Scatology: Not to be confused with eschatology, scatology refers to so-called 'potty-humor'--jokes or stories dealing with feces designed to elicit either laughter or disgust. Anthropologists have noted that scatological humor occurs in nearly every human culture. In some cultures and time periods, scatology is treated as vulgar or low-brow (for instance, the Victorian period in England). At other times, scatological elements appear in stories that are not necessarily meant to be low-brow. For instance, many serious medieval legends of demons link them to excrement, and the audience of French fabliaux appear to be noblemen and aristocrats rather than bourgeois rabble. Scatology also appears in medieval plays such as Mankind and in works associated various French fabliaux (singular fabliau). Chaucer relies heavily on scatological humor in 'The Summoner's Tale.' See fabliau.

 

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Scatology: Not to be confused with eschatology, scatology refers to so-called 'potty-humor'--jokes or stories dealing with feces designed to elicit either laughter or disgust. Anthropologists have note . . . View Full Definition

Low Comedy: In contrast with high comedy, low comedy consists of silly, slapstick physicality, crude pratfalls, violence, scatology, and bodily humor rather than clever dialogue or banter. See comedy.

Fabliau: A bawdy medieval verse narrative, originally french but adapted by geoffrey chaucer's in 'the miller's tale,' 'the reeve's tale,' 'the merchant's tale,' and others of the canterbury tales.