Abstract
This paper examines the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare. It describes the playful pursuit of romance and the hilarious farce that is totally reasonless. The author writes that "A Midsummer Night's Dream" illustrates the farcical nature of love and celebrates its unquestionable irrationality."

From the Paper
"'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is the quintessential romantic parody. Involving the use of magic potions and mythical creatures, Shakespeare portrays love as a potentially ridiculous pursuit and one totally devoid of reason. When Bottom states to Titania in Act 3, Scene 1, "reason and love keep little company together nowadays," he sums up one of the main themes of the play. Reason and love usually do not coexist, for emotions take on a life of their own."

Tags:romantic, parody, comedy, noble, commoner, fairy, noble, moral, mythical, creature

Abstract
This paper explains that the East Asian Summit, a historical event that was supposed to herald the "economic coming together" of the East Asian States has fallen considerably short of that objective.

From the Paper
"The Asians seemed not have learnt to think and act as one force; in unity. The outcome of the Kuala Lumpur summit would be seen as a more geo-strategic power play instead of the 'coming together' that the Declaration says. This fact brings to the fore, barricades and stumbling blocks that stand on the path to achieving an East Asia Community. These are conditions that must be taken care of if such a feat is to come to fruition. The alarming rivalry and power play between the two Asian giants is one of such conditions. The increasing feud between these two giants, China and Japan, ranging from history to territorial matters, economic to geostrategy issues, would tear Asia apart instead of bringing it together. This could force smaller nations to align themselves along the line created by these two giants, creating polarity in the Asian region, bitter rivalry and unhealthy competition."

Tags:malaysia, declaration, regionalism, monetary, fund, japan, united, states, asians

Abstract
This paper sets forth a hypothetical scenario for terrorist attack (kidnapping) and strategies to mitigate or reduce the effect of the attack by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC). The paper examines how the kidnapping could be carried out.

From the Paper
"The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia is known by its Spanish acronym FARC. FARC is intent on bringing about a communist revolution in Colombia and has fought for nearly four decades to ..."

Tags:FARC, risk reduction, kidnap, terrorist

Abstract
This paper discusses Giovanni Boccaccio's masterpiece, "The Decameron", and describes it as one of the greatest literary works that follows the tradition of the frame narrative. The paper describes the creative farces which are included in each narrative and how these give a highly aesthetic value to each story. The paper discusses some of the lessons in witticism and the art of ingenuity that can be taken from the stories.

From the Paper
"Matteo Bandello, another important writer who was influenced by Boccaccio and who in his turn influenced other major writers, like Shakespeare, also wrote a collection of stories that are based on the same main principle of the art of deceiving or playing farces. His version of Romeo and Juliet can be seen as starting from the idea of deceiving or farce, although in this case the deceiving has tragic consequences. Many of the ideas in Boccaccio were thus transmitted to great works like those of Shakespeare, especially in his comedies."

Tags:medieval, mysticism, narrative

Abstract
Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale" is the perfect story to demonstrate the characteristics of courtly love by mocking them. The writer discusses how, in this tale, one does not see the traditional chivalric codes that we see in "The Knight's Tale". It shows that, by placing these two tales together, Chaucer's farce is even more hilarious. "The Miller's Tale" consists of unfaithful characters that connive to get what they want. The writer points out that the tale also rewards bad behavior because Alison and Absalom are never reprimanded for what they do. Furthermore, John is humiliated and is never able to redeem himself. It concludes that "The Miller's Tale" highlights the rituals of courtly love only by disparaging them.

From the Paper
"Literary critics have observed that "The Miller's Tale" is a tabliau, which is described as a "short story in verse that generally involves bourgeois of lower-class characters in an outrageous, often obscene plot, which is, however, realistically handles by the narrator" (Abrams 116). Abrams also notes that the Miller's Tale is generally considered the "best-told fabliau in any language" (116). This is certainly the case when we consider how Chaucer delivers this tale. The character telling the tale is just as important as the characters in the tale."

Tags:john, alison, absalon, farce

Abstract
This paper gives a detailed analysis of the many types of comedy in modern society and what role humor can play in our lives. Different forms of comedy are analyzed such as slapstick, farce, stand-up comedy, parody and tragi-comedy.

From the Paper
"Comedy has been used as an escape from the tensions of real life for centuries. Laughter seems to be the one uniquely human sensation that there is; there seems little possibility that animals experience humor. Comedy is an essential part of everyday life, as it is regularly on television and radio and in literature. It is often through comedy that we can take a look at our lives and the issues that govern them, and to some extent comedy shapes the world in which we live."

