In The Queen`s Fool, a 2004 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, the protagonist is Hannah Green, a fictional madwoman at the court of Mary I of England. A major role in the plot of the book is played by historical madman Will Sommers, who is portrayed as the protagonist`s mentor, who trains her to the art of being a fool. By the 18th century, fools had disappeared, except in Russia, Spain and Germany. In France and Italy, itinerant groups of fools performed plays with stylized characters in a form of theater called commedia dell`arte. A version of this entered the British folk tradition in the form of a puppet show, Punch and Judy. In France, the tradition of court jesters ended with the French Revolution. In Germany, Till Eulenspiegel is a folk hero of the Middle Ages, who reigns every year during carnival or carnival and mocks politicians and public figures with political satire like a modern court buffoon. He holds up a mirror to make us aware of our time (zeitgeist), and his scepter, his “ball” or oddity, is the symbol of his power. Scholar David Carlyon has questioned the “bold political lunatic,” calling historical stories “apocryphal” and concluding that “popular culture embraces a sentimental image of the clown; The writers reproduce this sentimentality in the Fool and the Academician in the Trickster”, but it “falters as an analysis”.
[6] The object had something in the shape of a madman`s ball with spikes, which hung limp and undulated. Well, I said Dick was as impudent as a lady`s page or a king`s fool. Today, the jester is depicted in various formats of medieval re-enactments, Renaissance masses, and entertainment, including films, stage shows, and carnival. During the Burgundian and Rhine carnivals, cabaret performances take place in the local dialect. In Brabant, this person is called “Tonpraoter” or “Sauwelaar” and is actually in or on a barrel. In Limburg they are called “buuttereedner” or “buutteredner” and in Zeeland “ouwoer”. They all interpret a cabaret speech in dialect in which many current topics are discussed. Often there are local situations and celebrities of local and regional politics who are ridiculed, ridiculed and insulted. The “Tonpraoter” or “Buuttereedner” can be considered the successor of fools. [24] He became as polarizing a figure as the war itself, court jester for corporate Nixon and Schiller.
These sample phrases are automatically selected from various online information sources to reflect the current use of the word “fool.” The views expressed in the examples do not represent the views of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us your feedback. Shakespeare`s Fool is a recurring character in the works of William Shakespeare. Shakespearean lunatics are usually intelligent peasants or citizens who use their intelligence to outdo people of higher social status. In this sense, they are very similar to the real fools and fools of the time, but their characteristics are greatly increased for theatrical effect. [20] The “Groundlings” (theatergoers who were too poor to pay for seats and therefore stood on the “floor” at the front of the stage) who visited the Globe Theatre were more attracted to these Shakespeare lunatics. However, they were also favored by the nobility. Queen Elizabeth I, in particular, was a great admirer of the popular actor who played fools, Richard Tarlton. For Shakespeare himself, however, actor Robert Armin may have proved crucial in cultivating the figure of the madman in his many plays. [21] It is a fool`s privilege to laugh at an intelligent man; He is to society what a fool is to the court – meaningless. Liddy`s place in the Watergate cinematic universe was somewhere between villain and subordinate, fool and patsy.
The modern use of the English word fool did not come into use until the mid-16th century during Tudor times. [1] This modern term is derived from the older form gestour or jestour, originating from Anglo-Norman (French) and means storyteller or minstrels. Other earlier terms were crazy, disour, buffoon, and bourder. These terms described artists who differed in their skills and performances, but all had many similarities in their role as comic performers for their audiences. [1] [2] [3] It is often believed that medieval fools wore colorful clothes and eccentric hats in a colorful pattern, and their modern counterparts usually imitate this costume.