Shakespeare’s comedies, though closely written to the plot of his tragedies, are a twist of optimism to life’s bitter blues. Here are three things we can learn from Shakespearean Comedies in the face of tragedy.
After months of carrying The Merry Wives of Windsor with me like a prop, the last page of the play was read. In my head, the story has come to an end.
The play I would like to see, as the characters are now committed to memory.
If you find yourself reading plays after years of novels, keeping track of the revolving door of characters would feel daunting. Not to worry, you will get used to it as you read along.
I may not have read through enough Shakespeare as a student, but this book encouraged me to look into the man’s bibliography, especially his comedies.
My Google search was then plagued with the top Shakespearean Comedies.
Scouring through the internet, I learned that the book I just read was not as publicly favored as one of the author’s bestselling comedic pieces.
With that in mind, I read two more comedies over the last 48 hours, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night, to grasp the ado over his pieces.
To be completely honest, The Merry Wives of Windsor was more light-hearted and fun. You might enjoy it much more if you are like me.
There are a few things Shakespeare alluded to in the face of trouble that may help you face life’s tragedies.
1. No Matter How Hairy Life Gets (Figuratively and Literally), Things will Work Out in the End
Puck’s Closing Statements:
And so, as I am honest Puck,
-A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 5, Scene 1
If we have unearned luck
Now to scape the serpent’s tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call,
So, good night unto you all,
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.
In the worst case, as Puck has said, this may all be a dream.
We may have found ourselves at the wrong place at the wrong time and will wake up from the nightmare.
Life will have its ups and downs, but nothing is permanent.
Everything on this earth is transient.
As the characters of the three stories found themselves in odd or unfavorable circumstances, everything tied together in the end.
Even if things were not as they first hoped or intended, the final outcome of their predicaments was better than they may have expected.
You may have hoped for a different outcome from your predicament, just as Master Page hoped for Anne Page. After his plans, he was blindsided and found Anne happily married to the man she loves.
Instead of throwing a tantrum over the failed scheme, a dinner was thrown in her favor. Anne and her beloved Fenton were in happy matrimony.
Everyone else joined in the celebration.
2. Don’t Take Life too Seriously
In all three comedies, things went wrong.
Indeed, people said things and did things that a father may not have liked, a husband may have found as betrayal, and a lover spiteful.
The decisions made by these characters are frowned upon by society.
In real life, someone would have thrown a fit. Someone would have taken offense and harbored anger resulting in bouts of vengeance. Lawsuits could have been filed, and things could have even led to death.
I am not saying that real life reflects the tragedy in Shakespeare’s other works. In fact, people tend to deal with adverse circumstances poorly.
We tend to face unfavorable instances through deep emotions, leading to rash decisions. Many of us are driven by our hurt and pain.
It is not a healthy way of coping, but we see it everywhere and tend to live it out.
These comedies remind us that we can take negativity in stride.
We can laugh amid our circumstances and move on our merry ways.
Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night could have felt slighted that he was fooled into trusting Viola. A woman who disguised as a young man in his hall. Rather, he took delight in the person he grew fond of and found a wife.
Instead of taking the deception to heart, he found himself a mistress, and the woman he first loved became his sister-in-law.
In essence, Shakespeare ended his comedies in a “Happily Ever After” the reader may not have expected.
So take heart, you can face life’s circumstances with a light heart, too. Hopefully, your dry days also end in your own “Happily Ever After” when you least expect it.
3. We can Laugh and Learn from Our Folly
The characters in the three Shakespearean Comedies were not perfect. They all made a mistake that may have led them to the conflict in the story (or a side story).
In all the three books, there was always a character that the others shamed for their pride and tomfoolery. The other characters banded together to put these people or even a fairy in their place.
Sir John Falstaff, of The Merry Wives of Windsor, laughed at the plot against him. He even called himself the ass they made him be.
He was in the wrong. He knew the magical play in the forest put him back in his place.
May we all learn from this character’s self-awareness and humility.
Falstaff is an example of how you can accept being the ass in the room. As you do, let us hope you learn and grow from these mistakes, too.
If you become the fool that did offend, take a breath, send out your apology, learn, then carry on.
As the “hard-handed men that work in Athens” said in the prologue of their humble play:
If we offend, it is with good will.
-A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 5, Scene 1
That you should think, we come not to offend,
But with good will. To show our simple skill,
That is the true beginning of our end.
Consider then, we come but in despite.
We do not come, as minding to content you,
Our true intent is. All for your delight
Busyzi 
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