An Image of the Times : : An Irreverent Companion to Ben Jonson’s Four Humours and the Art of Diplomacy / / Nils-Johan Jørgensen.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter Amsterdam University Press Backlist eBook-Package 2000-2015
• VerfasserIn: Jørgensen, Nils-Johan,
• Place / Publishing House: Amsterdam : : Amsterdam University Press, , [2022]; ©2015
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (220 p.)

Here is a witty and learned literary excursion into the world of humour and comic literature as revealed inter alia by the works of Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Oliver Goldsmith and Henry Fielding – leading in the second half to some glorious insights and observations provided by author’s life experience in the world of diplomacy. It is a rich and fascinating mix of literary idiom, the theatre of the absurd and the comic element of the human condition.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- CONTENTS -- Acknowledgements -- Induction -- Chapter 1: BEN JONSON AND HIS SOURCES -- Classical literary sources (Decorum, the comedies of Plautus and Terence, the Ridiculous) -- Medieval Sources: Mystery, Morality and Interlude -- The Great Chain and Man as Microcosm -- Ancient medical theory and Renaissance psychology -- The character sketch -- Early Humour plays (George Chapman, Henry Porter) -- Chapter 2: HUMOROUS CHARACTERIZATION IN THE COMEDIES OF BEN JONSON -- In humour -- Out of humour -- Volpone, Epicoene, The Alchemist, Bartholomew Fair -- Chapter 3: THE INFLUENCE OF JONSON ON SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTHCENTURY COMEDY -- Richard Brome -- James Shirley -- Thomas Shadwell -- Colley Cibber -- The Sons of Ben -- Margareth Cavendish -- Aphra Behn -- James Miller -- Oliver Goldsmith -- Richard Brinsley Sheridan -- Chapter 4: THE INTRUSION OF HUMOROUS CHARACTERIZATION INTO THE ENGLISH NOVEL -- Henry Fielding -- Tobias Smollett -- Chapter 5: THE MEANING OF THE COMIC -- Chapter 6: NOMADIC HUMOURS -- Introduction -- Where did the humours go -- Berlin 1900 -- Fabulous -- Hilarious -- An ever-closer union -- Identity mix-up -- Chameleon -- An exchange of notes -- Visiting card -- Holy See -- Sisyphean diplomatic challenge -- Laughter above -- The laughing philosopher -- Chapter 7: UNCONSCIOUS REVELATION -- Postscript -- Index