Comedy & # 8211 ; Critical Analysis Essay, Research Paper

We can follow the beginning of Comedy to Dionysis- the Greek God of Wine who was screaming, satirical and irreverent in spirit. Ben Jonson in? Volpone? ( 1605 ) that is considered to be the greatest comedy in English epitomized the classical spirit of comedy. Shakespeare was cognizant of the classical tradition by the chose to follow the Roman tradition of Petrarch and Boccacio.

Shakespeare? s early comedies were classical in spirit but the ulterior 1s were more emotional, notional and humourous. ? The Merchant of Venice? falls between there two classs. It leads the list of mature comedies ; has more Romantic features than classical. It is besides one of the earliest productions of the in-between period. In this drama Shakespeare seems to hold obtained the highest usage of his powers as a dramatist, his modules as a poet and philosopher seem to be nearing their expansive adulthood without losing the ardour and hopefulness of young person. There is loftiness of idea and look.

Love affair was an old tradition and Romantic thoughts were common during Shakespeare? s clip. Romantic Comedy in the 16th C was meant for the Aristocracy and the amusing alleviation in the dramas was meant for the groundlings. There were many differences between the Romantic Comedies and classical comedies. In the classical tradition, the characters were presented with pitiless force and the dramas were realistic, religious and critical. But in Romantic comedies that Shakespeare wrote there was plentifulness of with but there was besides an entreaty to the emotions instead than the mind and they were besides less critical in intent. Like Meredith said, they are? booms of laughter uncluttering the air and heart. ? It is a comedy of emotions, which wins the audience? s understanding with the sufferings and halituss of the characters.

The assorted features of Romantic comedies are present in? The Merchant of Venice? . The taking subjects of most of these dramas were Love and Friendship. These comedies were an expounding of Love and its multiplex alterations. And on one degree? The Merchant of Venice? is besides a drama about friendly relationship and love. In the first scene itself Antonio displays the nature of love and friendly relationship that he feels for Bassanio,

? My bag, my individual, my extremest agencies

Lie all unlocked to your occasions. ?

The love of friendly relationship seems to order most of Antonio? s actions. He marks the Flesh Bond and it can be seen as the ultimate gesture that he can do for the interest of friendly relationship. Bassanio besides reciprocates, but his feelings are non on par with that of Antonio? s. And at that place seem to be several degrees of friendly relationship represented throughout the drama. The friendly relationship of Bassanio and Antonio is contrasted with that of Shylock and Tubal. The drama opens with a friendship scene, friendly relationship is an of import factor in the test scene and the drama ends showing what friendly relationship will make.

Different sorts of love as besides presented in? The Merchant of Venice? . The love of a male parent for a girl and here once more there is a contrast in the manner The Lord of Belmont displays his love ( though indirectly ) for Portia and subsequently on in the drama the manner Shylock behaves with Jessica. His genitive nature is shown and one admirations what hurt him more, Jessica? s elopement or the loss of his money when he chants

? My girl! O my Daughter! O my girl!

My ducats and my girl! ?

Although Portia admits that the? will of a life girl? is curbed by the? will of a dead male parent? regard for him is apparent when she says? I will decease every bit chaste as Diana unless I be obtained the mode of my male parent? s will. ?

Jessica on the other manus is ashamed of her male parent and is a girl merely by blood and non by manners. She breaks all usage and elopes and injuries Shylock the most by get marrieding a Christian. Still one might happen it difficult to reprimand Jessica and we justify her actions because of the intervention met out to her by Shylock.

The emotional deepness of experiencing that Bassanio feels for Portia is somewhat different from that of Lorenzo and Jessica? s. However one might reason that Lorenzo right from the start negotiations about? how I shall take her from her male parent? s house, What gold and gems she is furnished with? , while Bassanio negotiations about a? just lady richly left? to whom he? curse a secret pilgrim’s journey? . Later his address does raise a batch of inquiries when he says that plainness moves him and we are all ware of his love for show. The urge of true loves moves his to take the lead coffin! But we should non utilize excessively much of logic and accept it as portion of a? Romantic Comedy. ? ? The Merchant of Venice? is informed with the thought of love? s wealth and how love is about giving away a

nd non closing and rejecting.

