What is the uniqueness of William Shakespeares comedies ?
Actually, they are not! Other writers for “The King’s Men” and other theatrical troupes were writing other plays, and Shakespeare’s comedies were not really “unique” (one of a kind). For example, one of his primary rivals was Christopher Marlowe, famous for his “Doctor Faustus” – a humorous play in which in exchange for riches and fame, a man sells his soul to the Devil. One reason, though, that Shakespare’s plays were so popular was that he wrote in a script that had something in it for everybody. Some of his humour and more serious passages are subtle and erudite; other parts are quite bawdy, often written in the dialect of the lower classes. In this respect, Shakespeare had real versatility and was a marketing ace. Otherwise, a lot of aspects are “borrowed.” Some of his more famous works such as “Hamlet” and “Romeo and Juliet” were based on stories already circulating. His histories were evidently inspired from great events in the past. Shakespeare also used a lot of elements from G
