- COMEDIES OF FORGIVENESS
- humanum genus: The 'oppressor,' one who requires forgiveness by the end of the play
- inherent evil of humanity/possibility for good a constant presence in these plays
- Originates from medieval dramas, pre-Shakespearean plays and desire for forgiveness in drama
- Christians seek forgiveness from God; Shakespeare extends that to receiving forgiveness from family/loved ones/humanity
- Shakespeare's comedies of forgiveness underline the inherent evil of humanity as well as their need for forgiveness; as man will always sin, they will always need to be forgiven
- SIX COMEDIES OF FORGIVENESS
- MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
* humanum genus: Claudio
- deceived by Don John to abandon Hero in light of "affair"
- asks forgiveness after hearing falsely that Hero has died; Hero forgives him
-ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
* humanum genus:Bertran
- oppresses Helena in order to maintain her loyalty
- CYMBELINE
* humanum genus:Posthumus
- exhibits jealousy against Imogen for possibly sleeping with Iachimo
-asks forgiveness for that mistake
- THE WINTER'S TALE
* humanum genus:Leontes
- constantly fearful that Hermione has cheated on him
- rejects normal attempts or chances for divine forgiveness; this costs him his son and myriad other misfortunes
- one example of extreme inherent evil and lack of repentance in humanum genus characters in Shakespeare
- MEASURE FOR MEASURE
* humanum genus:Angelo and Claudio
- Angelo oppresses society through inhumane fornication laws, Claudio violates them by unofficially marrying Isabella
- evidence of our common humanity through Shakespeare's depiction of mutual and complex array of forgiveness 'triangles'
- THE TEMPEST
* humanum genus:Alonso
- Alonso oppresses Prospero and Miranda with attempted murder and exile
- after offer of forgiveness from Ariel, tries to kill himself, then later asks forgiveness which is accepted
PRESENTATION NOTES:
THESIS: Hunter's examination of some of Shakespeare's 'problem plays' and romances lean toward their status as 'comedies of forgiveness,' in which villains are forgiven their sins and given closure/acceptance in the end of the play.
- Overall purpose of the denouement of forgiveness is to allow the villain, a person we see on stage, to celebrate with the rest of the characters in the play - a central tenet of staged drama.
- COMEDIES OF FORGIVENESS
- humanum genus: The 'oppressor,' one who requires forgiveness by the end of the play
- inherent evil of humanity/possibility for good a constant presence in these plays
- The Middle Ages were chiefly concerned with avoiding God's judgment, which inherently involved being forgiven. Because of the mysteries' role in determining divine mercy, Europe in the Middle Ages was obsessed with avoiding hellfire and brimstone through worthy actions
- Originates from medieval dramas, pre-Shakespearean plays and desire for forgiveness in drama
- Christians seek forgiveness from God; Shakespeare extends that to receiving forgiveness from family/loved ones/humanity
- The sixteenth century saw the establishment of the humanum genus figure as a staple of drama; Shakespeare removes God overtly from the transaction, making the forgiveness mostly human in nature
- Shakespeare's comedies of forgiveness underline the inherent evil of humanity as well as their need for forgiveness; as man will always sin, they will always need to be forgiven
- SIX COMEDIES OF FORGIVENESS
- MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
* humanum genus: Claudio
- deceived by Don John to abandon Hero in light of "affair"
- asks forgiveness after hearing falsely that Hero has died; Hero forgives him
-ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
* humanum genus:Bertran
- oppresses Helena in order to maintain her loyalty
- CYMBELINE
* humanum genus:Posthumus
- exhibits jealousy against Imogen for possibly sleeping with Iachimo
-asks forgiveness for that mistake
- THE WINTER'S TALE
* humanum genus:Leontes
- constantly fearful that Hermione has cheated on him
- rejects normal attempts or chances for divine forgiveness; this costs him his son and myriad other misfortunes
- one example of extreme inherent evil and lack of repentance in humanum genus characters in Shakespeare
- MEASURE FOR MEASURE
* humanum genus:Angelo and Claudio
- Angelo oppresses society through inhumane fornication laws, Claudio violates them by unofficially marrying Isabella
- evidence of our common humanity through Shakespeare's depiction of mutual and complex array of forgiveness 'triangles'
- THE TEMPEST
* humanum genus:Alonso
- Alonso oppresses Prospero and Miranda with attempted murder and exile
- after offer of forgiveness from Ariel, tries to kill himself, then later asks forgiveness which is accepted
CONCLUSION
- Many of Shakespeare's later comedies are comedies of forgiveness, in which the oppressor must ask for forgiveness from the oppressed.
- "All six plays share, as one of their major concerns, an insistence upon the necessity of forgiveness as an essential condition of human happiness. Charity, born of self-knowledge and of a recognition of evil as inherent to human nature, is the virtue which they primarily exalt" (Hunter 205).
- Shakespeare seeks to show the 'goodness of God' in all men despite their inherent evil through the act of forgiveness.
Works Cited
Hunter, Robert Grams. Shakespeare and the Comedy of Forgiveness. New York: Columbia University Press, 1965.
