The Alchemy of Laughter: Comedy in English Fiction

268 Pages·2000·11.99 MB·English

by  Glen Cavaliero

The Alchemy of Laughter
Comedy in English Fiction
Glen Cavaliero
The Alchemy of Laughter
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10.1057/9780230288898 - The Alchemy of Laughter, Glen Cavaliero
Also by Glen Cavaliero
CHARLES WILLIAMS: Poet of Theology
JOHN COWPER POWYS: Novelist
A READING OF E. M. FORSTER
THE RURAL TRADITION IN THE ENGLISH NOVEL 1900-1939
THE SUPERNATURAL AND ENGLISH FICTION 5
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STEEPLE ON A HILL (poems) e
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10.1057/9780230288898 - The Alchemy of Laughter, Glen Cavaliero
The Alchemy of Laughter
Comedy in English Fiction
Glen Cavaliero
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Afl
10.1057/9780230288898 - The Alchemy of Laughter, Glen Cavaliero
First published in Great Britain 2000 by
flfl MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and London
Companies and representatives throughout the world
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 0-333-77048-X
First published in the United States of America 2000 by 15
3-
fifi ST. MARTIN'S PRESS, INC., 1-0
Scholarly and Reference Division, 01
2
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 ct -
e
ISBN 0-312-22551-2 nn
o
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data eC
v
Cavaliero, Glen, 1927- gra
The alchemy of laughter : comedy in English fiction / Glen al
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Cavaliero. o -
p. cm. ms
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. Tro
ISBN 0-312-22551-2 et i
1. English fiction—History and criticism. 2. Comic, The, in ek
4li.t eLraatuugrhet.e r 3in. Hlituemraoturoreu.s stIo. rTieitsl,e E. nglish—History and criticism. bibliot
PR830.C63C38 1999 ets
823.009*17-dc21 99-15265 sit
CIP ver
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© Glen Cavaliero 2000 o
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All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made se
without written permission. en
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No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written m - li
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permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act c
1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright ect.
n
Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P OLP. n
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e
Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to av
criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. algr
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w.
The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with w
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the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. m
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This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and al fr
sustained forest sources. eri
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0190 08 097 806 705 604 503 4 023 012 1 00 pyrig
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Printed and bound in Great Britain by
Antony Rowe Ltd, Chippenham, Wiltshire
10.1057/9780230288898 - The Alchemy of Laughter, Glen Cavaliero
For Roddy and Mary
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10.1057/9780230288898 - The Alchemy of Laughter, Glen Cavaliero
Contents
Preface ix 15
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Acknowledgements xi 1
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1 The Matter of the Work 1 ect -
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The nature of a monolith 3 o
C
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The perception of diversity 6 av
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The fun of the fair 9 al
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Engaging the monolith 15 o -
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2 Aspects of the Comedic Process 21 Tro
Parody: the verdict of Lady Locke 22 et i
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Farce: the lawlessness of Alfred Polly 25 ot
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Irony: the benevolence of Lucilla Marjoribanks 28 bi
s
Satire: the aspirations of George Robinson 30 sitet
Burlesque: the appreciation of Emmeline Lucas 33 ver
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Wit: the good humour of Auberon Quin 35 o U
Celebration: the self-respect of Charles Pooter 37 d t
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3 PFiarrsto dimicp Creosmsioendsy:: J tahnee SAeupsatrena tion of Elements 4423 m - lic
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Gentlemanly relish: Max Beerbohm 48 ct.
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Saving graces: the Brontes and Cold Comfort Farm 54 nn
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Matter for laughter: Angus Wilson 57 ec
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4 Ludic Comedy: the Dissolution of Elements 61 al
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Parlour games: Tristram Shandy 62 w
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These foolish things: Ronald Firbank 70 m
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Lucid ridicule: Elizabeth von Arnim 76 al fr
Magnificent obsessions: William Gerhardie 80 eri
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5 Ironic Comedy: the Conjunction of Opposites 84 ht
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Basic principles: Jonathan Wild 85 pyri
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Beginner's luck: Mansfield Park 88 C
Old soldiers: Barry Lyndon 92
Whispering shades: Henry James 95
