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Romantic Comedy, 2004.
Analysis of the romantic comedy genre.
2,129 words (approx. 8.5 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 66.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the romantic comedy genre in the context of the movies, "Pretty Woman," "Runaway Bride", and "Notting Hill". The paper points out how the typical theme of romantic comedies has been updated, but still remains the same. In other words, the female characters in romantic comedy are still portrayed as independent women with a certain amount of power, yet still craving a relationship with a man who will be at their side when needed.
From the Paper
"Ever since the invention of the cinema, the art of filmmaking has evolved tremendously. In the early days the audience of these cinemas was hungry for any type of screening of films, merely waiting for something new and innovative coming their way. Thus, film makers though limited by their tools and technology tended to repeat or imitate stories in real life so that movies started to develop certain norms or conventions. A western movie thus would have the good guy and the bad guy always at odds; eerie music marked the tone in a horror movie; the loss of a girl was common in a romantic comedy. Filmmakers started to categorize movies into broad categories like thriller, romantic comedy and horror and subsequent sub-categories. Such categorization came to be known as "genre" which in French means "sort", "type? or "kind" ("Genre" 2004)."
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Romantic Comedies, 2004.
A discussion on film and the element of drama in the romantic comedy genre.
3,150 words (approx. 12.6 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 111.95
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Abstract
This paper emphasizes the impact of crime drama elements on the romantic comedy in three films. The films mentioned are "Some Like It Hot," "Grosse Pointe Blank" and "Gigli." It compares and contrasts how these three films use the elements of danger and criminal associations to heighten the romance of the story.
From the Paper
"This paper examines two frequently used film genres the romantic comedy and the crime drama and compares and contrasts three films that combine these genres using the elements of danger and criminal associations to heighten the romance of the story. Billy Wilder's, "Some Like It Hot" sets its darkly comic plot in motion when two musicians witness the St Valentine's Day massacre and flee from the killers in disguise, each finding a romantic partner in the process. George Armitage's "Gross Pointe Blank" sends a hit man to an unsettling reunion ..."
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Comedy in "Twelfth Night", 2008.
An analysis of the use of comedy as a form of instruction in William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night".
1,754 words (approx. 7.0 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 56.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how "Twelfth Night" is a powerful vehicle for teaching its audiences several important lessons and how the play draws people in because it is an entertaining romantic comedy, complete with cross-dressing and the titillating misunderstandings that derive from the cross-dressing. It argues that the lessons are made more accessible because they are conveyed by characters and actions in a romantic comedy, frequently in a comic way, than they would have been if the lessons were simply stated in a didactic way.
From the Paper
"In Shakespeare's time, his plays provided entertainment and often comedy to people who had far less access to entertainment than we do in our time, with our highly commercialized and ubiquitous entertainment industry. His plays were therefore much enjoyed, and any lessons he intended were keenly listened to. This is the first reason why the comic antics portrayed in Twelfth Night would have been likely to communicate the lessons Shakespeare intended - simply because the play would have been so greatly enjoyed. It is a classic romantic comedy, dealing as it does with the never-failingly-interesting topic of romance, and providing the audience with a satisfying happy ending. "
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Comedy In Los Angeles, 1995.
Discusses the business of comedy; specifically, comedy clubs. Focuses on three Los Angeles clubs: The Comedy Store, the Laugh Factory and the Improvisation.
3,375 words (approx. 13.5 pages), 6 sources, $ 119.95
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From the Paper
"INTRODUCTION
Comedy has become a major business over the last 20 years or so, and the proliferation of comedy clubs in major cities is a testament to this fact. Three of the seminal and more successful comedy clubs are found in Los Angeles--The Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard, the Laugh Factory on the same street, and the Improvisation on Melrose Avenue. These clubs are known for featuring new talent, as places where established talent tests material, and as magnets for celebrities in the audience as well as on stage. Each has also been well-served by their respective owners' dedication to promotion. The venues have somewhat different approaches to the presentation of comedy acts and target somewhat different audiences. They have also been buffeted recently by a downturn in the comedy business, though they have ..."
