Elements of a Shakespearean Comedy

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Elements of a Shakespearean Comedy
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Comedic Heroine

• A beautiful and engaging female character who
  brings a positive resolution to all conflicts

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Outcast Character

• A person who is rejected or cast out, usually
  from home or society

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Clever Servant

• A jester of sorts one who is quick-witted and
  humorous who serves someone else

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Change of Setting

• Movement from the normal world of conflict and
  trouble to a greener world

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Musical Interludes

• Music inserted between or during scenes of the
  play

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A Fish out of Water

• A person in an unfamiliar setting, or an event
  resulting from the unfamiliar setting

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Puns

• Figure of speech involving a play on words
• (Joe refused to eat the sushi because it looked
  fishy.)

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Wedding/Celebration at the Conclusion of the Play

• The final scene usually consists of the entire
  cast assembled on stage forming a new order that
  centers around a couple(s)

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Deus Ex Machina

• (Latin for god from the machine)
• Divine or godly character suddenly introduced to
  resolve a situation or untangle a plot
• (Supernatural Help!)

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More

• A struggle of young lovers to overcome difficulty
• Separation and unification
• Mistaken identities
• Heightened tensions, often within a family
• Multiple, intertwining plots
• Physical humor - bawdiness, wit, etc