Twelfth Night as a Romantic Comedy

Hareshwar Roy,


Introduction: William Shakespeare is a great playwright.Twelfth Night is one of the best romantic comedies by him. It can be compared with The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado about Nothing and As you Like It. It deals with the light and trivial incidents of life. It combines romantic elements with comic elements. It has a happy ending.
Happiness through Marriages: Twelfth Night possesses certain features which are common to all romantic comedies of Shakespeare. It is based on love leading to marriage. Almost all the characters are the patients of the same disease - love. The fifth act brings them all happiness through marriage. The Duke gets Viola, Olivia gets Sebastian and Sir Toby feels content with Maria. The entire fifth act echoes with the wedding bells and offers a happy ending.
Female Dominance: In Shakespearean romantic comedies female characters play important role. This predominance gives the play an air of romance. In this play the entire story revolves round the two female characters named Viola and Olivia. Even the chief male characters find their significance due to them. Like Rosalind and Celia, Viola and Olivia dominate the whole plot.
Mirth and Laughter: The atmosphere of the Twelfth Night is full of mirth and laughter. From the beginning to the end the play presents a beautiful love story. When the play opens we find a Duke who is panting for Olivia. Viola in the guise of a boy gets a job with the Duke. She has fallen in love with him, though she keeps it a secret. Since the Duke has a great love for Olivia, he sends Viola to her to plead for him. Viola is good looking and charming. She wins the heart of Olivia. This triangular love makes this play interesting and romantic.
Happy Ending: The fifth and final act of the play shows the happy ending. In this act we find Sebastian, the twin brother of Viola. He is very smart. His arrival solves the problem. All mysteries are exposed and almost all the characters get their due share of cheerfulness. This happy ending makes the play highly romantic.
Happy Blending of Fact and Fiction: A happy blending of fact and fiction is a very important characteristic of Twelfth Night. The persons and the places, the plot and the setting are all imaginary. They have been given romantic touch by William Shakespeare. Some characters like Fest, Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Malvolio are humourous characters. They provoke laughter and create a romantic atmosphere in the play.
Music and Song: Music and song play important role in the comedies of William Shakespeare. They are the keynote of Twelfth Night. The whole body of the play is studded with songs. In short, the song and music of the play provide this comedy an excellent romantic atmosphere.
Conclusion: To conclude, Twelfth Night is the purest and merriest comedy by Shakespeare. Dowden has rightly called this play ‘Joyous, refined and romantic.’
Location: B-37, City Homes Colony, Jawahar Nagar Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India

Comments

  1. English LIteratureWednesday, July 15, 2020

    Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy, and romantic love is the play's main focus.

    ReplyDelete
  2. VELMURUGANThursday, March 25, 2021

    Nice essay.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Somnath SarkarSunday, October 17, 2021


    This article is written elegantly and exerts tremendous knowledge. Also Read my article Twelfth Night as a Romantic Comedy

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousTuesday, August 02, 2022

    was'nt really helpful but good efforts you put there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousTuesday, August 02, 2022

      yea bruh it was'nt that good but i hope next time she will write better

      Delete
    2. AnonymousTuesday, August 02, 2022

      i aree

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

JOHN DONNE AS A METAPHYSICAL POET

Hareshwar Roy,
INTRODUCTION: John Donne is the leader and founder of the Metaphysical school of poetry. His poetry is a revolt against the popular current. First of all Dryden used the term ' Metaphysical' for Donne's poetry. He said,' Donne affects the metaphysics'. Later on Dr. Johnson called Donne and his followers 'the metaphysical poets'. Since then the word metaphysical has been used for Donne and his followers. WHAT IS METAPHYSICAL POETRY: The term metaphysics means something supernatural and transcendental. Its sense is 'what is beyond physical'. It is concerned with fundamental problems of life and death and soul even after death. The term metaphysical poetry means poetry dealing with metaphysical subjects. These subjects are - nature of universe, movements of stars and planets and the whole relationship of man to God. MAIN CHARACTERISTICS: We should cast a glance at the main characteristics of metaphysical poetry before we proceed to examine Donne a
Read more

