The Comedy and Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William...

The Comedy and Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare The Prologue includes phrases like death-marked love and fatal loins. From this we might think that Romeo and Juliet is an unrelenting tragedy. Yet the first Act has many humorous moments. Consider the balance of tragedy and comedy in Act one, concluding whether it is on the whole humorous of tragic. As defined by Aristotle, tragedy evokes pity and fear in the audience. On the other hand, comedy†¦show more content†¦Rest you merry. (Act One, Scene 2) This quote is particularly significant because Romeo is a figurehead Montague, the only son of Lord Montague, and it would seem obvious that the servant would recognize him. This scene is humorous, as the servant asked to deliver the invitations is unable to read, hence forth, asking Romeo to read it for him. This is very ironic, as the consequences leading from this invitation are particularly tragic. Capulets party, scene 5, is another humourous event in the play, with jokes about corns in his welcoming speech, Welcome gentlemen! Ladies that have their toes Unplagued with corns will walk a bout with you. Ah, my mistress, which of you all Will now deny to dance? She that makes dainty, She Ill swear hath corns. Am I come near ye now? (Act One, Scene 5) There is a light-hearted feel to the scene, which is reflected in the film version of the play, directed by Baz Lurhmann, whichs especially accentuates this comic event with loud music, characters in drag, and fairground noises. However, Act One is not all comic events. It contains many tragic moments, and reveals that some events (such as the servant inviting Romeo to the party) contain more tragedy than once interpreted. The first act begins with a duel between the two houses. 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