Romeo and Juliet – the lighter side The comedic elements in Shakespeare’s lyrical tragedy

Contrasts in the Play Romeo and Juliet is a play about contrasts. These contrasts include Light and dark Night and day Young and old Love and hate And…

Comedy!! Tragedy and comedy! Think also about the contrasts between illusion and reality Pay attention to these characters: Romeo and Mercutio The nurse and Lady Capulet The nurse and Mercutio

Why include comedy in a tragedy? It gives the audience an emotional break It lowers the tension in the tragic scenes It delights the audience It adds variety

Does it have a formal name? YES! Comic relief! “the introduction of comic characters, speeches, or scenes in a serious or tragic work, especially in dramas. Comic relief was universal in Elizabethan tragedies.” M.H. Abrams

Where’s the comedy? Two comic characters in Romeo and Juliet are Mercutio The nurse

What makes us laugh? Asides Contrasts Exaggeration Mocking Puns Dirty Jokes

Bawdy jokes to settle the folks… Gregory: The quarrel is between our masters and us their men. Sampson: ‘Tis all one. I will show myself a tyrant. When I have fought with men, I will be civil with the maids—I will cut off their heads. Gregory: The heads of the maids? Sampson: Ay, the heads of the maids or their maidenheads. Take it in what sense thou wilt. 1.1.19 - 26

And soon after… Sampson: I do bite my thumb, sir. Abram: Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? Sampson: (aside to Gregory) Is the law of our side if I say ay? Gregory: (aside to Sampson) No. Sampson: No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir. 1.1.44 – 51

“come, instance, instance” Friar: Our Romeo hath not been in bed tonight. Romeo: The last was true. The sweeter rest was mine. Friar: God pardon sin! Wast thou with Rosaline? 2.3. 41 - 43

Upon the nurse’s arrival… Nurse: My fan, Peter Mercutio: Good Peter, to hide her face; for her fan’s the fairer face. Nurse: God ye good morrow, gentlemen. Mercutio: God ye good-den, fair gentlewoman. Nurse: Is it good-den? Meructio: ‘Tis no less…for the bawdy hand of the dial is now upon the prick of noon. 2.4. 107 - 115

Juliet hath her turn, too Juliet: I’ faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me what says my love? Nurse: Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I warrant, a virtuous– Where is your mother?…

Ahhh, the irony… Juliet: Where is my mother? Why she is within. Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest! “Your love says, like an honest gentleman, ‘Where is your mother?’” 2.5.53 - 61

What about the nurse? Once things turn serious and deadly, she reveals how flat, how static she is. When Juliet begs for help in the situation where she’s supposed to wed Paris, and she’s already married, the nurse suggests bigamy: “I think it best you married with the county.” 3.5.219

To which spunky Juliet replies, “Well, Thou hast comforted me marvelous much.” 3.5.2 The nurse loses her magic and Juliet’s confidence and never regains either.

Even when danger may be imminent Tybalt: What wouldst thou have with me? Mercutio: Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives.” 3.1.77 - 79

Where is most of the comedy? Acts 1 and 2. Why? Shakespeare gives us lots of opportunities to mix fun and seriousness – the opening banter; the big party at the Capulets’ home; Mercutio’s banter with other characters; the joy of falling in love (R and J), but…

It’s funny, but… Always remember that there is a dark overtone – The families are feuding Sword fights (resulting in death) are fairly common The prince is so worried that he declares the death sentence on those who break the peace

Thematically? “Laugh as we may, Romeo clearly lives in a world where folly can have serious consequences; and we are no longer confident that the conventions of comedy will save him from those consequences or spare us the pain of seeing him destroyed.” Sylvan Barnet