A Midsummer's Night Dream Insult Comedy Essay

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Recommended: Humor in Shakespeare plays

In the play A Midsummer’s Night Dream, elements of insult comedy can be found as Shakespeare incorporates to better improve the humor. Insult comedy is a form of comedy that is intended to offend or mock a person or group of people in order to create a humorous tension. Shakespeare utilizes this very well as a way to push plot such as Helena loving Demetrius and Demetrius hating Helena as well as describing the terrible acting of the Mechanicals. Insults help form character opinions and thoughts making them more defined as the play progresses becoming very important for plot and character development. Insults become an effective tool for Shakespeare as a way to improve comedy and plot for his play.
Shakespeare uses insult comedy between …show more content…

Helena usually begs for love while Demetrius tells her off with insults and burns. While Helena is following Demetrius through the woods in hopes to find Hermia, he says to Helena “Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit;/ For I am sick when I look on thee”(2.1.215-216). This is insult comedy because Demetrius said he gets sick every time he looks at Helena because she is ugly. The insult also helps show the hatred Demetrius has for Helena. Shakespeare put this insult in to show the situation between the lovers and why Oberon has the love potion place on Demetrius’s eyes. This insult also shows what kind of person Demetrius is, at least to Helena he is very harsh causing her much strife. Demetrius is shown as overly hateful to Helena which is comical considering how much Helena loves him making them polar opposites with their emotions. This is also comical because of the full turn around Demetrius has when the love potion is placed on him causing him to love Helena and insult Hermia. While Demetrius does love Helena he despises Hermia’s lover Lysander as much as he despises Helena. After Demetrius’s tromping through the woods he finally finds Hermia, his love, but is bombarded with questions of the whereabouts of

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