Discuss+the+use+of+Comedy+in+Hamlet.+Go+beyond+a+simple+discussion+of+comic+relief.

Hamlet C. Leon N. Sotomayor K. Fopma T. McClanahan

Discuss the use of comedy in Hamlet.


In //Hamlet//, Shakespeare uses humor as a device to temporarily distract the audience away from the almost relentless tragedy and dark plot turns that permeate the rest of the story. The humorous scenes in the play always come directly before or after a scene of emotional intensity or great violence. The few comedic scenes sprinkled into an otherwise bleak play serve to keep the audience interested in what's happening, and also lend a tone of dark, macabre humor to a serious story. Shakespeare also utilized humor and bawdy innuendoes in order to keep the poorer, less educated members of his audience interested in the plays. These people were known as "groundlings," named for their seats on the floor area of the theater. Oftentimes, Shakespeare's plays have sexual puns and double entendres added into the dialogue so that the groundlings would have something to specifically entertain them.

SOME COMEDIC SCENES IN //HAMLET// Scene 2.2 is the first instance of outright comedy in //Hamlet//. In this scene, Hamlet begins to act like he has lost his mind, and rants and raves in a hysterical way which can only be conceived to be comedic in nature. For example, in line 175, when Polonius first approaches Hamlet to ask if he recognizes him, Hamlet replies, "Excellent well, sir. You are a fishmonger." This misidentification, as well as the rest of Hamlet's crazed rambling in this scene, leave the audience disarmed in the next scene, where the actors perform a play highly reminiscent of Cladius' murder of the king. The intensity of the play performance scene is a great contrast with the humor of Hamlet's mock madness in the preceding scenes.

Scene 5.1 is perhaps the most famous comedic moment in Hamlet. The scene follows directly after the discussion of Ophelia's death and the development of the plot of Laertes and Claudius to murder Hamlet. This scene of great tragedy and conspiracy comes right before the macabre conversation between the gravediggers over the digging of Ophelia's grave. Hamlet is outwitted in this scene by the gravedigger. The gravedigger tries to mess with Hamlet's head with a clever use of his words. In line 123 the gravedigger shows how he outsmarts Hamlet, "One that was a woman, sir, but rest her soul, she's dead."

Scene 5.2 is another moment of comic relief for Hamlet. The scene comes right before the climax of the play so it relieves some of the tension that has built up because of the need or want for revenge that the majority of the characters have. The scene begins with Hamlet speaking with Horatio and is interrupted with the entrance of Osric. Hamlet sees through Osric's foolish inclination to agree with everything that he says. Hamlet plays around with this trait and makes Osric look like a fool by making him contradict himself within a few seconds. For example he agrees with everything that Hamlet says, "It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed . . . Exceedingly, my lord. It is very sultry-- as 'twere-- I cannot tell how." (101-104)

Citations Notes, Spark. "SparkNotes: Hamlet." __SparkNotes__. SparkNotes. 23 Feb 2007 . Shakespeare, William. __Hamlet__. First. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.

Perrine, Laurence. __Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense__. 3rd. Harcourt Brace Jovanich, 1978.