The Golden Comedies

A comedy without jokes is unthinkable. However, comedy is far more than a mere sequence of witticisms. At the heart of any comedy worthy of the name lies social conflict, in which an individual seeking his own advantage is pit against the common good of the society in which he lives. Yet, somehow, society and the individual resolve their disagreement to everyone’s advantage, usually culminating in joyful marriages for all involved. William Shakespeare’s famous comedies reach their apex with Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, and Twelfth Night, known collectively as the “Golden Comedies.” These masterful works provide a brilliant commentary on human nature and social interaction, teaching many valuable life lessons to the audience. They are also riotously funny, featuring some of the best jokes ever written. In these conferences, Dr. David Allen White thoroughly explains and elucidates Shakespeare’s comic masterpieces in his characteristically engaging style.


Much Ado About Nothing

A felicitous engagement and social concord quickly unravel under the influence of eavesdropping, slander, and deceit, exacerbated by the inconstancy of men. The final resolution in marriage can only be achieved by reestablishing the hierarchical order: men must act like men and combat injustice, the younger generation must heed its elders, and the advice of a friar, the man of God, must be followed. Once the irresolute men mend their ways, the play concludes in the joy of marriage for many characters.


As You Like It

An apparently insignificant title gives a real clue to a principal theme of this play: making choices about how to live in the world. A pastoral play, it takes place in the forest, where men, including a deposed duke, are fleeing from their oppressive brothers. The duke’s daughter, Rosalind, disguises her real identity and a cynical philosopher utters, “All the world’s a stage…” The theme of conversion runs throughout, and in the end, the characters make the right choices, concord resumes between bothers, the duke is restored, and marriages ensue.


Twelfth Night

This play’s secondary title, What You Will, indicates that many of its characters are strong willed people blinded by their own self-love. Two well-balanced persons, Festy, a clown, and Viola, a young lady who disguises herself as a man after being shipwrecked in a strange county, help their companions to overcome their selfish willfulness. A forged letter, a case of mistaken identity, and some yellow stockings stand in the way. But once the proper vision of life and love has been restored, conflict resolves in―of course―multiple marriages.