AS A TRAGICOMEDY
William Shakespeare is one of the greatest dramatists of the world. Critics and scholars have appreciated
Shakespeare’s art as a dramatist. Look at the following remarks:
Ben Jonson,
“Soule
of the Age!
The applause! delight! The wonder of our stage!”
“He was not of an age, but for all time!”
Samuel Taylor Coleridge,
“Our myriad-minded Shakespeare.”
Shakespeare wrote thirty eight plays. He wrote tragedies, comedies, history plays
and even dramatic romances. ‘The Merchant of Venice’is one of the most popular
comedies written by him. It is termed as a typical romantic comedy. It is also
called as the most popular tragicomedy written by Shakespeare.
WHAT IS A TRAGICOMEDY?
Life is a mixture of tragic and comic
events. Life is an amalgamation of happiness and sorrow. Literature is the
reflection of this life and hence some critics like John Dryden believe that
true drama must represent both the lighter and serious aspects of life. True
drama is one in which there is a mixture of tragic and comic elements. Such a
drama is known as tragicomedy. Shakespeare was the first dramatist of English
literature who started writing tragicomedies during the Elizabethan age. His
Merchant of Venice is the best example of a tragicomedy.
AS A TRAGICOMEDY:
‘The Merchant of
Venice’has a number of serious as well as comic elements. Some of the serious
events are so serious that they take the drama almost to a tragic end.
According to some critics, the serious elements in the play are more prominent
than the comic ones. So, the play does not remain a pure comedy but becomes a
tragic-comedy. According to Aristotle, a tragic-comedy is a play with a double
ending: happy for some and tragic for others. In ‘The Merchant of Venice’the
ending is tragic for Shylock who is a villain and happy for other like Bassanio,
Portia and others.
MINGLINGOFTHECOMICANDTHESERIOUSELEMENTS:
‘The
Merchant of Venice has
a fine combination of the comic
and the serious elements. Both of these elements can be discussed in detail
as follows:
A. COMIC ELEMENTS:
There are numerous
incidents in The Merchant of Venice which make it a comedy full of laughter and
humour
Firstly, we have the wit of Gratiano. He is a very
delightful character. He is a talkative humorist. He is like a babbling woodshed brook.
Secondly, Portia has a plenty of wit. She presents
her various suitors to us in a funny way.
Thirdly, the
character of Launcelot Gobbo is highly comic. His soliloquy stating the conflict
between desire and duty is very comic. His fooling of his blind father too
produces much comedy.
Fourthly, the
episode of the rings is funny and humorous. Portia and Nerissa give wedding
rings to Bassanio and Gratiano,respectively. After the trial of Antonio, they
obtain the rings from them. Then they demand the rings. The husband cannot
explain satisfactorily. So, they are called unfaithful husbands. Finally,the
ladies disclose the secret of the rings. The episode is really a feast of fun
and laughter. The situation is highly ironical and therefore very entertaining.
Fifthly, the happy ending of the play contributes much to make the play comic.
The lovers get married and Antonio gets his fortune back. Similarly, the villainous
person, Shylock is duly punished.
B. TRAGIC ELEMENTS:
In spite of comic elements,
The Merchant of Venice has many tragic
elements too.
Firstly, the main
plot of the play is tragic in essence. The contract of pound of flesh suggests
dangerous possibilities. In the very opening of the play, Antonio is shown as a
sad man. Later on; the news of Antonio’s loss fills us with depression.
Secondly, the trial scene is extremely serious with Antonio’s fate hanging in
balance. Even at the ending of the play, Antonio remains anisolated person. He
loses his dear friend, Bassanio, as the later gets married.
Thirdly, Shylock becomes a tragic figure towards the end of the play. In spite of
his villainous activities, we feel sympathy for him. His daughter runs away
with a Christian lover. She takes away a lot of money and jewels with her.We
feel sympathy for him. Shylock’s property goes to his daughter and her husband.
He is punished to convert himself into a Christian. He becomes even more
a tragic figure when he complains about the intolerance of the Christians towards
the Jews. Here, the suffering of the entire Jewish community has been summed up
by Shylock.
Fourthly, the failure of the prince of Aragon and the prince of Morocco to win
Portia add to the tragic elements of theplay. They choose the wrong caskets and
not win the hand of Portia in marriage. They cannot propose to any woman
throughout their lives. They return to their native places sadly.
CONCLUSION:
Thus, the
play has fine mingling of the comic and the serious elements. So, critics describe
it as a comic play hovering on the bank
of tragedy. The Merchant of Venice has all the features of a Shakespearean
comedy. In addition, it has distinctive features of its own. Like a true Shakespearean
comedy, it is not free from serious elements.
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