Formations of the Unconscious

More about the book

This year, I embarked on an inquiry into the nature of wit, starting with a poet known for his playful humor, which permeates both his prose and poetry. He is also a mathematician, and during our discussion, he shared a joke about university entrance exams. In the joke, an examiner asks a candidate about the battle of Marengo. The candidate, seemingly lost in thought, describes the chaos of the battle with dramatic flair but fails to provide specific details. When pressed for more precision, he offers a whimsical image of a horse rearing up and whinnying. The examiner, intrigued, continues by asking about the battle of Fontenoy, to which the candidate gives the same horse-related response. When asked about the battle of Trafalgar, the candidate again describes it as a scene of carnage but is corrected by the examiner, who points out that Trafalgar was a naval battle. The candidate humorously responds, "Whoah! Whoah! Back up, Neddy!" This joke, in my view, highlights the essence of wit, allowing us to dissect the elements that contribute to a clever remark.