Some weeks ago, I encountered two apparently unrelated cultural moments within the same hour: The first one was a news report that Russia’s Vladimir Putin had offered an ironic endorsement of Kamala Harris for President. He stated: “She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that everything is fine with her.” Half an hour later I was deep into rereading Umberto Eco’s 1984 bestseller, The Name of the Rose, chancing upon the section in which the learned librarian, Jorge of Burgos, denounces laughter as a devilish wind that deforms the face, makes men look like monkeys, and disrupts and subverts society, religion, and truth. Jorge is particularly afraid that laughter and comedy may lead to people questioning how he and other religious leaders govern, and he is willing to kill people to prevent them from access to texts that advocate for the positive role of humor in society. The 1986 movie version, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, condenses the longer discussion in the novel. READ THE FULL ESSAY at MEDIEVALISTS.NET
Comments