Romantic comedy

A romantic comedy, often called a "romcom," is a specific sub-genre of comedy and romance fiction. These stories focus on lighthearted and humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas. A central theme is often how love can surmount all obstacles. The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms describes the genre as focusing on the follies and misunderstandings of young lovers. These stories are typically lighthearted and conclude in a happy manner. They usually avoid using serious satire to make their points.

One of the most important mechanisms in a romantic comedy is the "meet-cute." This is a contrived or unexpected encounter between two potential romantic partners. These meetings occur in unusual or comic circumstances to create an entertainment factor. Scriptwriters often design these moments to create a sense of awkwardness. This can happen through a clash of personalities or beliefs. It might also involve an embarrassing situation, a comical misunderstanding, or a case of mistaken identity.

Romantic comedies have evolved through several distinct stages and types. In the early 20th century, Hollywood developed the screwball comedy. This style often used a reversal of gender roles to add comedic effect. Following World War II, the genre saw the rise of the career woman comedy. These stories featured women in professional roles, such as in the film "Woman of the Year." By the 1950s and 1960s, sex comedies became popular through actors like Rock Hudson and Doris Day.

The history of this genre stretches back to several ancient and medieval traditions. It evolved from Ancient Greek comedy, which was often rooted in fertility rites and satyr plays. During the medieval period, the tradition of romantic love developed in Western Europe. Previously, "romance" referred to the heroic adventures of chivalric romance. These stories focused on a knight's feats for a lady, such as in Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart. In the 18th century, Restoration comedy helped shape the modern genre. These were comedies of manners that focused on the complex social rules of high society.

Significant historical examples show how the genre has changed over time. William Shakespeare wrote some of the best-known examples in the late 1590s. His plays, like "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Twelfth Night," are considered purely romantic. In the modern era, some films have reached legendary status. "The Apartment" is regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. In 1994, it was one of only 25 films selected for the Library of Congress National Film Registry.

Modern romantic comedies often use surprising or strange circumstances to find originality. Some stories adopt special settings, such as the film "Warm Bodies," where a zombie falls in love with a human. Other films flip standard conventions by having the main characters not end up together. For example, "500 Days of Summer" leaves the protagonist distraught because the lovers separate. Some films, like "Adam," show characters who end up separated but remain content to pursue other goals. These variations allow the genre to explore different emotional outcomes.

Today, the genre connects to much broader and more complex social topics. While many people think of romcoms as simple, they now explore adult themes like marriage and responsibility. Films by Judd Apatow, such as "This Is 40" and "Knocked Up," deal with mid-life crises and unintended pregnancy. Other stories, like "Silver Linings Playbook," address mental illness and the courage to start new relationships. Even when they tackle these serious subjects, they remain part of the romantic comedy structure. The genre continues to grow by moving into new and complex territory.