Test 1 Review - Ancient Humour

TEST 1 REVIEW Friday, September 20, 2024 5:53 PM If image does not have red dot then it won't test you on it Test questions will be on images with a red dot Sources ○ Literature § Comedies (Greek AND Roman) § Satirical texts § References f...

TEST 1 REVIEW Friday, September 20, 2024 5:53 PM If image does not have red dot then it won't test you on it Test questions will be on images with a red dot Sources ○ Literature § Comedies (Greek AND Roman) § Satirical texts § References from texts ○ Art § Inscriptions § Graffiti Definition of the Word Humour ○ In the 16th century, humour started to be used to denote whim and mood ○ In the 17th century, it then transformed to have a more comical meaning to it § i.e., what was amusing, comical, and/or could make individuals laugh Humour Origins ○ Introduced to English by Old French Galen, in The Nature of Man, believed there were 4 humours in the body that controlled the health of an individual blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile ○ When any one of the 4 humours was out of balance, physical and mental health was affected ○ It first was thought that mental health was the only thing affected ○ When we think about humour in ancient discourse, it isn’t necessarily about what is actually funny, but what is outside of normal expression Words Related to Laughter and Humour ○ Feelings associated with making us laugh relief, embarrassment, great joy, feeling superior, fear, aggression, sarcasm, irony ○ Sarkazein = to tear flesh also means to bite one’s lips in rage, to gnash one’s teeth, and to sneer ○ Eironeia = dissimulation ○ Hubris = intentionally dishonouring behaviour  one’s teeth, and to sneer ○ Eironeia = dissimulation ○ Hubris = intentionally dishonouring behaviour Athenian red-figure cup showing a symposion, 480-470 BCE ○ Significance is that what you would laugh at with friends may be different than with what you would laugh at with family, for example ○ Men would gather on their own and women on their own at symposions- these conversations may consist of laughter Aristotle ○ Thought no one laughed or cried before their 40th day of life while they were awake ○ While they were asleep, they could do both On the Parts of Animals ○ Only humans are affected by tickling ○ This is because of their sensitive skin and because Aristotle believes they are the only beings who laugh ○ Porphyry, In Isagogen, 204.15-16 § mentions that Aristotle in History of Animals, says other animals, like herons, are also capable of laughter ○ Nichomachean Ethics, 1128a § Those who laugh too much are buffoons and are vulgar § Those who don’t jest and take offence when others do are boorish and morose § Those who jest tastefully are witty and/or versatile ○ Poetics, 1449a § Comedy was a representation of inferior people  ○ ○ Tractatus Coislinianus § It is preserved in a 10th-c. manuscript currently in Paris § Is it a skeletal summary of Aristotle’s Poetics book II? For many is, perhaps, a Byzantine work which used thirdhand Aristotelian reflections Pliny ○ Believed no one laughed before their 40th day of life ○ With the exception of Zoroaster ○ The Natural History ○ People think the lack of spleen causes individuals to lose the ability to laugh, and the overgrowth of the spleen causes them to laugh excessively ○ Crassus was the only person to never laugh in his lifetime ○ Because of this, he got the nickname Agelastus ○ Gelotophyllis (laughter leaves) § Taken with myrrh and wine, causes laughter § The laughter can only be stopped when pine-nut kernels are taken with pepper and honey in palm wine Humour in Ancient Egypt ○ When thinking about interpreting and understanding expressions of humour in ancient Egypt it’s important to consider: 1. The intent of the artist/humorist 2. The response of the audience 3. The form, style, and manner of which the attempt at humour/satire is made ○ This is because no discussion of Egyptian humour and satire has survived to the modern day, so we don’t have any accounts in their own words about how they perceived the subject within their culture  2. The response of the audience 