This book analyses two features of the traditional circus that have
come under increasing attack since the mid-20th century: the use of
wild animals in performance and the act of clowning. Positioning this
socio-cultural change within the broader perspective of evolutionary
semiotics, renowned circus expert Paul Bouissac examines the decline
of the traditional circus and its transformation into a purely
acrobatic spectacle. The End of the Circus draws on Bouissac's
extensive ethnographic research, including previously unpublished
material on the training of wild animals and clown make-up, to chart
the origins of the circus in Gypsy culture and the drastic change in
contemporary Western attitudes on ethical grounds. It scrutinizes the
emergence of the new form of circus, with its focus on acrobatics and
the meaning of the body, showing how acrobatic techniques have been
appropriated from traditional Gypsy heritage and brought into the fold
of mainstream popular entertainment. Questioning the survival of the
new circus and the likely resurgence of its traditional forms, this
book showcases Bouissac's innovative approach to semiotics and marks
the culmination of his ground-breaking work on the circus.
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Evolutionary Semiotics and Cultural Resilience
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781350166516
Publisert
2021
Utgave
1. utgave
Utgiver
Vendor
Bloomsbury Academic
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter