Shakespeare: Troilus and Cressida; Much Ado About Nothing
Compared in Terms of Character, Plot, Theme and Dramatic Structure
There is no doubt that Shakespeare's "Much Ado about Nothing" is a witty comedy. It subscribes to all the conventions of a Shakespeare comedy, being witty in language and plot. It also ends well for all who deserve it, and badly for all those who do not. In "Cressida and Troilus" however, both the plot and theme seem somewhat dark for a comedy. However, this play has been classified as one of Shakespeare's comedies. It is doubtful however that it is one of his wittiest, or indeed in the same category as "Much Ado about Nothing". These two plays will then be compared in terms of character, plot, theme and dramatic structure in order to determine the similarities between the two.In both plays, three characters drive the main plot. In "Troilus and Cressida", the backdrop of the Trojan War divides the characters into the Trojans and the Greeks. Troilus and Cressida, the unfortunate lovers, are both from Troy. Troilus, the youngest son of King Priam, is hopelessly in love with Cressida, even to the point of blindness. While he can at times see his own faults, he is entirely blind to those of Cressida. Cressida is not at all worthy of Troilus' love. She has many lovers, and even after promising to remain true t
"Much Ado about Nothing" ends with joy, as Hero's name has been cleared. Those guilty of the plot against her and Claudio are duly punished, thus providing and ending that is fitting and traditional for a Shakespearean comedy. Troilus and Cressida's ending is not a happy one, as already known by an audience versed in the history of the Trojan period. This is also suggested by the rest of the plot. The play ends with Pandarus lamenting the situation, whereas "Much Ado about Nothing" ends with a celebration. This is not the case with Troilus and Cressida. The former's passion is based upon no more than infatuation, while the latter is filled with a perpetual sexual hunger that cannot be satisfied by a man who is away at war. This inability of Cressida to honor her promise or Troilus's feelings for her is what defeats their relationship. "Much Ado about Nothing" is structurally stronger than "Troilus and Cressida", and also fits better the requirements of the Shakespearean comedy. The celebration at the end for example is the usual end for one of these comedies. The latter play, on the other hand, is filled with a dark kind of satire, which ends badly. The structure is also somewhat disjointed. The political and love themes, especially during the initial stages of the play, do not seem to have a unifying effect in the play and therefore tend to be confusing. The war also interferes with the success of all the major romantic relationships in the play. Both plays also feature a parallel love theme besides the relationships of the main characters. The parallel love theme with Troilus and Cressida's relationship is that of Helen and Paris. Helen in this play proves as sexually intense as Cressida. The same parallelism is found in the case of Claudio and Hero. Beatrice and Benedick share a pure and true love, even though both swear never to marry. As mentioned above, the theme in both
Some common words found in the essay are:
Troilus Cressida, Troilus Cressida's, Cressida Troilus, Don Pedro, Don John, Cressida Hero, Beatrice Benedick, Pandarus Cressida's, Cressida Cressida, Claudio Hero's, troilus cressida, main characters, don pedro, shakespearean comedy, relationships main characters, theme love, plot theme, don john, love hero, true love, cressida hero, parallel love theme,
Approximate Word count = 1291
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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