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Laughter Under Fascism: Humour and Ridicule in Italy, 1922–43

The aim of this article is to show how humour formed part of Fascist culture and how it was regarded officially. My concern is with permitted humour, or humour which in one way or another sustained or coexisted with Fascist rule in Italy. Inevitably, the discussion must begin with Mussolini. The ‘Duce’ was the centre of a formidable personality cult which resonated throughout the peninsula and turned him not only into a focal point of conversation but also into a figment of imagination and dreams. In the interwar years, the nation was, to some degree, modelled on him, and his tastes and manner of being, including his attitude towards humour, counted for much. However, Fascism was not entirely bound up with Mussolini. The Fascists themselves, from their earliest manifestations as violent ‘action squads’ committed to the physical punishment of opponents, thrived on the sense of male solidarity and aggressive patriotism that had been formed in the trenches. They were Fig. 1. Ettore Petrolini, here in the guise of his character Gastone, was a variety entertainer who teased the Fascists while also supporting them.