Typical Strange Shakespeare Humor

(This actually seems to be a continuation of the previous post)

It's pretty difficult to stumble upon a Shakespearean play without any touch of humor, and The Merchant of Venice is no different. We've found some humor already in the first act, but one specific part of Act II that really stuck out was the conversation between Launcelot and Old Gobbo. In 2.2, Old Gobbo, approaches Launcelot, unaware that he is his son. Gobbo asks for directions to Shylock's home and Launcelot decides to fool around with him. Typical Shakespeare is presented here when Launcelot goes aside, speaking to the audience at 2.2.33: “O heavens! This is my true-begotten father, who being more than sand-blind, high gravel-blind, knows me not, - I will try confusions with him.” This is not only cruel and somewhat strange, but adds to the humor of the situation. It's like, why wouldn't he just say he was his son? What is the point to mess around with your blind father? But for some reason, Shakespeare finds this necessary for the plot and the development of Launcelot's character. Then he continues to even say that Gobbo's son is dead in 2.2.56; “Ergo Master Launcelot...is indeed deceased, or as you would say in plain terms, gone to heaven.” Although he does eventually admit that he is his son, this cruel sort of humor kept me pretty interested in the conversation. I think the strangest part about is when he does admit he is his son, he asks for Gobbo's blessing in 2.2.80: “Pray you let's have no more fooling about it, but give me your blessing.” It's funny that Launcelot is the one that says there should be no more fooling, when he was doing it in the first place.