There was besides a predomination of immature people in Romantic comedies and many braces of lovers and multiple matrimonies were present. Most of them were set on a foreign canvas and dealt with either concern or domestic personal businesss of the Merchant category. Venice was likely an redolent name for the Elizabethans and was a beginning of inspiration. Shakespeare presented a Venice that lived in the Elizabethan head and it was a metropolis of rich merchandisers and gentlemen in silks. And so he gave the picturesque environment of Belmont and the starlit garden at the drama? s terminal. The alien locations could besides be a contemplation of the enormous development that was speaking topographic point in pilotage and geographic expedition during the European Renaissance.

The Shakespearean? Romantic? heroine combined a bosom of keen esthesia and high liquors and acted as a Jesus in a crisis. Portia here is the prototype of humor, bravery and escapade. She is presented as the depository of true values, the refinisher, and the therapist and as the vehicle of all generous qualities of Love. The hero played a secondary function to that of the heroine and in this drama besides we see Bassanio playing 2nd violin to Portia who dominates. But there is ambiguity as to who is the hero of the drama. There is Antonio, who is? the merchandiser? and so Shylock. Is Bassanio truly a hero? But so once more we have to accept certain things, if Portia is the heroine so Bassanio would by default becomes the hero.

There is besides the usage of camouflage and music in Romantic comedies. Disguise was used to bring forth temper. And during the 16th C there were no female histrions. The males enacted all the female functions, and when they disguised themselves as males it was bound to be highly amusing. Here Portia and Nerissa disguise themselves and it is besides a signifier of dramatic sarcasm. The hero of the Flesh Bond narrative is rescues by the heroine of the Casket narrative who was in the first topographic point the ground that the flesh bond was signed. Audiences tend to acquire ungratified with excessively much of address and music was used to relieve this status. But music besides adds another dimension to the drama and conveys thoughts, which can non be good set Forth in the verbal signifier.

Music was used for? phase music? i.e. as in an action on the phase that required it or as? charming music? i.e. to do person autumn in love with person or miraculously heal person. And it was besides used as? character music? , to portray or uncover the character of one of the supporter. Shakespeare felt that those who did non appreciate music were similar animate beings. There is beautiful usage of music and vocal in all his dramas. In? The Merchant of Venice? the vocal serves the intent of giving Bassanio a hint about the coffin.

As Shelly remarked? Our sincerest laughter with some hurting is fraught/ Our sweetest vocals are those that Tell of saddest ideas? , most of these comedies had a quality of calm felicity that was probably to develop into gaiety in the decision but it besides threatened to go serious. They besides had a tragic strain in them. With the invasion of melancholy characters there is a tragic possibility in most comedies. Here Antonio has a melancholy temper. He considers his portion in universe as? a sad one. ? Shylock besides strikes a tragic note, at the terminal of the drama he is left without the props of his life and although he is considered to be the scoundrel, one can non assist feeling sorry for him.

However there are certain differences in? The Merchant of Venice? and the other Romantic comedies of Shakespeare. First, Love is non the lone dominant involvement of the drama unlike as it is in? Twelfth Night. ? The drama could easy be one that is covering with issues of Jewry and Usury that were really modern-day. Bassanio as the Romantic hero is non a lovesick languishing figure and his motivations are instead fishy. The twosomes besides in this drama are matured as compared to others but Lorenzo and Jessica could suit the measure of being whimsically Romantic. The flood tide of the drama is non the love narrative as it should be in a romantic comedy but in the Trial scene that comes instead late. The matrimony besides take topographic point in the center of the drama and though it gives clip to demo love? s wealth it is non in maintaining with the other dramas.

However most of the features of a Romantic comedy are present in? The Merchant of Venice? and sing the stoping of the drama as E.K. Chambers said it is like? a sweet dream come herb of grace or a bad dream gone. ? As Stephano announces the return of Portia from her? pilgrim’s journey? , Antonio is told of the safe return of his? argosies? , Lorenzo and Jessica are informed of their heritage from Shylock? s wealth and Belmont? s music and this harmoniousness seem to be appropriate declarations of the drama? s inharmoniousnesss.