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How does the play satisfy the Elizabethan conventions for comedy?

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  • Essay length: 711 words
  • Submitted: 04/11/2003
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University Degree A Midsummer Nights Dream

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How does the play satisfy the Elizabethan conventions for comedy?

During the Elizabethan times, comedies were very popular. Shakespeare wrote quite a few comedies such as A Midsummer Night's Dream. They all contained five elements that the Elizabethans saw essential to make a play a comedy. These were wit, verbal jokes, mistaken identity, music and poetry and finally a dark note.

Wit was generally seen as a silly argument, which followed debating. During the argument, each person would make his or her statement seem more ridiculous than what the previous person had said.

Wit is presented many times throughout the play, as the lovers have many arguments between them. The first time we see wit is in Act 1 scene 1 when the two men fight for the right to marry Hermia. For example, Lysander describes Demitrius as a "spotted and inconstant man".

Another time during which wit is shown is when Helena and Hermia are arguing, as both feel that the other is mocking them. Comments such as "fie, fie, you counterfeit, you puppet, you! Are followed by " How low am I, thou painted maypole?"

Verbal jokes wee seen as puns

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