Clowning as an Act of Social Critique, Subversive and Cathartic Laughter, and Compassion in the Modern Age

Abstract

This thesis will elaborate on the function of clowns and their variety of iterations throughout history, primarily addressing the development of the clown from a Western lens. That being said, clowns exist in nearly every culture on the planet to some capacity, so I will examine a handful of examples from various cultures to give focus to how the clown exists as a significant – perhaps essential – facet of the human condition. Finally, the purpose of this thesis is to show that clowns are most effective when they are compassionate, and that they have the potential to be a force for positivity in the future.