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Paintings of the Romantic Age, 2003.
A summary of Romantic paintings, what makes them Romantic, what they depict, and how they reflect the culture of Europe and the world at the time.
1,090 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 38.95
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Abstract
The Romantic Age was an age in which artists employed many different techniques to create certain effects and feelings in their paintings. This paper focuses on some of the key pieces of art from the Romantic Age and analyzes each painting to reveal its true meaning and explain what aspects of each painting make it a Romantic work of art. It also examines how each painting reflects a certain aspect of both European and world culture at the time. This includes social, economical, and political aspects of life. The paintings include "The Raft of Medusa" by Theodore Gericault and "Hunting in the Pontine Marshes" by Florace Vernet.
From the Paper
"One painting, The Raft of Medusa, by Theodore Gericault, is a painting of a small raft that is afloat in the sea which is covered with people sprawled out over the raft. There is a wide range of emotions shown by the people floating on the raft, as some are waving a white flag trying to catch the attention of a passing ship in the far distance, to the dead bodies of those not fortunate enough to make the journey on board the raft. In fact the range of emotions seems to follow a pattern from the top right to the bottom left. In the top right a ship can be seen very far off in the distance, which symbolizes the chance of rescue. Then moving downward and leftward there are a couple people trying to get the attention of the ship. Then there are some people who seem rather indifferent and are standing about, then there are people who seem worried, which gradually advances to into mourning, some people have their hands clasped over their faces, and finally there are the sick and then the dead. The elements of art which are important in this painting are line, space, and color. The line in this painting by Gericault is much defined by the way he outlines the bodies and faces to shape their expressions. Gericault also uses symbolism, using people to represent possible human emotions for dealing with such an event, and he expresses individualism by showing almost each person with their own emotion. Finally he uses the horizon very well by giving the painting a sense of depth."
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"Divine Comedy" and "King Lear", 2004.
A look at the theme of dark humor and satirical comedy in ?Divine Comedy? by Dante and ?King Lear? by William Shakespeare.
887 words (approx. 3.5 pages), 0 sources, $ 31.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how, in these literary works, a notable characteristic is the authors? ability to weave in the aspect of dark humor, aptly using satirical comedy in order to criticize the rulers and leaders of their societies during their time. It explains how, in ?King Lear,? Shakespeare uses character profiles that fit the description of the antagonists and protagonists in political conflicts that were happening in Shakespeare?s society. It also describes how Dante?s work served as revelation to the people to witness the anomalies going on in their society.
From the Paper
"In Inferno/Hell, Dante is accompanied by Virgil as they go through the inner circles, called bolgia, where different offenders of the sins of humankind are suffering and are being punished for their sins. There are nine bolgias inside, where the first circle is the limbo, described as a place where people experience ?gentle sadness.? Inside the bolgias are people suffering from the sins of humankind: lust, gluttony, the avaricious and prodigal, sullen, heretics, violent people against the tyrants, gods, or goods, fraudulent people in love, flatterers, simonists, diviners, barrators, hypocrites, thieves, fraudulent counselors, sowers of scandals and schism, falsifiers, rebels, and traitors against kin, homeland, guests, and benefactors."
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The Comedy of Love, 2005.
An analysis of the Shakespeare play "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
1,275 words (approx. 5.1 pages), 0 sources, $ 43.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the Shakespeare play "A Midsummer Night's Dream", one of the English master's love stories. The paper asserts that Shakespeare's romantic comedies were known for their lightheartedness and unassuming plots, but they were also a serious dramatic outlet for the representation of love. The author concludes that "Midsummer" proves that love's paradoxical qualities and its fickle nature play surprisingly well on the funny bone.
From the Paper
"The dramatization of Pyramus and Thisbe, though comically performed, tells a tragic story of doomed young love and is perhaps the best example of love's paradoxical quality, both foolish and profound, in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Although performed by a group of ridiculous, lumbering amateur actors whose day jobs included weaving, tailoring and joinery, the play still resonated with intense drama."
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Restoration Comedy, 2005.
