Beasts and Fools

LOLLIO
"Good boy, hold up your head. He can laugh; I perceive by that he is no beast."


So, Aristotle believed that what distinguished men from animals was his ability to laugh. I think this is an interesting notion which appears to be quite true...I can't think of a single animal that can laugh (besides chimpanzees perhaps?). I think that Middleton is also playing with the audience by adding this into the play. After Lollio says this line, I imagine that there was some laughter from the audience. If laughter is what distinguishes men from animals, then by not laughing at this line, aren't you saying something about yourself?? I think that this scene where Lollio is interrogating Antonio to make sure he is in fact a "fool" is Middleton's way of interrogating the audience to see whether or not they are also "fools" or "beasts."