By tracing the development of farce in late medieval and Renaissance comedic theater in comparison to the evolution of farce in Rabelais' work, this work distinguishes Rabelais' use of the device from traditional farce. It shows how Rabelais in fact introduced both a radical reformulation of farce, and a new form of humanist satire.
By tracing the evolution of farce from Pantagruel and Gargantua through the Tiers and Quart livres, Bruce Hayes makes an important contribution to the understanding of Rabelais' writing, and of farce's literary possibilities. He distinguishes Rabelais's use of farce from the conservative tradition, showing how the French writer used it as a vehicle to attack the status quo and to suggest alternatives to contemporary legal, educational, and theological systems.
'This thoughtful study of Rabelais and late-medieval French farce, in demonstrating how the former subverts and radicalizes the latter, which Hayes convincingly presents as a morally and ethically conservative genre, leads us to a critically enriched understanding of both. He engages with the latest and most influential critical thinking on farce, obliging us to reflect carefully before dismissing it as low-brow popular and populist ephemera and to appreciate how central it is to Rabelais's humanist satire. Hayes is particularly successful in helping (finally) to give farce its due.' Jeff Persels, University of South Carolina, USA 'Rabelais's Radical Farce is a thought-provoking contribution to late medieval and Renaissance studies. ...as he builds upon preexisting research, the author offers new insights into the ethos of farce and our understanding of Rabelais.' Renaissance Quarterly 'Hayes offers many subtle close readings, and he is to be applauded for producing a much-needed monograph on Rabelais's theatrical intertexts.' French Studies 'In his book Hayes approaches late medieval farcical plays and products of comic theatre as serious literary texts, not as merely simplistic, mechanical works characterized by scatological humour and physical violence... In this book, Rabelais is seen as having a revolutionary and innovative approach to farce, since his works employ both traditional farcical elements as well as humanist satire, which challenges ethical system, societal norms, and institutions, in order to go beyond the status quo and provide society with new alternatives.' Sixteenth Century Studies