3. The form, style, and manner of which the attempt at humour/satire is made ○ This is because no discussion of Egyptian humour and satire has survived to the modern day, so we don’t have any accounts in their own words about how they perceived the subject within their culture The Letters ○ Letter Papyrus 198: § Dated to the Ramesside period, the sender and recipients identities are unknown § the sender of the letter is annoyed at the recipient for being angry about some jokes that he had made to the chief taxing master ○ The Satirical Letter, Papyrus Anastasi I § A literary controversy between two scribes § this is thought to be an answer to a poorly worded and pretentious question/communication § “Let me tell you about Pahery-Pedjet, who used to live in Heliopolis. § He is a veteran of the Palace. He is smaller than a cat but bigger than a monkey, yet he is well-off” Visual Humour in Egypt ○ We looked at quite a few examples of visual humour in Egypt: § excessive alcohol consumption § the theme of the doorkeeper § craftsmen at work § animals acting as humans ○ The Doorkeeper ○ The doorkeeper appears to have been a male occupation in Egypt, as well as a position of power. Most representations of doorkeepers come from the 18th dynasty, however 2 are dated to the 19th dynasty ○ Doorkeepers are often represented drunk, hungover, sleeping, or partaking in parties happening in the house instead of guarding the door ○ Humorous depictions of workers not doing their jobs is similar to the craftsman representations we also looked at ○  craftsman representations we also looked at ○ ○ Asleep drunken doorkeeper of a cellar, Tomb Intef at Thebes ○ "move on we will search ourselves" "behold the load is heavy" "the servant is sleeping!" "he's drunk on the wine" "I have not been sleeping at all!" Craftsmen at Work ○ Like the theme of the doorkeepers, many of the workers are shown doing various things that are not appropriate for work. The incompetence and laziness of the workers is being presented as funny ○ Craftsman at work, wall painting from the tomb of Ipuy at Deir el-Medina ○ § Made to be funny because some are sleeping, doing makeup, fanning each other, climbing etc… Animals Acting as Humans  § Made to be funny because some are sleeping, doing makeup, fanning each other, climbing etc… Animals Acting as Humans ○ Animals acting as a humans were a very a popular humorous theme in ancient Egyptian art ○ We have frequently seen images of monkeys performing human actions as they were easy to personify because of their similarities to people. They have been shown § carrying water § playing instruments like the harp or the double oboe § acting as the overseer of a boat full of humans ○ Relief from the tomb of Nefer and Kahay depicting a hamadryas baboon stealing the role of overseer in a boat building scene, V Dynasty § ○ The Satirical Papyrus (British Museum): § This papyrus is from the Ramesside period and shows various different animals performing human tasks § The tasks being performed often directly relate to the animal doing them, with the intention of creating a humorous contrast between the animal’s nature and the task/creatures its interacting with § Given how expensive commissioning an artistic work like this papyrus would be, the audience of these satirical works would have been adults of means § As well, many of the themes wouldn’t be appropriate for children § □ Seen playing with game pieces on a game box, could have been the game senet ○ The Satirical papyrus at the Cairo Museum: § This papyrus has very similar themes to the previous one we looked  § □ Seen playing with game pieces on a game box, could have been the game senet ○ The Satirical papyrus at the Cairo Museum: § This papyrus has very similar themes to the previous one we looked at, it depicts interactions between cats and mice that reverse their realistic roles in nature § We can see the cats waiting on the mouse, the high status of the mouse is indicated by the wig it is wearing, which was a status symbol in Egypt § ○ Cat and mouse war § § Way to represent the pharaoh § Dogs are pulling the chariot § Donkey acting as a judge, person in front of his is a prisoner § Animal musicians § Bird going on latter to reach the tree § Cats eating ducks Ostraka ○ Ostraka are sherds of pottery or limestone and they were often used like scrap pieces of paper by ancient people ○ They often contain: § stories, poems, hymns, magical spells, personal notations, administrative documents, private business illustrations and images ○ Many ostraka are found at Deir al-Medina, which is located close to Thebes ○ What is the purpose of ostraka?  § stories, poems, hymns, magical spells, personal notations, administrative documents, private business illustrations and images ○ Many ostraka are found at Deir al-Medina, which is located close to Thebes ○ What is the purpose of ostraka? § ostraka are where we can find drafts of things people are working on and spontaneous sketches (which can have humorous themes, ie. animals acting as people) ○ ○  ○ ○ Limestone ostraka showing a Mouse-lady waited by a cat servant ○ ○ Limestone ostrakon showing a cat minding a flock of ducks (or geese?) ○ Portrait thought to represent Aesop, storyteller and author of fables. Lived between the end of the 7th c. BCE and mid 6th c. BCE.  between the end of the 7th c. BCE and mid 6th c. BCE. ○ Homer ○ Author of the Odyssey and Iliad ○ May have been a real person, or rather may be a name and tradition associated with a particular style of poet ○ Most ancient accounts of Homer’s life are obvious fiction ○ Both Chios and Smyrna make claims in antiquity to have been the birthplace of Homer ○ The tales of Homer’s blindness may have been invented to reinforce the fact that epic poets and bards learned/composed stories by listening and speaking, not by reading and writing ○ The Iliad and Odyssey ○ 522 BCE: Hipparchus, Tyrant of Athens, arranges for the Iliad and Odyssey to be recited at the Panathenaia festival ○ Were the Iliad and Odyssey written by the same author? § Shared diction, scene construction formulae, mirrored episodes,  The Iliad and Odyssey ○ 522 BCE: Hipparchus, Tyrant of Athens, arranges for the Iliad and Odyssey to be recited at the Panathenaia festival ○ Were the Iliad and Odyssey written by the same author? § Shared diction, scene construction formulae, mirrored episodes, etc. show the writing styles to be similar. § Each use a combination of different forms of Greek so as to be understood by the broadest audience possible. § The version of the world presented in each echoes the Mycenean Age (bronze weapons, kings in great halls, etc.), but the social/political background rather mirrors that of the poet’s own time. The poet refers to Greeks collectively as Achaeans. Humour in Epic Poetry ○ Can humour exist in epic poetry? § The early poems of Homer use a meter known as “iambic” - a meter frequently used for “lampoons” or jests. (Cf. Aristotle Poetics 1448b) § “Iambic” meter gets its name from Iambe, who made the despondent § Demeter laugh by flashing her ○ Aristotle (Poetics (1)1448b) also calls the Iliad and the Odyssey the foundation of Greek tragedies ○ Humour in the Iliad and Odyssey is often dark, and dramatically ironic ○ Laughter tends to represent gloating rather than joking The Iliad ○ The Iliad is a story about the wrath of Achilles, and is centered around just a few pivotal days of the entire Trojan war ○ The general plot: § King Agamemnon captures Chryseis, the daughter of a Priest of Apollo § Chryseis’ father comes to ransom his daughter, but is rejected by Agamemnon § As punishment, Apollo strikes the Greek camps with a plague § To stop the plague, Agamemnon sends Chryseis home, but takes Briseis from Achilles as compensation § Achilles is enraged by this and refuses to fight until his closest friend (and lover?) Patroclus is killed in battle while pretending to be Achilles § Achilles receives new armour from the gods and his mother Thetis the Sea Nymph, and goes on the lead the Greeks to victory. Humorous Episodes: Iliad and Odyssey ○ During the funeral games of Patroclus, Ajax (the fastest of the Greeks) slips on animal entrails while racing and fills his nose with cow dung. (Iliad  § Achilles receives new armour from