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Shakespeare's The Tempest As A Tragicomedy
Shakespeare's The Tempest As A Tragicomedy
ABSTRACT
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)1616) is beyond doubt It is difficult to categorize The Tempest as either a
the greatest dramatist of all time. He occupies a tragedy or a comedy. The published versions of
position unique in world literature. Other poets, such Shakespeare’s work also make it difficult to t
as Homer and Dante, and novelists, such as, Leo determine what he Intended. The First Folio classified
Tolstoy and Charles Dickens, have transcended The Tempest as a comedy. Later published collections
national barriers; but no writer’s living reputatio
reputation can classify it as a ‘Romance’ but this is not a really
compare to that of Shakespeare.1 His plays, sonnets accurate category to use, either. The Tempest contains
and two long narrative poems earned him an no major love story in its plot, so the term “Romance’
international acclaim and acceptance as the best writer does not seem to be suitable. The play does have
in the history of English literature. His play, The certain comic elements: the characters of Caliban and
Tempest, is thought by many critics to be the last play Ariel are often played for comic relief. However, it is
that Shakespeare wrote alone. In this play also possible for both of these characters to be played
Shakespeare artistically blends aspects of both tragic with more tragic context: both are bound by servitude,
and comic forms2: a sorrowful scene is immediately and beg for their freedom, which makes them
followed by an amusing scene and vice versa. On one somewhat tragic. Caliban is ostracized for being ugly;
hand, the
he play has enough comic elements to lighten this can also be comic or tragic, depending on the
the tragic elements and on the other hand it has portrayal in the performance. Prospero’s age and
enough tragic elements to intensify the comic occasional befuddlement can also be played for either
elements. The paper aims to study The Tempest as a comic or tragic effect. Because the play contains
tragicomedy by highlighting Shakespeare’s artistic elements of both the genres, it has been referred to by
technique of blending tragic and comic elements in some critics as a “tragicomedy”. This seems to be the
the play. best working term to refer to this play that defines
placement in either genre. 4
Keywords: tragicomedy, comic, tragic, happiness,
sorrow While going through The Tempest we are struck by a
fact which supports the view that this play is a tragic-
tragic
A tragicomedy is a work which does not fit with comedy. We find that, in this play, tragic events are
either a tragedy
gedy or a comedy: It is not light hearted immediately followed by amusing situations, and that
enough to be called a comedy and it does not include amusing situations then immediately
imme give way to
death or any other awful event to be called a tragedy. serious and sad happenings. In certain scenes, we find
A tragedy is basically a serious story which often the serious and sad events blending with the amusing
involves the death of one or more characters and it elements. In the very opening scene we witness a ship
generally has a tragic end. A comedy is a lightened, being tossed by the sea-waves,
waves, it is threatened with
funny story that has a happy ending. A tragicomedy, destruction and the Passengers
assengers find themselves faced
thus, is a play that is neither a comedy nor a tragedy, with an impending catastrophe : (Paul, 193)
although it has the features of both.3
@ IJTSRD | Available Online @ www.ijtsrd.com | Volume – 2 | Issue – 1 | Nov-Dec 2017 Page: 317
International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) ISSN: 2456-6470
childish innocence seems to have been what first Act V of the play is largely serious; it has a large
attracted Prospero, and now it is Caliban’s childish component of serious and painful developments,
lawlessness that enrages him.” (Skura, 65).The third though the whole thing ends happily. In the beginning
Act of the play also presents a juxtaposition of the of this Act, Ariel reports to Prospero the miserable
comic and the tragic elements. Caliban, Stephano and condition of the three sinners who had been
Trinculo appear once again and their entire
imprisoned by him in a lime-grove. It also presents
conversation is greatly amusing, with Ariel invisibly
playing tricks to create a misunderstanding among the sad plight of Gonzalo who is shedding tears. Ariel
them. The only serious note in this scene is the pleads for the mercy towards the sufferers. (Paul,
conspiracy which the three men hatch against 195):
Prospero at Caliban’s suggestion.( Paul, 194):
“…all prisoners Sir,
Caliban: In the line-grove which weather-fends your cell,
“As I told thee, ‘tis a custom with him
They cannot budge till your release: the King,
I’ th’ afternoon to sleep: there thou mayst brain him,
His brother, and yours, abide all three distracted,
Having first seiz’d his books: or with a log
And the remainder mourning over them,
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake, Brimful of sorrow, and dismay: but chiefly
Or cut his wezand with thy knife.” Him that you term’d sir, the good old Lord
(Tempest, 48) Gonzalo,
Stephano: His tears run down his beard like winter’s drops.”
“Monster, I will kill this man: his daughter (Tempest, 65)
And I will be King and Queen, save our Graces: The scene in which Prospero, reminds Alonso of the
and heinous crime which he had committed twelve years
ago is equally pathetic. He also reminds Sebastian and
Trinculo and thyself shall be Viceroys: dost thou Antonio of their obnoxious and hateful misdeeds:
like
“Home both in words, and deed; most cruelly
The plot, Trinculo?”
(Tempest, 49) Did thou Alonso, use me, and my daughter:
Thy art pinch’d for ‘t now Sebastian. Flesh and
This is followed by a romantic sub-plot in which
blood,
Ferdinand and Miranda’s love develops and Prospero,
feeling fully satisfied with Ferdinand’s conduct, You, brother mine, that entertain’d ambition,
agrees to the marriage of the lovers. Prospero also
arranges a masque for the entertainment of the Expell’d remorse, and nature, who, with
lovers.(Paul, 194): Sebastian
@ IJTSRD | Available Online @ www.ijtsrd.com | Volume – 2 | Issue – 1 | Nov-Dec 2017 Page: 318
International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) ISSN: 2456-6470
Miranda. Ariel is granted freedom for which he has Works Cited:
been longing (Paul, 196):
1) Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. Peocock
“…my Ariel; chick Books. 2006. Print.
That is thy charge: then to the elements 2) Paul, Rajinder. The Tempset. Rama Brothers India
Pvt. Ltd. 2007. Print.
Be free, and fare thou well: please you draw near.”
(Tempest, 76) 3) Skura, Meredith Anne. “Discourse and the
Individul”: The Case of Colonialism in The
Thus the happy ending of the play obliterates the Tempest.
tragic elements or at least diminishes their effect
considerably. (Paul, 196) 4) Shakespeare Quarterly 40 (1989)
@ IJTSRD | Available Online @ www.ijtsrd.com | Volume – 2 | Issue – 1 | Nov-Dec 2017 Page: 319