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You are right--they aren't jesters. But they do a lot of clowning around. And I love the vulgarity. ;-)

Feel free to send me your list! I teach Shakespeare sometimes and would love to compare it with what I already have. That's very kind of you.

And don't worry--I consider the very notion of "deconstructionism" an abhorrent marketing angle, my reasoning being that it is much more useful and delightful to study literature from the opposite direction. So your list won't contribute to anything close to Derrida. ;0)

Yes,they are "clowns",used to lighten the mood and also to play to the "mob"/lower classes.But of course,everybody enjoyed the humor.Elizabethan and Restoration audiences were used to and enjoyed far more bawdy humor,than did audiences of later eras.Unlike today,that type of humor,though in some places quite ribald,didn't rely on obscenities,nor in your face profanity;but rather,on double entre,puns,whit,and clever, suggestive language.Then,there all of the "INSIDE",company/theatre jokes,that everyone missed,except for the cast and the insular world of theatre.Most audiences have been missing the jokes,for at least 200+ years.

I was going to send the wee book list to you via FREEPmail,however,it occurred to me that lurkers might also enjoy seeing the titles...so here's the list.

"The Annotated Shakespeare", by A.L. Rowse ( you've probably read/have this 3 volume set,but it's a must read for those interested in Shakespeare's plays.

The Background of Shakespeare's Plays",by Karl J. Holzknecht I an oldy but a goody and required reading,in college courses about Shakespeare.)

"Reinventing Shakespeare A Cultural History from the Restoration to the Present",by Gary Taylor (VERY interesting overview,food for thought,and places some "standard" opinion in perspective.)

"Naughty Shakespeare",by Michael Macrone ( since you enjoy the vulgarity... hehehehehe)

"The Bawdy Bard" (for the same reason as above. Sorry,I don't remember the author and I don't own this book,but read it.)

"Theatre Through The Ages",by Cesare Molinari (a must read,for anyone interested in theatre/plays both ancient and modern and history.)

Didn't want to over burden you,nor waste bandwidth, so the list isn't all inclusive;just a few good books.If you'd care to talk about this further/swap book titles, let's do it in FREEPmail. :-)

Deconstruction is a sick joked,absolute worthless,and intellectually disingenuous.Dirreda is a conman ! Thankfully we have common ground here. :-)