Good Comedy is tragedy narrowly averted
Good Comedy is tragedy narrowly averted. How far do you agree with this statement with reference to ‘Much Ado about Nothing’?
Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ (MAAN) juxtaposes the themes of love and deceit and how deception can be used for good or evil. This juxtaposition creates a fine line between tragedy and comedy for the audience and portrays the tragic elements underlying in comedy. There are many moments within MAAN that could easily become tragic highlighting the idea that good comedy is tragedy narrowly averted.
The play opens with a lighthearted relaxed scene, setting the play as a happy comedy. This is contrasted to Act 1 scene 3 where the audience first sees ‘the bastard’ Don John. Having such opposing scenes together structurally, show that comedy and tragedy go hand in hand. The comedy in MAAN is often created when the audience can see that something could go horribly wrong.
The audience are presented with Don John’s plan to deceive Claudio creating a dramatic irony within the audience, keeping the idea of tragedy in the back of the audience’s minds throughout the following ‘comical’ scene. In Act 1 scene 3, the audience are shown the tragedy within the play by Don John saying “…can cross him… bless myself everyway” This highlights Don John’s heartlessness and foreshadows his intentions further on in the play. This scene at the beginning of the play helps to underline the tragedy that continues through out and makes it play on the audience’s mind. The words “bless myself” show Don John’s bitterness and selfishness, he will do anything and everything for himself even if it means ‘crossing’ his brother. This portrays that he simply enjoys deceiving people and ruining other people’s lives – possible because of the fact that he is portrayed as a bastard.
Further potential tragedy is represented in the following scene Act 2 Scene 1, when not only does Don John’s plan become reality, Beatrice and Benedick partake in their ‘merry war’ further,
Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ (MAAN) juxtaposes the themes of love and deceit and how deception can be used for good or evil. This juxtaposition creates a fine line between tragedy and comedy for the audience and portrays the tragic elements underlying in comedy. There are many moments within MAAN that could easily become tragic highlighting the idea that good comedy is tragedy narrowly averted.
The play opens with a lighthearted relaxed scene, setting the play as a happy comedy. This is contrasted to Act 1 scene 3 where the audience first sees ‘the bastard’ Don John. Having such opposing scenes together structurally, show that comedy and tragedy go hand in hand. The comedy in MAAN is often created when the audience can see that something could go horribly wrong.
The audience are presented with Don John’s plan to deceive Claudio creating a dramatic irony within the audience, keeping the idea of tragedy in the back of the audience’s minds throughout the following ‘comical’ scene. In Act 1 scene 3, the audience are shown the tragedy within the play by Don John saying “…can cross him… bless myself everyway” This highlights Don John’s heartlessness and foreshadows his intentions further on in the play. This scene at the beginning of the play helps to underline the tragedy that continues through out and makes it play on the audience’s mind. The words “bless myself” show Don John’s bitterness and selfishness, he will do anything and everything for himself even if it means ‘crossing’ his brother. This portrays that he simply enjoys deceiving people and ruining other people’s lives – possible because of the fact that he is portrayed as a bastard.
Further potential tragedy is represented in the following scene Act 2 Scene 1, when not only does Don John’s plan become reality, Beatrice and Benedick partake in their ‘merry war’ further,