Twelfth Night vs A Midsummer Night's Dream

Webster’s Online Dictionary defines the word romance as” a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.” However, individuals within a society have the opportunity to manipulate the definition of the word romance to one that is personally believed to be the correct answer. This definition is based upon past experiences/future expectations and hopes of the word. However, when given the opportunity to define the word comedy, society has the same interpretations of what is found humorous and what is not. This leaves an assumption that the word romance is a personal vendetta, whereas comedy is personal on a different level; audiences find different things humorous, however comical themes are generalized compared to personal romantic experiences. Both themes are evident in Shakespeare’s plays “Twelfth Night” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” through comedic Sir Toby Belch, and side-kick, Sir Andrew Augucheek, as well as romantic hungry females, Helena and Hermia. Therefore, the question at hand is how Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream relate to one another in romantic and comedic genres.
To repeat the words of Frye, “No two characters have a greater effect on the audience than the eccentric duo of Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Sir Toby Belch,” for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” audience. These two characters play on each other’s humor, one resembling light humor and the other dark, to enhance the plot and make it much more interesting for the audience. Sir Toby Belch, supporting dark humor in this play, obtains a laugh due to the mockery of Sir Andrew. Evident in Act 1, scene 3, “Then hadst thou had an excellent head of hair. Why? Would that have mended my hair? Past question; for thou seest it will not curl by nature.” (1.3 88-90) In this small dispute between the two effecting characters, it is noticed by the reader that Sir Belch treats the naive Sir Aguecheeck in a belittlingly manner, however is destined to for a comedic response from the audience.