Dark Humor in Shakespeare
Created by Jack Stehling
"No Reasonable Solution"
The Modern Take on a Tragic Ending
Although Shakespeare may not have shot for a humorous take in his tragic works, our generation can't help but point out the cheesy, gruesome nature of everyone dying at once. Although I believe it imperative that we study what Shakespeare intended, it's also important to bring some focus onto how the reader can interpret his use of death.
The dark humor surrounding the tragedies can be captured by the picture to the right: "everyone dies." Even Hamlet, one of Shakespeare's most renowned works closes with almost every character that may have somewhat had a role in forwarding the plot dead. The only two remaining are Horatio (Hamlet's friend who acts as a mean of "carrying on" Hamlet's story) and Fortinbras, the Prince of Norway made King by Hamlet's last dying wish.
When reading (or watching) the play for the first time, the immediate question that may erupt is "That's it?" and as the curtains close, the answer deems a resounding "yes." Without attempting to undermine one of the best playwrights of all time, it's important to question why (especially underlined in Hamlet) there is "no reasonable solution" to the quarrel between Hamlet's perceived madness and other characters with the exception of death to all who are involved.
On the other hand, Shakespeare's intention may have been to reveal that there actually was no reasonable solution from Hamlet's perspective. Dr. Michael Delahoyde of Washington State University declares that "Hamlet can and does act. Besides, now it's personal and vicious against Hamlet -- no question here finally" (Delahoyde). When writing on Hamlet's decision not to be indecisive (and finally strike at Claudius), Delahoyde remarks that the instinct and rage of Hamlet's nature could finally be represented through his decision to kill Claudius. Although a surmountable amount of evidence exists that this ending is fit for a true Elizabethan tragedy, the unreasonable ideal that resolution could be brought by everyone ceasing to exist still proves laughable.
In actuality, the modern view of a tragic ending being "cheesy" and filled with gruesome humor reveals how accustomed people are to these endings, and further displays that Shakespeare's works and schemes have been echoed (and sometimes not well) in modern media. Shakespeare's possibly unintentional effect on dark humor has proved vast in this area, and will in the futures of literature and film.