the gods and his mother Thetis the Sea Nymph, and goes on the lead the Greeks to victory. Humorous Episodes: Iliad and Odyssey ○ During the funeral games of Patroclus, Ajax (the fastest of the Greeks) slips on animal entrails while racing and fills his nose with cow dung. (Iliad 23.766) ○ Hephaistos catches Aphrodite (his wife) and Ares in bed together with an invisible net (Odyssey 8.266) ○ An additional implied joke here is that Hephaistos, who is both ugly and crippled, should not have been able to outdo the handsome and fit Ares, and yet still did. Ugliness and Humour ○ Is ugliness enough to make us laugh? ○ Hephaistos: the “ugliest” of the gods on multiple occasions makes the gods laugh ○ Thersites: the ugliest soldier at the camps in the Iliad § Other soldiers laugh at Thersites when he is beaten by Odysseus, because he looks even uglier when he cries (Iliad 2.212) ○ ○  ○ ○ Aethiopis ○ Aethiopis is a poem probably written in the century following the composition of the Iliad and is usually credited to Arctinus of Miletos ○ Achilles, the beloved hero of the Iliad, kills Thersites for insulting him over his supposed love for the Amazon Penthesilea ○ Once again, the ugly and despised character insults a “good” character and is ○ punished severely for it. The fact that this episode is repeated in both the Iliad and Aethiopis indicates this was a relatively popular style of humour ○ Plato (Republic 10.620 c-d) mentions the soul of Thersites inhabiting the body of an ape, a creature he believes is a fitting host for an ugly and despised man. The Homeric Hymns ○ 33 Hymns in Epic style adressing deities ○ Attributed to several authors, Homer especially ○ The majority are dated to 7th & 6th c. BCE, some were composed during the Hellenism (323-31 BCE) or Roman times ○ Homeric Hymn to Hermes § Poems 4 and 18 of the Homeric Hymns address Hermes § Hymn 4 is dated to 6th c. and describes Hermes’ origins and how he acquired his various attributes and powers § To some scholars, it is a forerunner of later comic genres Hermes’ realms of influence  ○ Homeric Hymn to Hermes § Poems 4 and 18 of the Homeric Hymns address Hermes § Hymn 4 is dated to 6th c. and describes Hermes’ origins and how he acquired his various attributes and powers § To some scholars, it is a forerunner of later comic genres Hermes’ realms of influence □ Herds and flocks □ Thievery and cunning □ Heralds and diplomacy □ Language and writing □ Athletic contests and gymnasiums □ Astronomy and astrology □ Guided deceased in their journey to the afterlife □ Personal messenger of Zeus Trickster ○ Plot § Hermes is born to Maia and Zeus in a secluded cave § Hermes turns a turtle into a lyre § Hermes steals Apollo’s cattle § Hermes divides sacrificial meat into 12 portions § Hermes returns to his cave, where Apollo finds him § The brothers go to Mount Olympus, where Zeus requests that Hermes return the cattle § The cattle § are retrieved, Hermes gives the lyre to Apollo in compensation ○ Baby Hermes in his cradle, on the left the stolen cattle, Caeretan hydria by the Eagle Painter, ca. 530 BCE ○ § The vase shows the cave, the cattle hidden in the cave § Maia, Apollo and Zeus as well as Hermes the baby in his cradle Margites ○ Narrative poem attributed to Homer ○ Perhaps composed in Ionia in 7th or 6th c. BCE ○ Few fragments survive ○ Plot  Margites ○ Narrative poem attributed to Homer ○ Perhaps composed in Ionia in 7th or 6th c. BCE ○ Few fragments survive ○ Plot § The poem follows Margites, who goes through several misaddventures, especially on his wedding night § ○ Survival § Fragments § Quotes □ Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, 1141a: “The gods had made him neither a digger nor a plowman, nor skilled in any other way: he fell short at every craft.” § References □ Hesychius, Lexicon: □ Margites: “he was an idiot who did not know copulation. His wife encouraged him by saying that a scorpion had bitten her and hse had to be healed by means of intercourse” □ Eustathius, Commentary on Odyssey 10.552: □ Writes that Margite’s wife pretended to have a wound in her lower parts for which the cure was intercourse. □