Romeo and Juliet

Tamika Beason

English 318

November 22, 2005

Whenever a person commits suicide, society views the occurrence as tragedy. Accordingly, two suicides equal double the tragedy. The Shakespearian play Romeo and Juliet is often referred to as a tragedy. Feuding between the Montague's and the Capulet's, and lead to the two main characters committing suicide. While, suicide is generally regarded as tragic, Shakespeare uses high and low comedy in the play which subsequently changes the theme of Romeo and Juliet from tragedy to comedy.

Low comedy is presented through situation. It is commonly referred to as

slapstick comedy, and often requires no thought. Shakespeare inserts many moments of low comedy in the play. In the first scene while men are fighting for honor and respect low comedy is invoked. Lord Capulet asks his wife for his sword to defend his name: "What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!" and she replies, "A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword?" (1.1. 75-76). In a very serious situation laughter is imposed. She is mocking him. He is too old to be fighting and he needs a cane not a sword.

Low comedy is also presented as the nurse tells the story of Juliet falling on her face as a child. The nurse's husband said, "fall'st upon thy face? / Thou wilt fall backward when thou comest to age, / Wilt thou not, Jule?" (1.3.56-58.). Once again, laughter is presented in a serious situation. Nevertheless, the nurse's husband makes sexual references of her lying on her back when she gets older. A young Juliet is crying and hurt because she has just fallen. This is low comedy in one of its richest forms, burlesque. After being depicted as a young child, the audience is forced to picture her having sex when she is grown.

Finally, the character Mercutio uses mockery throughout the play that present low comedy. When Romeo and Mercutio speak of Romeo's love life, Mercutio is usually mocking him. Mercutio tells him dreams are a waste of time and makes fun of Romeo "without his roe," meaning Romeo has had too much sex. After the two banter for awhile Mercutio tells him, "Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, I/ am done, for thou hast more of the wild goose...Was I with you for the goose?" (2.4270-73). In this situation love is the topic. Mercutio mocks Romeo and tells him they need not continue talking because Romeo can talk forever.

Even while dying Mercutio uses low comedy. Mercutio has been stabbed and is dying: "...Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man..." (3.1.95-102). Mercutio uses a pun on the word "grave." He will be grave in a critical state; dead. And he will be in a grave.

High comedy is presented through the characters. It is a form of comedy that requires one to think about the joke that is being presented. Shakespeare begins the play with high comedy. The characters Samson and Gregory have a conversation in which they use the words, coals, colliers, choler and collar. These words sound very similar to each other and some of them are homophones (words that sound alike but have different meanings).

SAMSON. Gregory, on my word, we'll not carry coals.

GREGORY. No, for then we should be colliers.

SAMSON. I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw.

GREGORY. Ay, while you live, draw you neck out of collar. (1.1.1-4)

"Yellow bile" is a form of humor which is said to make someone become choleric or angered. Yellow bile is an important humor which Shakespeare uses in high comedy; the characters are easily angered throughout the play and this makes them choleric.

High comedy is also represented in the form of satire which is presented in the Comedy of Humors. It is based on members in society, whose personality traits are scorned through irony or sarcasm. The characters who impose satire in the play are Lord Montague and Lord Capulet. Both Lords are high members of society, patriarchs, and they love their children. Their rigidity is apparent because both Lords demand respect and reverence. The satire is exposed because these traits make the men become irrational and unyielding.