Shakespearean comedyShakespearean comedy

Pieter Brueghel the elder: Pieter Brueghel the elder: War of Carnival and War of Carnival and FastingFasting 1559 1559

Ritual, cosmic aspect of Ritual, cosmic aspect of comedycomedy

War between fast(ing) and carnival War between fast(ing) and carnival Courtship and Carnival: topsy-turvy Courtship and Carnival: topsy-turvy

world, transformationworld, transformationSexuality, desire, love, art(ifice) and Sexuality, desire, love, art(ifice) and

FEAST FEAST Greek comedy: satyr plays, Greek comedy: satyr plays,

accompanying Dionysian rituals accompanying Dionysian rituals

Ritual comedy Ritual comedy Marriage – triumph of live, community, Marriage – triumph of live, community,

cosmos (ferility ritual) cosmos (ferility ritual) ““The great symbol of pure comedy is The great symbol of pure comedy is

marriage, by which the world is renewed, marriage, by which the world is renewed, and its endings are always instinct with a and its endings are always instinct with a sense of fresh beginnings. Its rhythm is sense of fresh beginnings. Its rhythm is the rhythm of the life of mankind, which the rhythm of the life of mankind, which goes on and renews itself as the life of goes on and renews itself as the life of nature does. The rhythm of tragedy, on nature does. The rhythm of tragedy, on the other hand, is the rhythm of the the other hand, is the rhythm of the individual life which comes to a close, individual life which comes to a close, and its great symbol is death.” (Helen and its great symbol is death.” (Helen Gardner)Gardner)

Ritual comedyRitual comedyOther (darker) ritual: Other (darker) ritual: Laughing at rather than laughing Laughing at rather than laughing

withwithExclusion, othering, scapegoating Exclusion, othering, scapegoating

FalstaffFalstaff

‘‘I know thee I know thee not, old man’ not, old man’ (King Henry to (King Henry to Falstaff in Falstaff in Henry VHenry V))

the motley foolthe motley fool

Figures of comedy: fools, jesters, Figures of comedy: fools, jesters, oafs, clowns, witsoafs, clowns, wits

““This fellow is wise enough to play the fool; This fellow is wise enough to play the fool; And to do that well craves a kind of wit. ....And to do that well craves a kind of wit. ....For folly that he wisely shows is fit; For folly that he wisely shows is fit; But wise men, folly-fallen, quite taint their wit.” But wise men, folly-fallen, quite taint their wit.” (Viola about Feste, (Viola about Feste, Twelfth NightTwelfth Night 3.1.58-) 3.1.58-)

„„Elég bölcs a fickó, hogy játssza a bolondot:Elég bölcs a fickó, hogy játssza a bolondot:Jól adni azt, kell hozzá némi ész .... Jól adni azt, kell hozzá némi ész .... A bolondság, mit bölcsen játszunk, célba ér; A bolondság, mit bölcsen játszunk, célba ér; De ha bölcs bolondul meg, oda a bölcsesség.”De ha bölcs bolondul meg, oda a bölcsesség.”

Dogberry in Dogberry in Much AdoMuch Ado: “What your : “What your wisdoms could not discover, these wisdoms could not discover, these shallow fools have brought to light” shallow fools have brought to light” (5.1.232–34) (5.1.232–34)

Touchstone, Audrey and Touchstone, Audrey and WilliamWilliam

Jaques the melancholicJaques the melancholic

Jaques crying Jaques crying overover

the wounded the wounded stag stag

(William (William Blake)Blake)