Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
Home> Volumes> Volume CHR Vol.12> Article
Research Article

Perceiving Falstaff: An Exploration of the Clown Image

Wenqing ZhangXi’an Jiaotong-liverpool University*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Among the many roles in Western drama that originated in ancient Greece, fools occupy a significant place, and its image has been gradually enriched with the development of drama. Beyond simply making the audience laugh, the words and deeds of clowns seem to have a deeper meaning, which can arouse people’s resonance and reflection. Starting from the origin of drama and the development analysis of the image of clowns, this article aims to analyze the complex connotation behind Falstaff, the classic fool chosen from Shakespeare’s play Henry IV, in detail from multiple perspectives. The vivid image of Falstaff in Shakespeare’s work is a transcendence of the early clowns. At the same time, Falstaff also conveys the humanist ideals of the author.

Keywords: Shakespeare’s fool; Falstaff; theater; Henry IV; renaissance
Published: November 20, 2023
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/12/20230069
Volume: CHR Vol.12
pp. 140-145
Download PDF

References

  1. Summit, J. (2012). Renaissance Humanism and the Future of the Humanities. Literature Compass, 9(10): 665–678.
  2. Rebecca Kraft Rector. (2017). Drama. Abdo Publishing, Minnesota.
  3. Hu, B. L. (2010). The Bacchanal Sacrificial Rite and The Origin of Western Drama. JOURNAL OF CHONGQING UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (SOCIAL SCIENCES EDITION), 19: 128–138.
  4. Aristotle and Heath, M. (1997) Poetics. Penguin Classics, London.
  5. Wang, X. (2008). Appreciation of ugliness - Analysis of clowns in Western drama. WORLD OF ENTREPRENEURS, 8: 166–167.
  6. Semenova Elena A. (2023). The Theories of Humor in the Study of the Clown Figure. https://doi-org-s.elink.xjtlu.edu.cn:443/10.51678/2226-0072-2023-1-30-67
  7. Kozintsev, A.G. (2007). Chelovek i Smekh: [Man and laughter:]. Aleteiia, St. Petersburg.
  8. Bell, R. H. (2010). Motley to the View: The Shakespearean Performance of Folly. Southwest Review, 95: 44–62.
  9. Shakespeare, W. (2010). The Arden Shakespeare: King Henry IV Part 1. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, London.
  10. McNabb, C. H. (2016). Shakespeare’s Semiotics and the Problem of Falstaff. Studies in Philology, 113(2): 337–357.
  11. Miller, A. (1990). Henry IV Part 1 and Renaissance Ideologies. Sydney Studies in English, 16: 33–53.
  12. An, Q. (2017) Falstaff and the Spirit of Comedy. DA GUAN, 8: p. 32.
  13. Shakespeare, W. (2010). The Arden Shakespeare: King Henry IV Part 2. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, London.
  14. Cubeta, P. M. (1987). Falstaff and the Art of Dying. Studies in English Literature, 27(2): 197–211.