Examines the 'comedy of manners' genre, with focus upon William Congreve and Richard B. Sheridan.
2,980 words (approx. 11.9 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 87.95
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Abstract
Within the larger framework of the comedic genre, Restoration comedy has suffered more criticism than any other type. Judged as immoral, unrealistic, and artificial by numerous literary critics from Lamb to Macaulay, Restoration comedy has often been misinterpreted as a senseless jumble of clever-sounding sentences and words. This paper shows, however, that just as it had it virulent critics, Restoration comedy also had its own share of defenders, including Walter E. Houghton and Robert D. Hume. Writing thirty years apart, both these literary critics maintained that the rejectionist criticism of Restoration comedy is founded upon the false premise that this particular strain of comedy is meaningless and unrealistic. However, this particular viewpoint is incorrect and emanates from a failure to comprehend the purpose of comedy, on the one hand, and the importance of evaluating artistic works from within the context of their own period, on the other. Therefore, as this research argues, while Restoration comedy, or the 'comedy of manners' genre is largely satirical, as seen through the works of Congreve and Sheridan and characterized by extreme exaggeration in the representation of mannerisms, one may interpret this particular genre as a realistic and serious social criticism, which sought to impact cultural and social values and mannerisms.
From the Paper
"The condensation of vice within characters gives the impression that the play is not rooted in any recognizable reality yet, as Weber argues, this reductio ad absurdum devise is a recognized and legitimate means of exposing these vices and taking them to their ultimate consequence, in an effort to reveal society, as it is, without disguise (Weber). Hence, in taking mannerisms and the exercise of particular vices to their extreme absurd limit, Sheridan is not undermining the realistic foundations of his work per se, but is exposing the amorality of its so-called moral base."
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The Comedy of Errors: Christianity in Shakespearean Era, 2002.
Shows that although it is a comedy, Shakespeare's play, "The Comedy of Errors" contains a great deal of insight into the religious state of Shakespeare's era.
1,542 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 50.95
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Abstract
This paper explains in what ways Shakespeare was quite critical of the practice of Christianity and its hypocrisies. Ephesus, the town where "The Comedy of Errors" is set, contains a great deal of religious history. It is one of the places where St. Paul preached Christianity, as told in Acts of the Apostles in the Biblical New Testament. Ephesus was the source of much witchcraft and sorcery, and subsequently much Christian reform. It shows how through scene setting, Shakespeare had many things to say about Christianity in his play. We see the way in which the characters deal with the Christian hypocrisy of their time. The church focuses power in a patriarchal way; the men abuse this power while the women and servants (Adriana, Dromio) are expected to abide by biblical ideals. The paper addresses all these themes, including detailed adverse effects of the Christian society on the female and lower-class characters. Included are an overabundance of textual quotes, as well as some direct biblical references.
From the Paper
"In moving the location of Plautus?s play, The Brothers Menaechmus, from Epidamium (in Ancient Greece) to the Turkish city of Ephesus, Shakespeare placed the action in a newer and more dramatic religious environment for The Comedy of Errors. The missionary St. Paul, whose travel and imprisonment in Ephesus are recorded in the Christian Bible?s ?Acts of the Apostles,? associated the city with witchcraft and evil sorcery, but also sought to refine it. There are several places in Ephesus whose names hark back to the mythology of Ancient Greece, such as the ?Centaur? (Antipholus of Syracuse?s inn) and the ?Phoenix? (Antipholus of Ephesus?s home). Yet this sets up a religious conflict within the city of Ephesus, for most of the characters indicate themselves to be Christian. Antipholus of Syracuse directly states, ?I am a Christian?? (23), while characters like Luciana and Adriana suggest it in their moral counsel, or even simple exclamations (LUCIANA: ?God for Thy mercy?!? (123)). At the beginning of Act IV, the Second Merchant reminds Angelo the goldsmith, ?You know since Pentecost the sum is due? (87), demonstrating that the Christian calendar is instituted so that it guides even business dealings. However, Shakespeare does not praise Christianity in this play; at times, the manipulation of Christianity is equally as bad (if not worse) than the paganism that St. Paul had originally set out to dispel. It serves as an oppressor to selected characters throughout the play."
