lthough my jokes may reference medieval
themes, like the melodies for many of the songs that I play, they are not
particularly true to the period. If they were, their humor might fall
even flatter on your ear. I personally find this rather serious wood
cut print to be hilarious. No doubt it was meant to terrify, but the complete lack of emotion
makes me laugh.
One difficulty with comedy is that our collective sense of
humor is shaped by our environment. So, what was considered hilarious
during a previous decade may seem stale, corny, or just not funny to
our
present sensibilities. Medieval and Renaissance humor is not exempt
from this phenomenon. While laughter may be timeless, comedy is not.
To our modern perceptions, some medieval humor may seem beyond
sophomoric. That does not mean that it was never cerebral, but the more
complex the joke, the more one needs to explain the society to which it
was considered funny in order to understand what made it humorous. The
old adage applies: if you have to explain the joke, it is not funny any
more. Sometimes, however, the explanation can be more amusing than the
joke.
Some
Typical medieval riddle jokes (in modern English c. 15th century)
- How many calves' tails does it take to reach from the earth
to the sky?
Just one that is long enough. - How can a man find a cow in a flock of sheep?
By seeing it. - What is it that never freezes?
Hot water.
Situational
Humor is also typical of the time
- A certain jealous husband followed his wife to confession;
whom when
the priest should lead behind the alter to be displied [disciplined by
beating], the husband, perceiving it, and doubting the worst, cried
unto him, saying, "hear ye, master parson, I pray you let me be
displied for her." And kneeling down before the priest, "I pray you,"
quod the wife to the priest, "strike him hard, for I am a great
sinner." (c. 1583)
- [Triar mannach dorath diultadh don
tsaoghal. Tiagait a fasach do athghaira a pecadh fri Dia Bhadar cin
labhradh fri araile co ceann bliaghna. Is ann isbeart fear dibh fri
aroile dia bliaghna ‘Maith atámm,’ ol se, ‘amen’ co cionn
bliaghnai. ‘Is maith ón,’ ar in dara fear. Batar ann ier suidhe co
ceann bliaghna. ‘Toingim nam abith (sic),’ ar in treas fear, ‘mine
lecthi ciunnus damh co n-imgeb in fasach uile dibh.’ Finis.]
(As translated by Dennis King:) Three penitents resolved to quit the
world for the ascetic
life, and so
sought the wilderness. After exactly a year’s silence the first one
said: "tis a good life we lead." At the next year’s end the second
answered: "it is so." Another year being run out, the third exclaimed:
"if I cannot have peace and quiet here I’ll go back to the world."

And so, if you find any of my jokes to be funny, be assured that they are not truly
medieval.
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