Humor and Laughter in the Classical World

Catalog description

This is a course about laughter in ancient Greece and Rome. We will discuss ritual laughter, enjoy the Dionysian frivolity of Aristophanes and Plautus, appreciate the elegant humor of Menander and Terence, and read the jokes from Philogelus collection. This exploration offers an opportunity to ask questions about the nature of laughter: Why do we laugh? What are the functions of laughter? Is humor universal or determined by cultural circumstances?