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The Semiotics of Clowns and Clowning : Rituals of Transgression and the Theory of Laughter - Professor Emeritus Paul Bouissac

The Semiotics of Clowns and Clowning

Rituals of Transgression and the Theory of Laughter

By: Professor Emeritus Paul Bouissac

eBook | 28 May 2015 | Edition Number 1

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During the last 300 years circus clowns have emerged as powerful cultural icons. This is the first semiotic analysis of the range of make-up and costumes through which the clowns' performing identities have been established and go on developing. It also examines what Bouissac terms 'micronarratives' - narrative meanings that clowns generate through their acts, dialogues and gestures.

Putting a repertory of clown performances under the semiotic microscope leads to the conclusion that the performances are all interconnected and come from what might be termed a 'mythical matrix'. These micronarratives replicate in context-sensitive forms a master narrative whose general theme refers to the emergence of cultures and constraints that they place upon instinctual behaviour.

From this vantage point, each performance can be considered as a ritual which re-enacts the primitive violence inherent in all cultures and the temporary resolutions which must be negotiated as the outcome. Why do these acts of transgression and re-integration then trigger laughter and wonder? What kind of mirror does this put up to society? In a masterful semiotic analysis, Bouissac delves into decades of research to answer these questions.

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Non-FictionLanguage & LinguisticsLinguisticsSemantics & Discourse AnalysisSociology & AnthropologyAnthropologySocial & Cultural Anthropology, EthnographyReference, Information & Interdisciplinary SubjectsInterdisciplinary StudiesSemiotics & SemiologyLiterature, Poetry & PlaysHistory & Criticism of Literature
Literary Theory

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