The Low-Status Character in Shakespeare's Comedies

This study will attempt to reveal in detail the techniques, purposes, and results of Shakespeare's use of the low-status character in the comedies. It will be shown that Shakespeare's use of low-status characters was not static. For example, the early low-status characters are more farcical than those of later plays. The characters of the middle plays are more satiric and those of the last plays are sometimes almost allegorical abstractions. Some low-status characters such as his comic law officials are used to develop satiric themes which run throughout his career. At other times, he uses the low-status character to develop serious themes such as the nature of art or reality. For these and other reasons low-status characters of Shakesneare's comedies deserve a comprehensive treatment.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of English

Year

1973

Author dc:creator

• St. Clair, Linda

• English Language and Literature

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1028

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.wku.edu:theses-2031