Fools in Shakespearean Drama: Clawn in "Antony and Cleopatra", Grumio and Curtis in "The Taming of the Shrew", Launce in "The Two Gentlemen of Verona"

Comic Characters in Shakespearean Drama: Clawn, Grumio, Curtis, and Launce

Introduction: 

Like that of regular protagonist, Shakespeare’s comic figures are also highly varied. They include bumbling rustics such as Dogberry and Verges in "Much Ado About Nothing," tireless punsters like the Dromios in "The Comedy of Errors," pompous grotesques like Don Armado in "Love’s Labour’s Lost," elegant wits like Feste in "Twelfth Night," cynical realists like Thersites in "Troilus and Cressida," and fools who utter nonsense that often conceals wisdom, such as Touchstone in "As You Like It" and the Fool in "King Lear." In traditional theater, the fool typically stood outside the action of the drama, making witty asides about the events onstage. The fool’s costume was boldly colored, and the hood was often adorned with bells and horns. Laurie holds a marotte, a staff with a small puppet resembling the fool himself at one end.

Clawn in Antony and Cleopatra: 

In Shakespeare's tragedy "Antony and Cleopatra," the character of the Clown provides comic relief amidst the dramatic events surrounding the titular protagonists. The Clown serves as a traditional fool or jester, offering light-hearted banter and wit to contrast with the weighty themes of power, love, and betrayal that dominate the play.

The Clown appears in several scenes, often interacting with other characters, particularly Cleopatra's attendants. His humor is characterized by wordplay, puns, and clever repartee. He uses his quick wit to engage in playful exchanges, injecting moments of levity into the narrative.

One notable scene involving the Clown is in Act III, when he is sent by Cleopatra to deliver a message to Antony. The Clown's comic timing and amusing observations create a humorous juxtaposition against the serious tone of the play. He comically misunderstands Cleopatra's instructions, leading to confusion and comedic mishaps. Through his antics, the Clown offers a reprieve from the tension and grandeur of the main plot.

However, the Clown's role is not purely comedic. Shakespeare often uses fools as truth-tellers, allowing them to make astute observations that other characters may overlook. In this vein, the Clown occasionally serves as a voice of reason, providing insights that shed light on the complexities of the main characters' actions and motivations.

Although the Clown's role may be overshadowed by the larger narrative of Antony and Cleopatra's tragic romance, his presence adds depth and dimension to the play. Through his wit and occasional wisdom, the Clown both entertains the audience and offers commentary on the human condition.

Bereft of her lover, the disgraced Roman leader Antony, and faced with the fearful prospect of public humiliation at the hands of Caesar, who has defeated both her and Antony in battle, Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, has only one remaining course of action available if she wishes to remain in control of her destiny: to take her own life.

She is captured by Caesar’s soldiers within the monument to which she has retreated and is forced to deal with various Roman guards and officials before she can accomplish her final act. She ponders aloud the horrors of the alternative fate and eulogizes Antony, with whom she longs to be reunited, struggling to maintain her dignity before the haughty Caesar.

At last, dressed in her royal finery by her maids, Charmian and Iras, she takes up the venomous snakes that have been brought to her and commits suicide. In her magnificently staged death, Cleopatra restores and seals forever the image of majesty and nobility that had been robbed from her by Caesar’s criticism and military success.

As the play ends, even Caesar, who had previously termed Cleopatra a “strumpet” and Antony a lovestruck “fool," is impressed. He bestows upon the tragic couple the honor of a “solemn show” to attend their funeral and brings to completion Cleopatra’s last wish as he orders that: “She shall be buried by her Antony.”

Grumio and Curtis in The Taming of the Shrew:

In Shakespeare's comedy "The Taming of the Shrew," the characters of Grumio and Curtis provide comic relief through their roles as servants. Grumio serves as the bumbling servant of Petruchio, the main protagonist, while Curtis is another servant who appears in various scenes. Both characters contribute to the comedic elements of the play, adding a lighthearted touch to the central plot of Petruchio's attempts to "tame" the headstrong Katherine.

Grumio's primary function is to serve as Petruchio's comedic foil. He engages in playful banter and uses wordplay to create humorous situations. Grumio's exaggerated and often nonsensical responses to his master's commands, coupled with his wit and physical comedy, generate laughs and entertain the audience. His presence helps alleviate the tension caused by Petruchio's unconventional methods of wooing and marrying Katherine.

