The Characteristics Of Comedy In The Merry Wives Of Windsor

What makes William Shakespeare’s plays timeless and so appealing to today’s audience? The sixteenth century author wrote with themes of friendship, love, death, revenge, and grief. These timeless subjects have allowed both original and current readers to relate to and enjoy his classic works. It is evident that Shakespeare, however, was heavily influenced by his own culture of the late 1500’s. At that time, English society operated on the feudal system, in which political power and social influence was guarded by the wealthy landowners and each individual remained in the social class into which they were born. Specifically, the cultural elements of education, theatrical atmosphere, and fashion heavily influenced Shakespeare’s playwriting style.

The attitudes and values that Shakespeare reveals through the text are those same attitudes and values of Elizabethan society in England in the sixteenth-century.

In I Henry IV and II Henry IV, William Shakespeare brings together drama and comedy to create two of the most compelling history plays ever written. Many of Shakespeare's other works are nearly absolute in their adherence to either the comic or tragic traditions, but in the two Henry IV plays Shakespeare combines comedy and drama in ways that seem to bring a certain realism to his characters, and thus the plays. The present essay is an examination of the various and significant effects that Shakespeare's comedic scenes have on I Henry IV and II Henry IV. The Diversity of Society

No society remains immobile, even if some human beings resist changes. The advances in technology and the emergence of new beliefs allow people to have a broader imagination. Thus, numerous new interpretations of ancient works, whether they are plays, folktales, or poems, permeate around the world. These renditions re-tell the original stories in contexts that adjust to modern world. What was regarded serious in the past becomes mockery nowadays. William Shakespeare, one of the greatest English play writers, has a profound influence upon different societies globally since the fifteenth century, for his plays inspire many contemporary artists to present new scopes reflecting their societies. Considered as one of Shakespeare’s greatest

Shakespeare chose to write about the human condition because moral themes are what affected his audience at the time. We enjoy the feelings that the thought of sacrifice, bravery, heroism, love, betrayal, and tragedy bring to us. They

When looking at the works of Shakespeare, you can understand how Shakespeare saw the world . By studying his works you learn more about his you learn more about the time that he was living in and the struggles of that time. The some of the many recurring themes in his works include, love and relationships, good vs evil, conflict and fate. Each of his works host many important themes and lessons to learn.

Overall the Shakespeare brings to light many issues that females dealt with during the 17 century. He talks about women's voices and opinions being suppressed, men being able to hold females as property, the double standard of males and females. With this many readers and viewers of the play, understand the concept that Shakespeare is trying to present to this audience during the time. Although Shakespeare was not a modern day feminist, he still was a feminist in the light of a man during this time period. Bringing characters such as Emilia, who are shown to not take no for an answer, Becca, someone who can stand on her own to feet, and lastly Desdemona, someone who has shown that her loyalty lies with someone who she loves and she has not

In the Elizabethan times men were supposed to be masculine and powerful and defend their honour. Women on the other hand had to be subservient to the men in their lives and do what they said. These gender roles also influenced the fate of the “star-crossed lovers”, Romeo and Juliet. Especially the gender roles of the men since the women had to be obedient and therefore barely had a say in this all. In his play, Shakespeare portrays the men in the Elizabethan times as immature and prideful by using content, characterization and tone in order to convey the message of the play.

Shakespeare's world and our modern day world have many similarities and differences. Shakespeare's world was one of prim and properness; a world where people thrived on the thrilling tales told at the theatre. They enjoyed stories of love, violence, and drama just as we do today. Queen Elizabeth was their version of a celebrity then. Celebrities make normal things into what the new coolest thing is.

It was not uncommon for Shakespeare to think outside the gender norm of the time period, giving lives to characters, especially female characters, that would have been unfathomable to anyone else. He seems to pay special attention to the differences he contributes. The female characters within the plays arguably represent a more modern, stronger woman that what would have been socially acceptable in England at this time. Women within this era were property and an okay other to the male Christians in England's borders. While still possessing the power to destroy family honor and reputations. Which essentially seems to be why they needed to be controlled, or why men thought they needed to be controlled. They possess the power to destroy livelihoods.

Shakespeare explores many themes and ideas in his plays making them popular, still, to this day. One of his most popular plays, Romeo and Juliet, explores many themes that can relate to society. Through the themes of love, hate and family, Shakespeare connects the feelings of his characters to the reader. This is what makes him such a popular playwright hundreds of years in advance.

Shakespeare uses many themes in all his play that attract audiences throughout history. The things he wrote about are as relevant now as they were in his time. Death and Sin were issues that are always around. In his plays, Shakespeare could comment on these things and make audiences see things that they could not before.

Shakespeare, a humanist and a man of crucial perspective, concentrates on moral, political, and philosophical questions of universal significance; he strives to change the world. Shakespeare brought new-fangled realism in drama and took it to great height with profundity. His dramas have the rich diversity of humanity with the help of hundreds living, believable characters showing multiplicity in individuality. Even after centuries, the characters can be identified with their aspirations, their strengths and their failings, and sympathise with their moral dilemmas. He was a true human with true human experiences bringing humanist approach. Janet Suzman: “Shakespeare was a humanist in everything he wrote.*1 Shakespeare’s plays and poetry reveal

Shakespeare and Webster represent the female characters in ‘Hamlet’ and ‘The duchess of Malfi’ by using general themes such as the patriarchy and the social control, the female identity and its independence, this institution of marriage, the expressions of sexuality and finally women shown to be either conformist or transgressive. Men were firmly in control in the Elizabethan and Jacobean era, and the expectations for women were to stay home, cook, clean and raise a family. Women’s status and roles were subject to the Tyranny of patriarchy, they were given strict disciplinary rules to follow whether by law or unspoken norms to prevent from rebellion. Women’s rights were restricted, legally, socially and economically, unlike today were women are more powerful and independent. Today women and men are seen to be equal and women can do pretty much everything a man can do (voting, working, becoming president) although there are many people still today who disagree with women having these rights.

Shakespeare and the members of the Elizabethan era would be appalled at the freedoms women experience today.  The docility of Elizabethan women is almost a forgotten way of life. What we see throughout Shakespeare’s plays is an insight into the female character as perceived by Elizabethan culture.  Shakespeare’s female characters reflect the Elizabethan era’s image of women; they were to be virtuous and obedient and those that were not were portrayed as undesirable and even evil.