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Physical Comedy on Film, 2002.
An interpretation of physical comedy in the movies of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
2,650 words (approx. 10.6 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 79.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how physical comedy does not stop at slapstick and considers how the movies of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers could also be defined as physical comedy. Through a review of several of their movies with an emphasis on "Top Hat", it demonstrates how all of their movies, made in the mid-1930s, shortly after sound had been added to films in the previous decade have elements of hilarity which can be attributed to physical comedy.
Outline
Sophisticated, Funny and Physical: The Romances of Astaire and Rogers
Let?s Get Physical, Depression-Era Style
The Namesake Dance as Comedy
Feathers and Fred
A Short Compendium of More Fred and Ginger Physical Comedy
From the Paper
"In the natural comedic way of things, Dale runs into Jerry by chance and they hit it off. But then Jerry sends her flowers billed to Hardwick?s room and a bellman points Jerry out to her, so she?ll have a name to go with the face of the man she?s interested in; he had just called himself ?Adam? since she said she didn?t know him from Adam in an early line. Unfortunately, in that instant, Horace and Jerry trade places and Dale ends up thinking it is her friend Madge?s husband with whom she is falling in love. And, of course, Jerry and Horace know nothing abut this. Neither does Madge at first. When she does hear of it, what she is told is, naturally, also wrong."
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The Romantic Period of British Literature, 2003.
This paper discusses the Romantic period of British literature, from approximately 1785 until 1830, which was spurred in part by the French revolution and followed the Age of Enlightenment period of literature.
1,900 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 60.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the Romantic period is about the ordinary and the outcast becoming glorified; romantic literature parallels romantic domestic life: Men spend their time talking of great ideals while women go unrecognized for meeting those same ideals as they get down and do the real work. The author points out that, after Wordsworth and Coleridge, Lord Byron is the next big name in the Romantic period of British Literature. The paper relates that the women writer of the Romantic period, such as Mary Robinson, Mary Wollstonecraft and
Anna Leticia Barbauld, also were predominantly members of the aristocracy, but, by the virtue of being women of their era, they were more down-to-earth.
From the Paper
"Wordsworth and Coleridge are essentially credited with starting the Romantic Era of British literature with the publication of the Lyrical Ballads. Wordsworth and Coleridge were heavily influenced by Milton and this shows the "Preface to Lyrical Ballads," in which Wordsworth defends his poetry, but not without making dozens of references to Milton throughout. The Lyrical Ballads themselves are very difficult reading, obviously intended for the elite. Then we have the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" in which we have a tale set up much like the Odyssey in which the "Ancient Mariner" has an epic adventure in which he is taken to the South Pole by a storm an kills an albatross which causes bad luck and releases spirits, but fortunately for our narrator he is saved by the "grace of the Holy Mother" and is witness to such epic-style special effects as ghosts, miracles, and reincarnation. This certainly does not fall under the heading of "glorification of the ordinary." It is another epic."
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Self-examination in Romantic Literature, 2008.
An analysis of self-examination in romantic literature, focusing on Jane Austen's "Emma" and A.S. Byatt's "Possession: A Romance."
917 words (approx. 3.7 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 32.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses romantic literature both from its originating 19th century context and from more modern examinations. It focuses on Jane Austen's template-setting 1816 comedy "Emma" and A.S. Byatt's 1991 "Possession: A Romance." The paper looks at what the books reveal through the struggles and gradual success of their primary characters through self-examination.
From the Paper
"Essentially, communication forms the basis for our emergent understanding This is so in Byatt's story, such that its lead characters, so generally incapable of gratifying self-knowledge,--and at least in Roland's case so generally incapacitated by self-doubt, a bad marriage and poorly met career ambitions--must find a way to live out their burgeoning emotions. Likewise, in Emma, the lead character is only capable of accepting her wholly apparent love for Knightly when she has attempted to live her ambitions through the vulnerabilities of others. The metaphor by which both of these authors present love from over a century and a half ago serves to reflect the vicarious way in which the main characters must break down their own communicative walls in order to see their truth selves."
