Is Romeo and Juliet a Tragedy or Comedy?Hi, I'm a high school student from South Korea, and there was a discussion (more likely an argument) about...

The Folio title of the play
is The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet,
so I think William Shakespeare has answered your
question.

Although I would not classify it purely as a
tragedy, it is more comedic than most tragedies.  Mercutio and the Nurse certainly seem
out of place in a full-fledged tragedy.  And the all the fighting at the beginning seems
a bit overblown to be taken seriously.

Actually, the comedy
version of Romeo and Juliet is called Much Ado About
Nothing.  It too has a pair of young lovers, Claudio and Hero.  Where her
reputation is slandered, Hero fakes her death.  Claudio is challenged and repents, and
both sides are reconciled.  Two weddings are
celebrated.

According to Northrop Frye, comedy is more
realistic than tragedy.  Tragedy is engineered for disaster: everything that can go
wrong does go wrong.  This definition fits Romeo and Juliet perfectly.  Romeo fails to
get the Friar's message.  Juliet doesn't wake up until Romeo has poisoned himself.
 These cosmic ironies are what drive the play, not the reconciliation of the families.
 In fact, the scene at the end with Lord Montague and Capulet is a throw-away bit.  The
Prince's monologue carries the weight of tragic commentary.