Laughing Histories: From the Renaissance Man to the Woman of Wit

By: Joy Wiltenburg

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Synopsis: Laughing Histories breaks new ground by exploring moments of laughter in early modern Europe, showing how laughter was inflected by gender and social power. "I dearly love a laugh," declared Jane Austen's heroine Elizabeth Bennet, and her wit won the heart of the aristocratic Mr. Darcy. Yet the widely read Earl of Chesterfield asserted that only "the mob" would laugh out loud; the gentleman should merely smile. This literary contrast raises important historical questions: how did social rules constrain laughter? Did the highest elites really laugh less than others? How did laughter play out in relations between the sexes? Through fascinating case studies of individuals such as the Renaissance artist Benvenuto Cellini, the French aristocrat Madame de Sévigné, and the rising civil servant and diarist Samuel Pepys, Laughing Histories reveals the multiple meanings of laughter, from the court to the tavern and street, in a complex history that paved the way for modern laughter. With its study of laughter in relation to power, aggression, gender, sex, class, and social bonding, Laughing Histories is perfect for readers interested in the history of emotions, cultural history, gender history, and literature.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
Book Size:: 200 Pages
ISBN-13:: 9781000593617
Related ISBNs:: 9781003247517, 9781032162072, 9781032162065
Publisher:: Taylor and Francis
Date of Addition:: 06/06/22
Copyrighted By:: Joy Wiltenburg, The right of Joy Wiltenburg to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: History, Nonfiction, Social Studies
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.