Curtis, on the other hand, has a smaller role but still contributes to the comedic atmosphere. He often engages in wordplay and witty exchanges with other characters, adding humorous interjections and commentary. Curtis' presence reinforces the light-hearted tone of the play and enhances the comedic dynamic among the characters.

Both Grumio and Curtis exhibit the traditional characteristics of Shakespearean fools, utilizing their wit and humor to provide comic relief. They offer a respite from the main plot's focus on themes of marriage, gender roles, and societal expectations. Through their antics and comedic interactions, they add levity and entertainment to the overall narrative.

Petruchio, a gentleman from Verona, has traveled to Padua to find himself a wealthy wife. There, he is introduced to Katherina, or Kate, the "shrew" of the play's title. She has been endowed with a large dowry by her rich father, Baptista, who is extremely keen to find her a husband because he thinks of her as ill-tempered, willful, and a nag—in Elizabethan terms, shrewish.

The quick-witted Petruchio is impressed by her spirit and her wealth and eagerly takes up the challenge of taming Kate into a loyal and obedient wife. In Act 4, Scene 1, his servants and the audience watch as he "kills her in her own humor," his contrariness parodying her own self-willed behavior. Soon, she is begging him to "be not so disquiet," as others have begged her before.

In a famous speech at the close of the scene, Petruchio explains further how he will tame Katherina, comparing it to a falconer taming a hawk. On stage, the slapstick, wordplay, and contradictions are full of energy and humor that overpower the sense of cruelty that can seem apparent on the page.

While "The Taming of the Shrew" has been condemned by some feminist writers, other critics have argued that Petruchio and Katherina eventually arrive at a happier, more balanced partnership than Kate's younger sister, Bianca, achieves through her more conventional marriage to Lucentio, which forms the sub-plot of the play.

Launce in The Two Gentlemen of Verona: 

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, which appears as the second comedy in the First Folio, was probably first performed about 1594. Shakespeare’s first attempt at romantic comedy, it concerns two friends, Proteus and Valentine, and two women, Julia and Sylvia. The play traces the relations of the four, until the two sets of lovers are happily paired off: Proteus with Julia, and Valentine with Sylvia. Much of the humor in the play comes from a clownish servant, Launce, and his dog, Crab, described as “the sourest-natured dog that lives.” Shakespeare probably wrote the part of Launce. 

Launce's comedic presence in "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" is marked by his playful wordplay, exaggerated storytelling, and comical situations. One of his most memorable scenes occurs in Act II, where he delivers a monologue about his misadventures with his dog, Crab. Launce's vivid descriptions and humorous anecdotes about Crab's misbehavior elicit laughter from the audience and offer a momentary diversion from the main plot.

Throughout the play, Launce often engages in humorous exchanges with other characters, particularly Speed, another servant. Their witty banter and comedic misunderstandings create a lively atmosphere and contribute to the play's comedic elements. Launce's naïveté and simple-mindedness make him an endearing character, and his lighthearted antics serve as a counterpoint to the more serious themes of love, loyalty, and betrayal explored in the play.

Additionally, like many Shakespearean fools, Launce serves as a truth-teller, using his seemingly foolish behavior as a way to offer insights and commentary on the human condition. Despite his humorous nature, Launce occasionally makes astute observations about love, friendship, and morality, highlighting the play's underlying themes in a comedic yet thought-provoking manner.

Launce's role as the fool in "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" not only entertains the audience but also adds depth to the overall narrative. Through his comedic presence and occasional pearls of wisdom, Launce serves as a reminder that even in a lighthearted comedy, there are important lessons to be learned and reflections to be made.

Conclusion: 

In conclusion, the fools in Shakespearean drama, such as the Clown in "Antony and Cleopatra," Grumio and Curtis in "The Taming of the Shrew," and Launce in "The Two Gentlemen of Verona," play vital roles in adding humor, wit, and insights to the respective plays. Their presence offers a refreshing contrast to the weightier themes and actions of the main characters, contributing to the overall enjoyment and depth of Shakespeare's works.

 Ardhendu De

References

The complete works of William Shakespeare, with a full and comprehensive life; a history of the early drama; an introduction to each play; the readings of former editions; glossarial and other notes, etc., etc., from the work of Collier, Knight, Dyce, Douce, Halliwell, Hunter, Richardson, Verplanck, and Hudson. Edited by George Long Duyckinck : Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/completeworksofw00shakuoft