Definition for Comedy

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                           Comedy

Comedy deals with the light side of life. It evokes laughter. In a comedy the end is a happy one. The atmosphere of comedy is mirthful and light. Shakespeare's comedy "begin unhappily and end happily".  

The comic actor wore a light shoe called the sock to show his lower status. They belonged to a lower class.In later literature there were comedies of high society. Falstaff and Sir Toby Belch were Shakespeare's  comedians belonging to higher status. 

The purpose of comedy was to correct manners. It purifies the conduct of the audience spiritually and morally. Comedy served to explore the common errors of life. Shakespeare's comedies were written in blank verse.  Eg.  As You Like It.

Types of Comedy
I)Classical Comedy
II)Romantic Comedy 
Classical comedy
In this type the author follows certain classical rules of ancient Greek and Roman writers. Some classical rules are 
  • The Three Unities of Time, Place and Action.
  • Separation of comic and tragic elements.
  • The aim of classical comedy is satiric in nature. 

Romantic Comedy

In Romantic comedy the playwright doesn’t follow the classical rules. The writer writes what he thinks.There is mingling of comic and tragic elements.The three unities are not taken in to consideration. Its aim is to provide entertainment to the readers. Comedies of Shakespeare are romantic in nature.



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