15.02.2013 Views

Leticia Neria PhD thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText ...

Leticia Neria PhD thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText ...

Leticia Neria PhD thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Bergson and Umberto Eco differ regarding the relationship between the comic<br />

character and the spectator. Bergson considers that ‘the comic character is often one<br />

with whom, to begin with, our mind, or rather our body, sympathises’, 174 while Eco<br />

considers that the comic hero is ‘alguien con quien no simpatizamos porque es un<br />

personaje innoble, inferior y repulsivo (animalesco)’. 175 If he/she is punished we feel no<br />

concern because we do not ‘sentimos obligados a compadecer a un ser tan inferior’. 176<br />

Our research suggests that both assertions are valid. If the comic character performs an<br />

action that we would like to do and we enjoy their transgression, then, as Bergson<br />

suggests, we will treat the character as a soul-mate or put ourselves in their place, 177<br />

such as when Calzonzin makes fun of Don Perpetuo. But if we condemn them, such as<br />

Eufemio abusing his wife, we will distance ourselves and enjoy the retribution they<br />

receive for their behaviour. 178 Such characters seem animalistic. 179 Though the two<br />

perspectives are opposites, they help us understand contrasting aspects of human<br />

behaviour.<br />

An example from El Águila Descalza illustrates Eco’s perspective. A policeman<br />

fails to help Poncho and Chona get help from the abuses they endured in the factory.<br />

The policeman prevents Poncho from entering the Ministerio Público because he is<br />

dressed as El Águila. They begin arguing, and the policeman tells him: ‘Ya terminó el<br />

carnaval’. 180 This suggests that the policeman is making a value judgment, rejecting<br />

Poncho’s right to dress as he wishes, and also blocking his access to justice. They start a<br />

‘word challenge’:<br />

Poncho: Te enseño<br />

174<br />

Bergson, Laughter. An Essay… p. 194.<br />

175<br />

Eco, ‘Los marcos de…’, p. 10.<br />

176<br />

Ibid.<br />

177<br />

Bergson, Laughter. An Essay… p. 194-195.<br />

178<br />

In this case Eufemio’s machismo is the broken rule (the rule of gender equality), and his punishments<br />

include an unfaithful wife and a daughter who loses her virginity.<br />

179<br />

I explained the term ‘animalistic’ in chapter one.<br />

180 Arau, El Águila Descalza, 1969.<br />

222

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!