much ado about nothing

Traditional Conventions of a Shakespearean comedy would include a picturesque setting to give the impression of a happy and joyous environment.
This tends to be the reason why Shakespeare’s plays such as The Comedy Of Errors and The Merchant of Venice are set in Italy and Greece respectively. In Messina everything is tranquil and serene and from the first act it looks like nothing can go wrong including relationships. A Shakespearean comedy would best be defined as “a play characterized by its humorous or satirical tone and its depiction of amusing people or incidents, in which the characters ultimately triumph over adversity.” Whilst a Shakespearean tragedy would be defined as “a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending usually with the death of a main character.” Much Ado About Nothing walks the fine line between a tragedy and a comedy. Although Much Ado About Nothing is advertised as a comedy, it would not be difficult for readers to look past the slapstick and satire and uncover a script that encompasses many aspects of an Elizabethan tragedy let alone a Shakespearean tragedy. In this essay I will attempt to understand whether Much Ado About Nothing can be played as a tragedy as well as a comedy, taking into consideration the different viewing experiences of both a modern and Elizabethan audience. In many ways a passive observer of this play would be convinced that Much Ado About Nothing is a traditional Shakespearean comedy. You don’t have to look far to see a typically slapstick rendition of the play. When we watched the globe version of the play it was clear by the laughter coming from the audience members that this was in no way interpreted as a tragedy. Even I would be fooled by the slapstick and satire coupled with the punch lines and comical characters produced by Shakespeare. Many characters in the play are witty and humorous but none so