Humor of Marguerite De Navarre in the Heptameron. a Feminist Author Before Her Time

“. . . the polygelast’s [one who identifies various forms of humor] job is not to preach to us, but to create opportunities for us. The flexible approach Parkin adopts in his readings corresponds to a varied set of techniques deployed in Marguerite’s writings. The aim is to highlight a number of strategies with which to exploit those opportunities. He will not tell us what to laugh at. He can help us see why and in what ways we are being amused.” – Prof. Michael Freeman, University of Bristol

“. . . a truly humanist response to a major humanist writer. I feel confident that anyone interested in Renaissance humor will find much to reflect on and benefit from in [this] study.” – Prof. Walter Redfern, Reading University

“. . . instructive and original. Parkin’s prose has a limpid quality rare in these days of jargon bedeviled criticism, which makes this book a joy to read as well as a welcome addition to existing scholarship on both de Navarre and humor in general.” – Prof. John Phillips, London Metropolitan University

Foreword by Prof. Michael Freeman
Acknowledgements
Preface
1. Introduction
2. Clobbering the Clerics
3. Dolls Guying Guys
4. A Skoal to the Scallywags
5. Weak Jokes
6. Conclusion
Bibliography
Index