Poll: Romeo and Juliet: A tragedy or a comedy?

[Superbeast]

A tragedy - the characters in the play are brought to their demise by schemes of their own making. This is the definition used to judge things like Greek plays - so I think it serves for Shakespearian plays as well.

The house-feud is what is responsible for *every-ones* death, a feud perpetuated by their own deeds and greed (hubris), ergo it's a tragedy.

No English professor would call it a comedy. Bullshit to try to win an argument is just that.

Now Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy. Romeo and Juliet is not. Anyone capable of getting a degree realises that.

 

[Rawker]

I'm not a troll, but Shakespeare is a hack. He pretty much sold old tyme porn, and suddenly he is the greatest author ever. From the romantic side, it's stupid. from the humor side, you might get an awkward laugh now and then. You can disagree with me if you like, but those are just my opinions. We all have our own, and no one should be reported for them.

 

[TheDoctor455]

Not one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, but definitely tragic.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Finally someone who doesn't call it a romance! In high school most people called it a romance (even some of the teacher). But back to your question, I'd have to say tragedy.

You'd only call it tragedy by modern day standards.

Back in Shakespeare's time, there was just comedy and tragedy.

Although judging form your comment, you probably already knew that.

 

[The Austin]

[sub]I think it's hilarious.[/sub]

Well then, you sir, have excellent taste in humor.

 

[SimuLord]

shakespearian tragedy- they die
shakespearian comedy- they dont die

romeo and juliette died.

Funny how that works, even if so many R&J adaptations turn it into a cheap rom-com chick flick.

 

[quantum mechanic]

It's both (sort of)!

Here's the reasoning: the play has a lot of classic elements of comedy (particularly romantic comedy)--there's young love, lots and lots of wordplay, sexual jokes and puns, the hilarious (if played right) Mercutio, and a not-insurmountable obstacle in the way of the protagonists' love. R&J is a comedy until Act III, scene i, when Tybalt and Mercutio die and suddenly everything goes wrong for everyone, very quickly. At that point, it turns into a tragedy. Shakespeare historians say that either Shakespeare wanted to make people laugh with the play at first in order to emphasize the senseless tragedy at the end, or that he was originally writing the play as a comedy, but some event in his life made him change his mind and give it a dark ending, adding the beginning prologue as an afterthought.

Incidentally (before anyone says this), I don't have a grad-school English diploma, and all of this is a matter of opinion. I'm just mildly obsessive.

 

[Azure-Supernova]

I always thought it was a Tragic Comedy, what with the irony and poetic justic present. Plus it depends what exactly you find funny.

If the cast get on stage at the end and dance and sing "Love Fool", then however it is a comedy.

 

[zen5887]

He said that because the film is very happy and not sad at all until Mercutio's sudden death, it was a comedy.

In the same way Final Destination and Scream were light hearted teen romps untill shit started dying.

 

[Superbeast]

I always thought it was a Tragic Comedy, what with the irony and poetic justic present. Plus it depends what exactly you find funny.

If the cast get on stage at the end and dance and sing "Love Fool", then however it is a comedy.

Actually - tragedy can be funny.

So long as the protagonists die/end up in dire circumstances through their own hubris, the play is defined as a tragedy, even if they're cracking jokes along the way.

It doesn't tend to be the case in plays, but theoretically it's possible.

 

[RavingLibDem]

Ok, Romeo and Juliet is a tale of star struck lovers, who both end up killing themselves after various freinds and family are also kiled.....


HAHAHHA, oh thats comic gold [imagine very heavy sarcasm]

 

[Azure-Supernova]

Ok, Romeo and Juliet is a tale of star struck lovers, who both end up killing themselves after various freinds and family are also kiled.....


HAHAHHA, oh thats comic cold [imagine very heavy sarcasm]

Actually I couldn't help but chuckle at the end

 

[Jark212]

That depends on your type of humor, it was quite humorous for me, stupid kids...

 

[Shock and Awe]

Its a Dramady, but it also has fun, and art, so its a DRAMADY FART!

Cookie for the reference.

 

[xXErasmusXx]

It's a tragedy. It's not even up to debate, it's the quintessential romantic tragedy, which people are still ripping off after all these years.

Tragedy.

I agree. Maybe the professor was thinking about "Much Ado about Nothing"?

 

[Xanadu84]

In play terms, Comedy does not mean humor. This is why I find this so funny, because while in layman's terms, you MIGHT be able to argue a comedic tone, if you are an expert on literature, you would know that tragedy's start high, and fall into disaster, while a comedy starts low and raises to a high point. You could have a dark, brooding show with a victorious hero and have a comedy, or a light hearted show with pie throwing where the hero dies, and have a tragedy. If you have been to an English class, you know that this professor is full of it.

My guess? He felt his pretentious artistic perspective was threatened by a plebeian video game, and had to belittle it to make up for his insecurities. It would actually explain a lot.

 

[Mcupobob]

Comdey, I find it funny that Romeo and Juliet think they love each over when in fact they only lust after eachother. There death is just to say how stupid the adolescene is. Thats what I got form the play anywas they only know eachother for 3 days and in those 3 days they barly talked to eachother. I never like Romeo or Juliet as charaters either they were selfish and thought only of eachother getting many of there friends and famliy killed in the proscess the only charater I did like is Mercutio, and Romeos stupidedgets him killed, why for a girl he barly knows.