Late-Medieval Conduct Literature

Abstract

In 2009 Doofus s and Darling s Manners for the Modern Man: A Handy Guide for Today’sAmbiguous Etiquette Situations appeared. This parodic manual presents forty-nine familiar scenarios, each consisting of two contrasting ‘comic book panels with instructive captions.¹ On the left, Doofus demonstrates ‘what not to do’, while on the right, Darling s behaviour offers a corrective. Doofus channel-surfs, checks his BlackBerry incessantly, spreads rumours, drinks excessively, drives aggressively, and objectifies women; Darling places the needs of his friends, relations, and dates before his own. A barely concealed foundation to the contrasts is Doofus s crass materialism and Darling’squietly confident wealth. Doofus’sselfish greed and lack of self-control betray his worst fault: impecuniousness. Darling, in contrast, exudes fiscal ease. Manners, for ‘the Modern Man’’, depend upon his being able to afford them.