The king as jester, jester as king
A not uncommon trope in the jester-king relationship is the reversal of their roles, either in jest, or to provide a corrective to the king, or if...
The failed buffoon
Philip, who pitches up at Xenophon's symposium in search of a decent meal, seems to be a fall-flat flailing fool, and bears some resemblance to the...
Henry VIII with Will Somers
The Psalter of Henry VIII (r. 1509-47) was commissioned by the king who strongly identified with King David. This illumination has him playing the...
Fool guardians
We know, often from court account records, that court jesters, particularly of the 'natural' fool variety, were sometimes allocated a carer or...
Truhan – Spanish
A 17th century Spanish dictionary gave this definition of the word truhan (plural: truhanes), zooming in on the licence jesters had to speak freely. I like the laconic 'even the...
A capering fool
This lively 16th century tapestry includes a jester - capering or leaping - in full fool's outfit. In addition to the cap and bells, he has bells around the bottom...
Görel Cavalli-Björkman – The Laughing Jester
Cavalli-Björkman, at the time curator at the National Museum in Stockholm, wrote this paper when the museum acquired the 'Laughing Jester', the first in our 'Five Guys...
Rinse and repeat
In China, as in Europe, there are examples of jesters addressing the delicate issue of the ruler's neglecting affairs of state due to over indulgence in wine or other distractions. ...
Half pay
This account of the French jester Marais interceding, on behalf of two court musicians, is strikingly similar to an anecdote told about a Chinese jester some 500...
Between loitering and dithering
In the Tiansheng reign period (1023-32) of Emperor Song Renzong 宋仁宗 a banquet was held at which poems were to be presented, the rhyming scheme to follow the word paihuai,...
Why we need humour
A comment by the cartoonist Chappatte about the need for humour even, or particularly during, times of stress; his observation came in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo massacre. Today,...
Course correction
Another example of jesters using the skit as a vehicle for influencing the emperor's behaviour or policy. Immortal Revelation Ding (Ding Xianxian丁仙現) was a jester...
Pamela Allen Brown – The Mirror and the Cage
During a few hundred years the European aristocracy had something of a mania for dwarfs, 'natural' fools, and other humans of physical or mental difference or disability. Their relationships with...
To buy the book, click one of the big bright buttons below, or the cover image.
(And thank you, it helps!)
Blackwell's online
Bookdepository.com
Amazon.com
Love foolsareeverywhere.com? Enjoy our sister sites:
www.nuannaarpoq.com I www.writingredux.com I www.spyderceleste.com
Design & content copyright: Beatrice Otto 2022 all rights reserved I header & related jester illustrations by joaomontenegro.com
Colours and fonts were chosen for aesthetic strength and because their names reflect the mission of foolsareeverywhere.com. Fonts: Quipley I Lustria I Wild Pen. Colours include: Jester Yellow by Faeriepuffs I New Laughter by Ilara ... you get the picture
0 Comments