When we think of the word comedy we equate it with humor and laughter. We pop in a comedic film and anticipate the chuckling to follow. Shakespeare propelled the romantic comedy, which models we still use today in our films. Falling into scrape after scrape, miscommunication and confusion that cause us to chortle, the gent and lady finally end up in wedded bliss.
Contrast all of that with tragedy. Evoking feelings of sadness and pain, this word is synonymous with heartache and devastation. Most art of this kind uses calamity and affliction to teach us deeper lessons in life. Our favorite Bard also created many of these plays.
Why then does Dante title his most famous work The Divine Comedy? To our modern sensibilities it veers closer to the tragedy. It’s not at all funny. The proper categorization of a work lies in its ending. Will it end in death or marriage? That is what makes the difference. All of Shakespeare’s comedies end in a great big wedding or wedding feast. The tragedies end in the death of many, sometimes almost all of the characters.
We can learn something of this in our own life. Ask yourself: how will the story of my life end? What paths am I on now that will lead to a narrative of comedy rather than a tragedy? After my final breath will face eternal death and destruction in hell, or a celebration of the great marriage feast of the Lamb, with the most glorious Bridegroom, Jesus Christ? The end matters.
This past fall we walked through Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It. Changing gears for the winter, we will venture into a popular favorite of his tragedies, King Lear. Join me on Tuesdays starting January 8, 2019 at 4:30 to explore the themes of jealousy, greed, flattery and pride. It may help you to a good end!