The Axe by R.K.Narayan: Text & Summary

Hareshwar Roy,
An astrologer passing through the village foretold that Velan would live in a three-storeyed house surrounded by many acres of garden. At this everybody gathered round young Velan and made fun of him. For Koppal did not have a more ragged and godforsaken family than Velan’s. His father had mortgaged every bit of property he had, and worked, with his whole family, on other people’s lands in return for a few annas a week . . . A three-storeyed house for Velan indeed! . . . But the scoffers would have congratulated the astrologer if they had seen Velan about thirty or forty years later. He became the sole occupant of Kumar Baugh—that palatial house on the outskirts of Malgudi town.   When he was eighteen Velan left home. His father slapped his face one day for coming late with the midday-meal, and he did that in the presence of others in the field. Velan put down the basket, glared at his father and left the place. He just walked out of the village, and walked on and on till h
Read more

LONGINUS: SOURCES OF SUBLIMITY

Hareshwar Roy,
INTRODUCTION: Longinus is one of the greatest Greek critics. His position is only next to Aristotle. His 'On the Sublime' is an immortal critical document of great worth and significance. It deals wit h the principle of sublimity in the world of writing. Here Longinus discusses the meaning, the nature and the sources of sublime. He distinguishes the true sublime from the false sublime. He advises how to overcome the vices of sublime. His suggestions are of permanent and paramount value. WHAT IS SUBLIMITY: Sublimity is a certain loftiness, distinction and consummation of excellence in language, expression and composition. It is the echo of a great soul. It raises style above the ordinary. Some persons are of the view that sublimity is a gift of nature. They think that it has nothing to do with art. But one should not forget that nature needs the help of art to control its wild impulses. In fact, both nature and art contribute to sublimity in literature. According to L
Read more

BACON AS AN ESSAYIST

Hareshwar Roy,
INTRODUCTION: Bacon, the father of English essay, is the first great English essayist who enjoys a glorious reputation. He remains for the sheer mass and weight of genius. His essays introduce a new form of composition into English literature. THREE EDIIONS OF BACON'S ESSAYS: Bacon sponsored this new literary form in English with the publication of his ten essays in 1597. It grew to thirty-eight in the edition of 1612. The number reached fifty-eight in the final issue of 1625. These essays are the results of his direct observations of men and matters. DISPERSED MEDITATIONS: Bacon charged his essays with the serious spirit and stately manners of Seneca. For him his essays were dispersed meditations and receptacle for detached thoughts. He is practical under the influence of Machiavelli. Utilitarianism is obvious in his essays. He shrewdly instructs how to lead a successful life. That's why his essays are called counsels civil and moral. BACON AND MONTAIGNE: Bacon borrowed
Read more

Paradise Lost: An Epic

Hareshwar Roy,
John Milton is one of the greatest poets of England. His Paradise Lost is one of the greatest epics in English language. Here the poet has maintained the classical tradition of epic writing. In fact, an epic is a long narrative poem that contains great action, great hero and great style. In Milton’s Paradise Lost one can find all these three things. According to Aristotle there are some important characteristics of an epic. Among them fable, theme, characters, machinery, episodes, integrity, sentiment and grand style are significant. Addison has also described three qualifications of an epic. These are – the fable, the entirety of action and the greatness of action. When we analyze and evaluate the Paradise Lost, we find all these characteristics in it. The fable is one of the most important elements of an epic. It is considered to be the backbone of an epic. The most important duty of an epic poet is to select a moral to illustrate and establish. In the Paradise Lost Milton has
Read more

