Shakespeare in jest /
Shakespeare in Jest draws fascinating parallels between Shakespeare's humour and contemporary humour. Indira Ghose argues that while many of Shakespeare's jokes no longer work for us, his humour was crucial in shaping comedy in today's entertainment industry. The book looks at a wide...
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
London ; New York :
Routledge,
[2022]
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| Series: | Spotlight on Shakespeare.
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| Summary: | Shakespeare in Jest draws fascinating parallels between Shakespeare's humour and contemporary humour. Indira Ghose argues that while many of Shakespeare's jokes no longer work for us, his humour was crucial in shaping comedy in today's entertainment industry. The book looks at a wide variety of plays and reads them in conjunction with examples from contemporary culture, from stand-up comedy to late night shows. Ghose shows the importance of jokes, which are often remarkably similar in Shakespeare's time and ours. Shakespeare's wittiest characters are mostly women, who use wit to puncture male pretensions and to acquire cultural capital. Clowns and wise fools use humor to mock their betters, while black humor trains the spotlight on the audience, exposing our collusion in the world it skewers. In a discussion of the ethics of humour, the book uncovers striking affinities between Puritan attacks on the theater and contemporary attacks on comedy. An enjoyable and accessible read, this lively book will enlighten and entertain students, researchers and general readers interested in Shakespeare, humor and popular culture. |
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| Physical Description: | x, 183 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| ISBN: | 9780367322465 0367322463 9780367322458 0367322455 |