Maggie Hennefeld is een academicus wiens onderzoek zich verdiept in de rijke geschiedenis en culturele impact van filmkomedie. Haar werk onderzoekt kritisch de evolutie van humor en de verschillende vormen ervan, en onthult hoe deze maatschappelijke veranderingen en heersende culturele houdingen weerspiegelen. Met haar analytische benadering probeert Hennefeld de diepere betekenissen en bredere sociale implicaties te ontdekken die inherent zijn aan komische werken.
The book delves into the overlooked narratives surrounding "hysterical laughter," particularly in the context of women's experiences. It examines how society has both theorized and demonized this form of amusement, highlighting the ways it has been suppressed and exploited throughout history. Through this exploration, the author sheds light on the complex relationship between gender and laughter, uncovering the cultural implications and historical significance of women's laughter.
In Specters of Slapstick and Silent Film Comediennes, Maggie Hennefeld examines little-known silent films that, she argues, provide disturbing but suggestive images for comprehending gendered social upheavals in the early twentieth century. Hennefeld shows how slapstick comediennes were crucial to the emergence of film language and experimentation.