Tags:farce, parody, slapstick, humor

Abstract
This paper considers aspects of satire, farce and political conscience within "Heart of a Dog." Also considered, is whether "Heart of a Dog" is primarily a polemic or a comic piece, and what can be understood about the author's own feelings toward the new political order through his writing.

From the Paper
"In order to fully appreciate Mikhail Bulgakov's "The Heart of a Dog," it is necessary to consider the author's position at the time. The novella was written in 1925, the New Economic Policy period and life was improving for the playwright. Several of his plays had been performed on stage and he had published a few short stories, which although not received well by state newspaper critics, were popular. The NEP period promised a softening of otherwise crippling and ridiculous policies and must have been heartening for Bulgakov, who, as Lesley Milne writes, had a style of writing that was "unashamedly elitist and an affront to the revolutionary ethos of the time." In "Fatal Eggs" written a year before "Heart of a Dog," Bulgakov had predicted that by 1928 Muscovites would be all housed and well dressed, and that even the bourgeois treasures of Moscow's galleries would be protected in a state of emergency. During the time of writing, Bulgakov was optimistic, and it is in this context that "Heart of a Dog" should be viewed."

Tags:bulgakov, evolution, experiment, farce, moscow, politics, revolution, satire

Abstract
This paper discusses the humor in the 1987 Japanese film "Tampopo"about the search for the perfect noodle. It explores the film's blend of humor that of satire, farce,slapstick and whimsy. The author explores the way in which food is used in the film.

From the Paper
"Tampopo And Humor Tampopo has often baffled those critics who try to analyze the humor since there are so many kinds of humor at work in the film. The movie can be seen as satire, farce, whimsy and even slapstick at times. So there is a common point of reference ..."

Tags:Tampopo, Itami, Noodles, Film, Japan

Abstract
This essay discusses the aesthetic choices the Coen Brothers made throughout their career. It studies the films "Raising Arizona" for creative lens use in a farce, "Miller's Crossing" for camera angles in a gangster film, "Fargo" for long takes in a police thriller and "The Man Who Wasn't There" for lighting in a film noir. The paper argues that through the use of aesthetics the Coens shape each genre they try with their own signature auteur style.

From the Paper
"In a world where big-budget studios control most of what is seen in theaters, the Coen Brothers have managed to make independent features that they write, produce and direct as a team, and have had some moderate success. Their scripts often focus on unlikely heroes; they choose completely average people and places to become the focus of their quirky dialogue and situational comedy. Their charismatic "normal" characters have attracted a number of top actors and actresses to their projects, such as Holly Hunter, Nicholas Cage, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, and Francis McDormand. In fact, with a reputation for making quality films, although often commercial failures, some of Hollywood's most respected actors have lowered their usual salaries to appear in Coen films. Tim Robbins appeared with Paul Newman in The Hudsucker Proxy, between projects of his own in the early nineties, Jeff Bridges took the leading role in The Big Lebowski with Julianne Moore in a supporting part, George Clooney followed up his success on ER with the main role in Oh Brother, Where Art Thou, and the Coens recruited Billy Bob Thornton and James Gandolfini for The Man Who Wasn't There. These stars have helped the brothers propel their own names into stardom, despite the only moderate success of their feature films, and have made their pictures well-known cult classics."

Tags:cinema, comedy, fighting, modern, Oscar

Abstract
Dante's "Inferno" and the anonymous French epic "Of Aucassin and Nicolette" were both written in Mediterranean Europe during the thirteenth century, an era dominated by wars, corruption and the supremacy of the Roman Catholic Church. The paper shows that both works provide descriptions of the afterlife, and both versions conform to the traditional Catholic view that sinners must endure Hell while faithful, good Christians will achieve salvation in Heaven. The paper shows, however, that while Dante's work is basically a political commentary and farce about Italian affairs, set in a heavily detailed depiction of Hell, the French romance incorporates a view that traditional concepts of Heaven and Hell encourage sin and offers a new, more pleasurable vision of Paradise.

From the Paper
"Although each layer of Hell represents a more horrifying torture, with the antics of such beings as horned devils described alongside the sounds of excruciating pain, the Inferno is the first book of the Divine Comedy. Indeed, Dante's work is meant to be a farcical commentary on contemporary Italian affairs rather than a theological discourse, as Dante 'plays God' and places contemporary luminaries in various regions of Hell. In fact, one of the difficulties the modern reader faces is understanding the references which would have been easily identifiable and amusing in thirteenth century Italy."

Tags:hedonism, Ten, Commandments, Crusades