10.1057/9780230288898 - The Alchemy of Laughter, Glen Cavaliero
viii Contents
6 Satirical Comedy: the Disjunction of Opposites 103
Questions of perspective: Tom [ones 104
The whirligigs of time: Vanity Fair 110
Godliness and good behaviour: The Way of All Flesh 113
Non-conforming consciences: E.M. Forster, D.H. Lawrence 118
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7 Subversive Comedy: the Infernal Marriage 127 3-
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Egotistical sublimities: Humphrey Clinker 128 11-
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Fixed principals: Martin Chuzzlewit 132 ct -
Juvenile delinquents: Stalky and Saki 136 ne
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Animal crackers: Gulley Jimson and Mr White 142 C
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8 Intellectual Comedy: the Distillation of Elements 149 algr
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Quite the thing: Emma 150 o -
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Feasts of reason: Thomas Love Peacock 155 m
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Striking attitudes: The Egoist 163 et i Tr
Family fortunes: Ivy Compton-Burnett 166 ek
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9 Celebratory Comedy: the Accomplished Work 172 bi
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The complete consort: Joseph Andrews 173 sitet
Innocence abroad: The Pickwick Papers 179 ver
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Clerical errors: Bar Chester Towers 187 U
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A pack of cards: Evelyn Waugh 190 d t
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10 Comedic Stylistics 197 ce
In the van: T.F. Powys 200 m - li
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Dungeons in Spain: Samuel Beckett 204 ct.c
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A light pastry hand: Sylvia Townsend Warner 208 n
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Propitiating magnates: John Cowper Powys 213 ec
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A talent for abuse: Wyndham Lewis 218 gr
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A manner of speaking: Elizabeth Bowen and Henry Green 223 w.p
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The ineluctable modality of the oral: James Joyce 229 w
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11 Epilogue: the Alchemy of Laughter 238 al fr
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Notes 246 at
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Index 250 yrig
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10.1057/9780230288898 - The Alchemy of Laughter, Glen Cavaliero
Preface
This book is the product of over fifty years of novel-reading, and has 15
3-
been written simply for the pleasure of it. It is a work of celebratory 1-0
1
investigation, one which offers a practical approach to the study of 20
comedy in the belief that, in order to discover what comedy is, the ect -
n
surest method is to determine what it does. If we equate it with any of on
C
its various elements (satire or farce, for example,) we immediately ve
a
become entangled in a cat's-cradle of conflicting definitions, for algr
P
comedy is not a quantifiable object, nor is it merely a literary category: o -
s
it is a living process, an experience of experience, a way of contending m
o
Tr
with the enigmas, frustrations, contradictions and misfortunes that et i
are the external obstacles to happiness - and also with the vanities, ek
ot
follies and sheer wickedness that human beings breed within them bli
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selves. As a consequence, comedy is most readily understood by ets
observing processes rather than by establishing rules. ersit
v
Although comedy is usually discussed in connection with the stage, ni
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I believe that it can be most comprehensively related to its human d to
context through the medium of prose fiction. Novels are a mongrel se
n
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bwrreietidn, gd, ebriivoignrga pfrhoym, tahlele gmoroyr,a lr oemssaanyc ea, njdo utrhnea licshmar, atchtee rd-srakmetac,h :t ratvheely- m - lic
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obey no laws and have no agreed structure or predetermined length, ct.
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save as commercial practicalities dictate. While making use of the nn
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conventions of comedy that have been formulated within the tempo e
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ral and spatial limitations of the theatre, they do this by so great a gr
al
variety of means as to embody those conditions of relativity and w.p
w
inconclusiveness in which the comic sense originates. Moreover, the w
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acpopmeeadr icto pqruoceestsiso nc atnh eb ev afloiduintyd oaft cwoomrked eyv'se np roinc endouvreelss, twhhroicuhg hw tohuelidr erial fro
concentration on momentous, harrowing or unavoidably calamitous mat
events. In this study I have accordingly used my chosen novels to illu ht
g
minate each other by means less of applied than of enacted theory. pyri
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Through deciphering what they show and say, and through examin C
ing the methods by which their authors obtain the effects they do,
one stands a good chance of appreciating the nature of comedy itself.
My controlling metaphors are taken from the ancient science of
alchemy. I have drawn on the endeavour to transmute base metals into
gold as a structural paradigm with which to describe the various
IX
10.1057/9780230288898 - The Alchemy of Laughter, Glen Cavaliero