This was the novel that Rabelais first published, even though it read second in my set. Rabelais opens by walking through the genealogy of Pantagruel, very much patterned after the begat sections of the Bible. He even explains how these giants made it through the flood. The ancestral giant simply rode on top of the ark, like a toy horse. I doubt that the church was very happy with this.
The book moves along in a like manner. Pantagruel develops a reputation by successfully trying a very difficult case in court. It was difficult because both parties were so full of nonsense that no one else could even understand what they were arguing over. After listening to the two buffoons, Pantagruel matched their buffoonery and both were pleased with the verdict. I doubt that the courts were very happy with this.
But the really crazy stuff happens once we are introduced to Panturge. He speaks to Pantagruel and his companions in about ten different languages until the admits to speaking French. They quickly become the best of friends. And man, Panturge is amazingly wicked.
The book relates a long argument of Guesstures where Panturge is declared the winner. After this he becomes famous in Paris and, um, wears out his codpieces. There is only one woman who resists his advances, a very religious married woman. Panturge tries various methods to seduce her but each one fails. Finally he devises a way to attract every dog in Paris to her and they all try to mate with her. I doubt that polite society was very happy with this.
And that's without relating the story of the lion and the ax wound which is almost too over the top to be believed!
Rabelais published this and there was immediate clamor from all of the respectable establishments (church, school, etc.) to have it banned. The King of France himself intervened and we still have it today.
I didn't enjoy this as much as 'Gargantua'. The biggest reason is that I was somewhat horrified by Panturge. Maybe in one of the later books he has some kind of comeuppance or change of character but here is astoundingly wicked. Wicked and well liked. That seems to cross the line between laughing at authority and laughing at cruelty. Which meant that the smile I read sometimes became pursed lips.
At the end of the introduction to 'Gargantua', Rabelais says:
Good friends, my Readers, who peruse this Book, Be not offended, whilst on it you look: Denude yourselves of all depraved affection, For it contains no badness, nor infection: 'Tis true that it brings for to you no birth Of any value, but in point of mirth; Thinking therefore how sorrow might your mind Consume, I could no apter subject find; One inch of joy surmounts of grief a span; Because to laugh is proper to the man.
(Italics mine.) I thought that 'Gargantua' hit the target well, 'Pantagruel' not quite as much.
