It's clearly the right ending for the play, but it's also one of the problems with it.
The thing about comic relief (in a tragedy) is that it creates a break in the tragedy (and highlights it by providing contrast) before returning to the main theme. That only works if you return to the theme - you don't end a tragedy with comic relief.
And, you don't end a comedy with tragic relief... or at least Shakespeare didn't manage to do it sucessfully. It leaves the dramatic tension of the play too unresolved. That's... interesting... but it isn't good.
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Date: 2005-06-11 10:19 pm (UTC)It's clearly the right ending for the play, but it's also one of the problems with it.
The thing about comic relief (in a tragedy) is that it creates a break in the tragedy (and highlights it by providing contrast) before returning to the main theme. That only works if you return to the theme - you don't end a tragedy with comic relief.
And, you don't end a comedy with tragic relief... or at least Shakespeare didn't manage to do it sucessfully. It leaves the dramatic tension of the play too unresolved. That's... interesting... but it isn't good.
Kiralee