FYSM 138 - The Lords of Misrule:Clowns,Tricksters and Fools Throughout the Ages

Institution:

Trinity College

Subject:

Description:

Clowns! Most westerners hear that word and think of a tumble of brightly-dressed, brightly-wigged, red-nosed guys in oversized shoes tumbling out of a VW bug onto the sawdust of the three-ring circus, honking, beeping and screeching. But that is only one, fairly recent representation of clown. Throughout the ages, the clown, the fool and the trickster have appeared in many guises and many settings. The Lords of Misrule were powerful figures in pre-Elizabethan morality plays. In the American Southwest the Hopi sacred kachina dances were interrupted by the wild antics of mud-smeared Chükü'wimkya clowns. In contrast, Feste, the fool in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, is urbane, witty and devastatingly perceptive. No mud or red nose for him. In this seminar, we will examine the social, sacred and dramatic functions of the clown in a variety of cultures and media. From Native American legends to Indonesian dance/drama, from Shakespeare to Fellini, we will explore the human need for the unpredictable. Many of the readings will be collected in a course packet and will include excerpts from The Book of the Hopi by Frank Waters; Bali Behind the Mask by Ana Daniel; From Ritual to Theater by Victor Turner; Aristotle's Poetics; Shakespeare's Clowns by David Wiles; E Pluribus Barnum by Bluford Adams, among other texts. We will watch Fellini's Satyricon, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and possibly engage in some clowning behavior ourselves. Writing will focus on analysis and comparison of the various forms and function of clown, as well as responses to the rea 1.00 units, Seminar

Credits:

1.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.Trincoll.edu

Phone Number:

(860) 297-2000

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Semester

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