The Cherry Tree (Text) by Ruskin Bond: A Complete Study

Hareshwar Roy,
  The Cherry Tree:  Ruskin Bond One day, when Rakesh was six, he walked from the Mussoorie bazaar eating cherries. They were a little sweet, a little sour; small, bright red cherries, which had come all the way from the Kashmir valley.Here in the Himalayan foothills where Rakesh lived, there were not many fruit trees. The soil was stony, and the dry cold winds stunted the growth of most plants. But on the more sheltered slopes there were forests of oak and deodar. Rakesh lived with his grandfather on the outskirts of Mussoorie, just where the forest began. Rakesh was on his way home from school when he bought the cherries. He paid fifty paisa for the bunch. It took him about half an hour to walk home, and by the time he reached the cottage there were only three cherries left. ‘Have a cherry, grandfather,’ he said, as soon as he saw grandfather in the garden. Grand father took one cherry and Rakesh promptly ate the other two. He kept the last seed in his mouth for some time, rolling it
Read more

Waiting for Godot: An Absurd Play by Beckett

Hareshwar Roy,
Image
↑ Grab this Headline Animator Samuel Beckett is a revolutionary playwright. He is an iconoclast and an image breaker. He has shattered conventions and pioneered a new kind of drama. His drama is above categories of tragedy and comedy. It is called absurd drama. His plays show the situation in which we are. They expose us in our existential predicament. Waiting for Godot  is an absurd drama. In fact, absurd drama presents human life and human situation as absurd. This type of drama is free from traditional plot, story or division into acts and scenes. Here we get few characters. They have symbolic significance. Dialogues are very short and crisp. Nothing significant happens on the stage. It prefers existential themes. Things are not explained but they are merely hinted at. One can find all these features in  Waiting for Godot . Lack of action is one of the major characteristics of an absurd play. There is nothing significant in the play. So is the case with  Waiting for G
Read more

University Wits

Hareshwar Roy,
The drama before Shakespeare found its full flowering with the dramatists called the University Wits . These dramatists were well-educated scholars. They wrote in the closing years of the 16th century. This name was given to them because they were nearly all educated at Oxford or Cambridge University. Wit was the synonym for scholar. All the contributors of University Wits have several features in common. They had stormy careers. All of them were actively associated with the theatre. They were usually actors as well as dramatists. They understood the requirements of the stage and felt the pulse of the audience. They often worked in collaboration with each other. Their stored material was also common. With these dramatists English drama acquired the highest point of glory. In many ways they developed English drama. Christopher Marlowe was most shining star among the University Wits. Others were Lyly, Peele, Greene, Lodge, Nashe and Kyd. John Lyly: As a dramatist Lyly occupies a p
Read more

LAMB AS AN ESSAYIST

Hareshwar Roy,
Charles Lamb is a shining star in the sky of English essay. He is called the prince among English essayists. His essays are the finest in English prose. He brought to prose the finest qualities of Romanticism. Lamb's readers appreciate him for his wisdom, for his humanity, for his genial humour, for his profound pathos, for his sweet temperament and for his style. BEGINNING: Born in a lower class family, Lamb came in contact with Cole ridge. He started his career as a poet but could not succeed. He acquired immortal recognition as an essayist. From 1820 to 1833, essay writing was his main occupation. He wrote under the pseudonym of Elia. His first essay appeared in the London Magazine in 1820. The first volume of his essays was published in 1823 as Essays Of Elia and the second as the Last Essays Of Elia in 1833. Each essay of Lamb is a little wonder. Here we find a fine combination of wit, fancy, anecdote and reflection. According to Cazamian, he is above all an artist. PERS
Read more

THE BOOK OF SECRETS: A STUDY

Hareshwar Roy,
M.G. Vassanji’s third novel, The Book of Secrets , was published in 1994. It’s a fine piece of work that foregrounds the themes and ideas that recur throughout M. G. Vassanji’s fiction. It is an engrossing account of Asians in East Africa. Rich in detail and description, this award winning fiction magnificently deals with immigrants and exiles. It appears as a story of displacement, physical and emotional, and one’s search for identity and a promised land. It explores the state of living in exile from one’s home and from oneself. This third novel, The Book of Secrets , is a spellbinding novel of generations and the sweep of history. The story of it is a memorable cast of characters, part of Asian community in East Africa, whose lives and fates we follow over the course of seven decades. It is an encompassing tale that flows through lives. It delves deep into the personal lives, loves and cast system surrounding African Indian society. It investigates notions of histo
Read more