As previously noted, what defines a Shakespearean comedy is a light touch, a happy ending, and a wedding, though these plays also contain farce and slapstick. To Shakespeare, comedy meant that foolish humans were able to triumph over adversity, which implies a positive reading of human experience. Comedy to some experts means looking to the future, past the wedding that concludes the action onstage, to the offstage sexual union that ensures life goes on. The end of the comedy is an occasion for jokes, smiles, and nudges with an elbow.