I knew something was fishy when I saw that "Tragedy" was identified as a type of comedy in the packet that Ms. Pyle distributed to us at the beginning of the comedy unit. I was confused as to how anything tragic could be seen as comedic until I realized that it's a bit like a parody in that it takes something serious (usually religious) and pokes fun at it. I could see where the concepts of humor and grief are able to combine and create a twisted sector of dark humor.
My knowledge and interest on this topic were furthered when we read Tom McAlindon's "What is a Shakespeare Tragedy?" The section of this chapter that stuck out to me the most by far was around the fifth page when McAlindon delves into the masterful use of comedic elements in tragic works. Shakespeare is an excellent representation of this twist on genres as he employs it rather apparently in many (if not all) of his works. McAlindon makes reference to Romeo and Juliet, which is generally identified as a tragedy. We all know the incredibly dramatic and unfortunate conclusion of the play, but the tone of the play as a whole cannot be attributed to this one scene. With a master of wordplay, innuendo and irony like Shakespeare, it is impossible to have a purely depressing work leaving his desk. This need for comedic elements goes beyond Shakespeare's personal style as well; when considering the format in which plays were presented during Shakespeare's time and who was attending the shows, it's easy to recognize the need for something chuckle-worthy going on onstage. That's not to say tragedies are boring and unable to stand on their own, but rather that occasional evocations of humor have been found to strengthen a tragedy in various ways.
I've read a decent amount of Shakespeare plays in my day and I must say that I have audibly laughed out loud at Macbeth more than any other play by him (that includes my favorite, Twelfth Night, which is a comedy). There are honestly so many sly jokes and terribly ironic remarks that just boost my belief that Shakespeare is a literary genius, especially when it comes to incorporating humor into his works. To be honest, I think all Shakespeare plays are a comedies, but some are full of raw humor (categorizing them as comedies) and others are full of dark, sheathed, deceptive jokes (categorizing them as tragedies).
McAlindon's commentary on tragedy supports this concept of humor in tragedy. He makes the argument that you cannot have a tragedy without elements of a comedy, despite the fact that they are on opposite ends of the generic spectrum. This can go both ways, especially when we see a subgenre of comedy centered around the comedic elements of a tragedy. This creates the Yin and Yang of literary genres and the presence of humor; You cannot have one without at least a touch of the other. Knowing this, reading a tragedy becomes much more interesting when you know that there is underlying humor somewhere, and your favorite comedies most definitely contain solemnity that should be recognized. This knowledge will hopefully ultimately aid in my quest to become a well-rounded literary scholar.
