The End of the Circus: Evolutionary Semiotics and Cultural Resilience

This book analyses two features of the traditional circus that have come under increasing attack since the mid-20th century: the use of wild animals in performance and the act of clowning. Positioning this socio-cultural change within the broader perspective of evolutionary semiotics, renowned circus expert Paul Bouissac examines the decline of the traditional circus and its transformation into a purely acrobatic spectacle.

The End of the Circus draws on Bouissac's extensive ethnographic r...