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TRAGEDY VS COMEDY
The distinction originates from the ancient Greek where the two form of literature (tragedy and
comedy) were among the three types of play used in theaters. The comedy got based on farce and
satire, a point where comic came to be the divine comedy. On the other hand, tragedy got based
on a typical story where a person got doomed by his/her character flaws. Shakespeare who’s
literature work emerge in 1564-1616 did not have a definite explanation for tragedy and comedy,
but analyzing his literature works one can conclude the idea the man had on comedy and tragedy.
In Shakespeare plays comedy meant mirthful or pleasant acts while tragedy often got associated
with an event that resulted in a downfall of the innocent rather than the guilt. ‘Shakespeare’s
Midsummer night’s dream and Hamlet portray significant differences between comedy and
tragedy.’
Shakespeare play of Midsummer night’s dream can be used to elaborate the comedy
interpretation based on Shakespeare ideas. There are several features that, and other typical
• In most of Shakespeare comedy play, the whole story ends up with several marriages or a
promised marriage. It was a technique used by Shakespeare to bring back social order of his play
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world. For instance, in the Midsummer Night’s Dream Theseus eventually marries Hippolyta and
the two spend a night together, which Shakespeare talk about since the begging of the play
(Shakespeare, 2009). The other four characters that were chasing each other in the forest while
falling in and out of love, at last, they settle down with their right partner. Hermia got married to
• There is also comedy in a dramatic incident that turned out to be ironical. Hermia’s dad
Egeus wanted to choose who will marry her daughter, but despite the disobedience and the
Hamlet
This particular play is a drama of how Prince Hamlet plans to avenge the death of his father King
Hamlet who got killed by his brother Claudius seizing the throne and married his brother widow.
• Prince Hamlet is the main character and seeking revenge for his father’s death while
conducting his father’s ghost wishes. He did not achieve his mission entirely as he lost his life at
• An eruption of violence emerged when Hamlet’s uncle and Laertes plotted a ‘friendly’ duel
that will be between Prince Hamlet and Laertes. In the duel, Gertrude drink’s the poisoned cup of
wine meant for the Prince. Using a poisoned tipped sword, Laertes poked Hamlet and Hamlet
turned to poke Laertes with the same sword. Laertes being upset he told on Claudius plan and
Hamlet stabbed him to with the poisoned sword and compelled him to drink the poisoned cup of
• At the end of the play, the body count was enormous, to the point of almost all the main
characters of the play were nearly all dead. Some of the other deaths included; Hamlet mistakes
Polonius to his uncle and stabs him while spying on him and Gertrude. Ophelia drowned
mysteriously no clear of the cause. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were sent to execute Hamlet in
London, but they got executed instead. Also, the Fortinbras’ army was killing people although it
was not shown on stage and finally the duel incidence that led to the revenge tragedy
(Shakespeare W. , 2002).
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Works Cited