Laughter and Ridicule

Towards a Social Critique of Humour Michael Billig

SAGE Publicati ons

London Thousand Oaks New Delhi

iii

 2005 Michael Billig First published 2005 Published in association with Theory, Culture & Society, Nottingham Trent University

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form, or by any means, only with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction, in accordance with the terms of licenses issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Inquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers. SAGE Publications Ltd 6 Bonhill Street London EC2A 4PU SAGE Publications Inc 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, California 91320 SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd B-42 Panchsheel Enclave Post Box 4109 New Delhi 100 017 British Library Cataloguing in Publication data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 1 4129 0250 9 ISBN 1 4129 1143 5 Library of Congress Control Number: 2004099514

Printed and bound in Great Britain by Athenaeum Press, Gateshead Printed on paper from sustainable resources

iv

Contents

Acknowledgements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Introduction A Critique of Positive Humour Part I Historical Aspects Superiority Theories: Hobbes and Other Misogelasts Incongruity Theories and Gentlemanly Laughter Victorian Relief Theory Bergson and the Function of Humour Freud and the Hidden Secrets of Jokes Part II Theoretical Aspects Laughter and Unlaughter Embarrassment, Humour and the Social Order Final Remarks

vii 1 10 35 37 57 86 111 139 173 175 200 236 244 256 261

References Name Index Subject Index