearean comedies which includes all that is strange, mysterious and remote from usual life.

The romantic part of the plot in Shakespearean comedies includes incidents that ar beyond the range of common experience and its setting and background is thoroughly romantic. In each of his comedies, the scene is laid in a far distant country or in an imaginary land in the remote part. The scene of the Mid Summers nights dream is laid in ancient Athens, that of Twelfth Nights in Illyria (an Imaginary land)and that of as you like it in the forest of arden.

By laying his scenes on these imaginary and unknown countries, the dramatist silence all the criticism with regards to the strange and wonderful things,happenijng there. The romantics background of the comedies is also seen in their lovely surrounding in the elegant place of flowery garden or a fruitful orchard. Nearly all the scenes are set in natural surroundings. LOVE AS THE THEAM: In shake spears comedies, comic charecterers have no difficult or tough lives. Their only occupation is to indulge in love affairs and other frivolities of life.

Of all humane emotions, love is the most dominant and romantic for it transforms the whole being of a person. It is passion that kindles the heart, the brain and the senses alike. It is ready to challenge every obstacle and face every danger. It is, therefore the theme of every romantic play of shakespear. This is the main reason that a Shakespearean comedy is rightly called a romantic comedy. FUSIN OF ROMANCE AND REALISTIC ELEMENTS WITH THE HELP OF HUMOUR: Shakespearean comedies have the element of romance and reality together blended magnificently.

In A MID SUMMERS NIGHTS DREAM, Bottom and his fellow artisans are thoroughly realities, and reflect the manners of Elizabethan England. Humour rather than wit produces the comic effect. SERIOUSNESS AS AN ELEMENT: The play has element of seriousness running through the whole web, but it does not interfere with the gaiety and merriment that persuade the atmosphere of the comedy. There is indeed interpretation of the tragic with the comic into Romantic Drama. Just as in a tragedy, the introduction of the serious element makes the comedy more enjoyable.