What Makes the Play Twelfth Night a Comedy?

¶ … play of Shakespeare, Twelfth Night particularly the comedy and the conventions used in it.

What makes the play twelfth night a comedy?

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare presents the best example of a true Elizabethan romantic comedy. Though the themes constituting the play like lunacy and absurdness of love place it in the category of a rather unconventional comedy. Nevertheless, if closely analyzed for conventions of romantic comedy, Twelfth Night certainly is one. The many elements of this play by Shakespeare provide resemblance to the Elizabethan romantic comedy. These conventions of comedy used in Twelfth Night are complex and interesting characters in disguise. These disguises include mistaken identities, cross-dressing as well as a fascinating blend of the separation of the twins. The comedy is full of mild ridicule with a touch of mockery and a mixture of romantic misunderstandings. All these elements used in this comedy have been beautifully transformed in order to provide a perfect end to the story.

Various critiques and literary experts consider this play, Twelfth Night a true romantic comedy because it covers a rich array of conventions of Shakespearean comedy. Twelfth Night follows the foremost convention of Shakespearean comedy, which involves the actions of the characters determined by the intensity of love (which is usually depicted through marital and other relationships). For instance the obvious and smooth changeover of innocence in the case of Viola and Sebastian throughout the play. As well as the transformation from the single to the married status and quests of matrimony of other characters of the play are some of the examples that prove it's a comedy. Shakespeare has used different forms of comedy in this play in junction with distinct characters. For example, Shakespeare on many occasions in this play has ridiculed the opulence of wealthy class. Even the over blown mourning by Olivia in this play gives it a funny touch thereby making it a comedy.

In Twelfth Night Shakespeare has ridiculed those who disregard the sensible use of intelligence at the right time and are too particular about the societal norms and etiquette. For instance Shakespeare mocked at the dressing sense that has been represented as a symbol of fashion consciousness. Consequently by showing Malvolio a prey to fashionable trends in one of the scenes of this play, Shakespeare addresses a serious as well as a debatable issue in a lighthearted manner utilizing the conventions of comedy.

In another scene, Feste dresses up as Sir Topaz to go with Maria and Sir Toby and meet Malvolio, who is imprisoned and succeeds in fooling Malvolio through his disguise. Even though it was a tragic moment for Malvolio but Feste used his humor to lighten up the moods of the people around particularly Malvolio. This shows that Shakespeare used such characters as Feste to address his readers to learn the skill of dealing with such difficult times of life lightly. At another occasion, Shakespeare used the character of Feste for bringing laughter to the people when Olivia mourns the death of her brother and Feste inquire the cause of her mourning, as he was certain that his soul rested in heaven. Even though such moments are meant to be painful and bring grieve, but Shakespeare through his humor managed to bring a smile to the people around.