Literature Glossary
Don’t be an oxymoron. Know your literary terms.
Over 200 literary terms, Shmooped to perfection.
Romantic Comedy
Definition:
Sure, you're probably thinking of When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, or You've Got Mail. Or any Meg Ryan movie, really, except maybe Proof of Life, but we can forgive her for that one. Maybe.
But did you know that rom-coms also pop up in literature, too? Any comedy focusing on love, marriage, courtship, and all that ooey gooey sappy stuff can be called a literary romantic comedy. A good example is Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream or Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. We dare you to read those and not laugh and swoon all at once.