* Romantic intrigue: Many Elizabethan comedies involve romantic misunderstandings and complications. Characters may be in love with the wrong person, or they may be trying to hide their true feelings.
* Cross-dressing: Cross-dressing is a common device used in Elizabethan comedies. Characters may disguise themselves as the opposite sex in order to escape detection or to gain access to a forbidden place.
* Slapstick comedy: Elizabethan comedies often include physical humor, such as pratfalls, slapstick, and knockabout gags.
* A happy ending: Elizabethan comedies typically end with a happy ending, with the lovers reunited and all the conflicts resolved.