Comedy = Potential Tragedy and Its Redemption

The first thing that came to my mind about the word comedy was "something funny that produces laughter; to entertain". To me, comedy simply means a movie/show/act/drama/etc. that has people acting foolishly to make you laugh. It was not something that I would put much effort in thinking about the whys and hows; it was just something that I would watch and laugh it off at the end of the day (usually to make myself feel better on a sad day). I definitely did not expect to “dissect” comedy to this extent before attending this class.

Well, in this class one thing that struck me most that now I would look at comedy differently was the fact that there could be a tragedy in a comedy. Frye related tragedy with comedy in two ways: 1) tragedy is implicit or uncompleted comedy and 2) comedy contains a potential tragedy within itself. I really like how Frye incorporate the idea of tragedy in his definition of comedy. In order to be classified as a comedy, a play does not necessarily contain ONLY humour; it could include a certain amount of tragedy as long as the ending is happy.

Let’s take The Venetian Twins for example. Before the death of Zanetto this play was very laughable and amusing, though sometimes frustrating, when the mixed identity of the twins led up to many comical events. The death of Zanetto had certainly cast a shadow on the play but when we looked at the ending, we could see how the play is still a comedy. Tonino resolved the misunderstanding, couples were paired, broken friendship was reconciled, and the villain was dead. The death of Zanetto was redeemed by the reestablishment of social order when the misunderstanding was cleared up. This resolution made the death of Zanetto more acceptable although I still have a sense of pity towards the poor Zanetto.

This is an entirely novel way to look at a comedy and I have certainly gained a brand new perspective of understanding a comedy.

The Contrast: Tragedy or Comedy?

Charlotte:  Pray, Mr. Dimple, was it a tragedy or a comedy?

Dimple:  Faith, Madam, I cannot tell….I suppose it was a comedy.  Yet, on second thoughts, it might be some hero in tragedy, dying so comically as to set the whole house in an uproar.

p. 45

            What differentiates a tragedy from a comedy?  Sometimes it may be hard to find the difference.  In The Contrast, Dimple, although I do not think he is the brightest bulb in the pack, could not tell a tragedy from a comedy. 

            Referencing back to Frye’s The Argument of Comedy, he says that “tragedy is really implicit or uncompleted comedy” and “comedy contains a potential tragedy within itself.”  Tragedy and comedy are intertwined.  Since this class focuses on comedy, I think it’s safe to categorize The Contrast as a comedy.  Let’s see if we can find the potential tragedy within this play.

            Suppose this play ended after Act IV.  We would not have the happy resolution of Act V, and we would end up with discontented characters.  Maria probably would have gone through with her marriage to Dimple, Letitia and Charlotte would be longing for a married man, and Van Rough would be paying off Dimple’s extravagant purchases.  This sounds a lot like a tragedy to me.  Therefore we can affirm Frye’s claim that tragedy is simply an unfinished comedy.

            Fortunately, Tyler included Act V in The Contrast, and we get to see how things unfold.  Dimple’s deceitful ways are exposed, Maria winds up with a man she considers worthy of both her hand and her heart, and Letitia and Charlotte remain in Maria’s good graces and are quickly forgiven for secretly planning to marry Dimple.  This may not seem funny, but it’s certainly not tragic.  This play has the potential to be tragic, but instead takes a turn for the better with the revealing of Dimple’s schemes.