Monty Python, Shakespeare and English Renaissance Drama

by Darl Larsen, William Proctor Williams (Foreword by)

At first consideration, it would seem that Shakespeare and Monty Python have very little in common other than that they're both English. Shakespeare wrote during the reign of a politically puissant Elizabeth, while Python flourished under an Elizabeth figurehead. Shakespeare wrote for rowdy theatre whereas Python toiled at a remove, for television. Shakespeare is The Bard; Python is-well-not. Despite all of these differences, Shakespeare and Monty are in fact related; this work considers both the differences and similarities between the two. It discusses Shakespeare's status as England's National Poet and Python's similar elevation. It explores various aspects of theatricality (troupe configurations, casting and writing choices, allusions to classical literature) used by Shakespeare, Ben Jonson and Monty Python. It also covers the uses and abuses of history in Shakespeare and Python; humor, especially satire, in Shakespeare, Jonson, Dekker and Python; and the concept of the "Other" in Shakespearean and Pythonesque creations.

246 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Darl Larsen is program director and professor of film and animation studies at Brigham Young University, Media Arts Department, and affiliated with the Center for Animation at BYU.

Reviews

[Deborah]

I would love to say I finished this, but it's too academic. Nice quotes, interesting subjects, but it reads like he needed tenure, which he probably got.

[Mike]

Neat idea for a book. Unfortunately, Larsen spends a lot of time in a defensive crouch, justifying over and over again the idea that Python is worthy of scholarly study. Dude, we're reading the book, relax already.

[Readersaurus]

It shouldn't be possible for a book about Python to be utterly without joy.