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The Genres of Shakespeare's Plays

Reading Activity – Susan Snyder, "The Genres of Shakespeare's Plays"

Read the text from The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare carefully and answer the following questions:

  1. Snyder argues that comedy and tragedy differ not just in their endings but in their underlying logic. In your own words, explain what she means by the "evitability principle" and how it distinguishes comic plots from tragic ones.

  2. Choose one moment from The Merchant of Venice and one from Othello that illustrate this distinction. For each, explain briefly why the moment you chose is a good example.

  3. Snyder briefly mentions both plays in her argument. Does her framework feel convincing when you apply it to them, or does one of the plays resist her categories? Explain in 3–4 sentences.

Word count: 700-800 words

Print and hand in next class.