Here comes the post where I make some personal connections between scholarly theories and my own.
This
Fools of Shakespeare text is really fascinating. Frederick Warde mentions that, traditionally, court jesters were often dwarves or possessed some kind of physical deformity, "Giving a grotesqueness to his appearance and grim point to his satire" (Warde 5).
In my
hub post, I mention that I will cover
"the postmodern tradition today of an ironically wise and enlightened [jester]" and that I will be comparing the similarities between jesters now and jesters back then "and what Shakespeare could have contributed to the differences between pre and post the Elizabethan Era."
So let us look at some modern day jesters from a list of the top ten highest grossing romantic comedies:
My Best Friend's Wedding
George plays the gay friend of Jules. What plays into George's crippled nature in this film? His sexual orientation. Stephanie Greco Larson discusses minority representation in her book Media & Minorities: The Politics of Race in News and Entertainment, maintaining that any challenge to the dominant American ideology can be seen as radical as well as comical (Larson 13).
You've Got Mail
Similarly, the character Kevin Jackson plays Joe Fox's work buddy, as well as the typical "black friend." Dave Chappelle gives the story exoticism and quirk when he introduces his minority presence into the film. Larson remarks that romantic comedies "place audience on a predetermined path... these paths reinforce the dominant ideology, showing certain values and characters as superior to others" (Larson 17). Thus, we accept Dave Chappelle's character as a stepping stone to the plot's finale, and nothing more.
Notting Hill
Lastly, Notting Hill presents a complete "eejit" if you will. Spike, William Thacker's roommate, possesses intellectual shortcomings that represent his role as far inferior to the main characters. He is there for comic relief because of his stupidity, and this crippling trait provides zest to the story.
Larson, Stephanie Greco.
Media & Minorities: The Politics of Race in News and Entertainment.
Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2006. Print.
Warde, Frederick. The Fools of Shakespeare. 1. London: McBride, Nast & Company, 1913. Print.
