Scholar examines comedy, from the ancient Greeks to the present, through recurring elements and themes: the physical body, marriage, pain,…
the humdrum of existence, death. Discusses the idea that comedy and tragedy are not true opposites; comedy presupposes rather than precludes tragedy. 2013.
Professor of comparative literature offers a broad overview of the evolution and varieties of theatrical performance, from origins in ancient…
Egypt, Greece, and Rome; to classical India and China; to medieval England and Japan; and to contemporary America and Europe. Explores complex association of dramatic performance and religion. 2014