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The Art of Comedy, 2001.
A philosophical essay on human reaction to and experience with comedy.
1,637 words (approx. 6.5 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 53.95
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Abstract
This paper gives a detailed analysis of the many types of comedy in modern society and what role humor can play in our lives. Different forms of comedy are analyzed such as slapstick, farce, stand-up comedy, parody and tragi-comedy.
From the Paper
"Comedy has been used as an escape from the tensions of real life for centuries. Laughter seems to be the one uniquely human sensation that there is; there seems little possibility that animals experience humour. Comedy is an essential part of everyday life, as it is regularly on television and radio and in literature. It is often through comedy that we can take a look at our lives and the issues that govern them, and to some extent comedy shapes the world in which we live."
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Tragedy and Comedy, 2004.
This paper discusses that the genres of drama, tragedy and comedy, are not always exclusive; many plays and films fit into both categories simultaneously.
2,510 words (approx. 10.0 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 76.95
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Abstract
This paper identifies one characteristic of comedy and two characteristics of tragedy and demonstrates their application to scenes from four plays considered some of the greatest tragedies ever penned, Shakespeare?s ?Oedipus Rex?, ?Macbeth?, ?Romeo and Juliet?, and ?Hamlet?; and from two films, the comedy, ?Pretty Woman?, and tragedy, ?The Path to War?. The author explains that one characteristic of comedy is the exaggerated or wry manner in which human folly or foolishness is underscored, and two characteristics of tragedy are the struggles or suffering of the protagonist over moral issues and the raising of questions about the meaning of human existence. The paper states that the ?Path to War? and ?Oedipus Rex? are pure tragedy based on circumstances and errors in judgment; whereas, ?Pretty Woman? is a film that is a comedy because its light heartedness and innocence completely overshadow its tragic characteristics.
From the Paper
"Perhaps the most appropriate starting point for demonstrating that a comedy and tragedy are not necessarily mutually exclusive, though they have long been considered the main divisions of drama is "Romeo and Juliet". Indeed, although "Romeo and Juliet" is hailed as one of the greatest love tragedies ever written, it, almost deceptively, appears to be a comedy for the most part. In fact, had Shakespeare not used the prologue to announce that the play was about star-crossed lovers; the audience may well have been completely deceived in expecting or hoping for a happy ending, particularly since the opening scene itself is a witty one that mocks human foolishness through a dialogue between Sampson and Gregory from the house of Capulets."
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Shakespeare and the Romantic Poets, 2006.
This paper discusses the reception of William Shakespeare by the Romantic poets as referenced in several text of both Shakespeare and these poets.
2,930 words (approx. 11.7 pages), 14 sources, APA, $ 86.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the way in which Shakespeare was viewed by the poetic exponents of Romanticism, and how some of the characters of Shakespeare's plays may exemplify the Romantic ideal. This author explains that two hundred years separates the time of William Shakespeare in the Elizabethan era and the Romantic poets and their vision of a society, which put the concerns of the individual to the forefront of political issues. The paper points out that, while direct reference to Shakespeare's works by the romantic poets is less than abundant, John Keats, Samuel Taylor and Percy Bysse Shelley suggest a clear aesthetic link between Romanticism and Shakespeare's texts. The paper examines characters of Shakespeare's plays and how they exemplify the Romantic vision of individual liberty, the freedom of expression and mans' relationship with nature, which feature prominently in "King Lear", "Hamlet", "Romeo and Juliet"."
From the Paper
"If then, life is to be lived according to one's ideals, as opposed to the rules of society, then the examination of cerebral conflict is a relevant concern. It would be a simple matter to make one's point by filling an essay such as this with quotations from "Hamlet", whose central character, it appears, is in a state of permanent confusion, or from Corialanus, who, it could be argued is the most egocentric character ever created by Shakespeare, and whose vanity, ultimately, proves to be his undoing. The Romantic hero referred to in my question however, is, for this critic, personified in the character of the eponymous protagonist of "Romeo and Juliet"."
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