The Savagery in this play excludes laughter Essay Example

references to the "fat king" and "lean beggar" in front of Claudius, leading to his confusion. This humor is accentuated when Claudius finally asks directly about Polonius' whereabouts. In act three of RT, Ambitioso and Supervacuo head to the prison to execute the Duke's son, but a miscommunication occurs and the guards begin executing Junior instead. The audience may feel a lack of sympathy towards Junior as he cynically jokes about his rape, saying that he is "dying for something every woman loves."

When they believed that Lussurioso had been killed, there was a humorous dramatic irony. They eagerly anticipated taking his position and began plotting against each other. Although they pretended to be saddened when presented with the presumed head of Lussurioso, they were actually pleased with his demise. The two scenes are comparable as they both involve death and the comical element surrounding it. Neither of these deaths were necessary, as they were not killed in battle or for any legitimate reason.

Both Hamlet and Junior accidentally kill someone, with Hamlet killing Polonius in a similar way to how Lussurioso was supposed to be executed. The two plays, by Middleton and Shakespeare, respectively, show different methods of incorporating comedic elements around comparable scenarios. Although there is no clear "fool" or "jester" in Hamlet, aside from Hamlet himself at certain points in the story, the gravedigger in act five provides a unique conversation where both characters exchange clever remarks. Hamlet immediately makes a joke about " That skull had a tongue in it, and could sing once".

Continuing with his humorous style, the gravedigger delivers several more jokes and puns throughout the scene. Inquiring about

the grave's owner, Hamlet is informed that it does not belong to a man or woman. Curious about who is to be buried there, the gravedigger responds, "One that was a woman, sit; but, rest her soul, she's dead." It is evident that the gravedigger finds amusement in his nonchalant approach to death.

The stock character of gravediggers can be found in various plays by Shakespeare. They are typically clever and humorous working-class individuals who outsmart their higher-ranking counterparts. This type of character was likely enjoyed by the less affluent members of the audience, known as the "groundlings." In RT, a comparable scene involves Vindice poisoning and killing the duke, which is highly memorable.

The use of the skull motif in this scene alludes to Hamlet's Yorik's skull. In a brutal and disgusting sequence, the Duke is poisoned with acid by the skull of the woman he had killed while believing he was about to have sex with a beautiful woman. Both savage and humorous, the skull is central to the scene's comic wordplay introduced by Vindice. He dupes the Duke into thinking he will sleep with a beautiful woman with a "grave look to her" before revealing she is about to kill him. The scene also has ironic humor since the Duke sought to seduce Gloriana but killed her with poison before eventually meeting his end from her poisoned-laced skull. Further parallels with Hamlet appear when Vindice says "then those that eat are eaten," resembling Hamlet's phrase "Not where he eats but where he is eaten."

The Duke's murder is an exaggerated form of shock humor that played on the genuine fears and dangers present during the

Jacobean era. Despite this, the scene allows for various interpretations - for example, in a 2008 London production of RT, Hippolito and Vindice derive pleasure from torturing the Duke. This alters the comedic nature of the scene, replacing it with a sense of discomfort concerning two individuals who enjoy inflicting pain on another person.

The diversity of the scene allows for varying interpretations, ranging from humorous to serious. The comedic element relies heavily on interpretation, with the characters providing ample fodder for ridicule. Particularly noteworthy among them is Polonius.

In a particular scene of Hamlet where he may be pretending to be mad, he converses with Polonius and insults him using complex and baffling language. For example, he refers to Polonius as a "fishmonger," which, during the 17th century, could also mean a pimp or bawd. Although Polonius isn't a pimp, Hamlet may be rebuking the fact that Polonius is willing to use his daughter for political gain. According to Lee Lady, this scene is characterized by irony; Hamlet's dialogues are humorous but the emotions conveyed are immensely hostile.

By providing various interpretations, the path is cleared for both savage and comedic elements to be highlighted. Hamlet's comedic jabs at Polonius persist, as he refers to him as a "tedious old fool" and highlights his physical imperfections and advanced age by holding up a mirror. Though respected in Denmark, Polonius represents a classic senex in Shakespeare's work. A final comedic character, Osric, emerges briefly as a younger version of Polonius. A description found in A Shakespearean Encyclopaedia2 states "Osric."

Osric is characterized as a stereotypical Elizabethan courtier who fawns and flatters. His behavior is meant to be impressive,

but he is ultimately bested by the cleverness of Hamlet, who exposes his foolishness in a comical way.

Hamlet and Osric exchange words about the weather, with Hamlet insisting it is cold, not hot. The question of the genre of the plays remains unanswered, as they contain elements of revenge tragedy including murder, ghosts, madness, disguise, and plotting. However, there are also moments of humor, leading to suggestions that they may be considered tragicomedies or black comedies rather than strict revenge tragedies. Some critics argue that Hamlet's own comedic performance sets it apart from other tragedies, while others suggest that the use of comic relief is an interesting form of tragedy.

Given that tragicomedy is a work of fiction that combines the genres of both Tragedy and Comedy, the title of tragicomedy might be best suited to Hamlet. However, RT's comedy revolves more around dark comedy rather than the light-hearted interludes found in Hamlet. The interpretation of comedy in RT may also be more varied than in Hamlet, with TS Elliot viewing the play as one of horror rather than comedy due to its cynicism, loathing, disgust towards humanity, and an indescribable horror.

CultureWars.org.uk enjoys RT for its entertaining nature, as "everyone gets a ripping yarn" about a character avenging their way through Italian nobility using clever tactics and violence. These plays are a great example of combining elements of tragedy and comedy. According to Dr. Johnson4, the variety in Hamlet distinguishes it from Shakespeare's other works.

Including comedic moments in the play creates a wealth of different aspects, but the level of comedy and its use may vary depending on interpretation and performance. The audience can find big

laughs with humorous moments as a comic relief or they can be subdued to produce a darker and grittier production. Productions like RT require careful portrayal of horror to avoid creating a black comedy production. Nowadays, modern adaptations abound and often overlook the context in which they were originally performed. Although the comic relief generates laughter, plays were intended to appeal to a diverse audience, not just the learned few.

Comedy was crucial for less-educated audience members to comprehend the intricacies of the dynamic plays. Although audiences may interpret these plays in various ways, it is evident that both plays can incorporate comedic elements.