19th century, Europe, France, French, primary source, quotes
The range of jesterly skills included the capacity to versify, at least in improvising witty ditties, and there are instances of a court poet having something of the jester’s role. In some cases, such as in China, jesters were able to write poems which passed...
19th century, dramatic character, Europe, France, French, play, primary source, quotes
Angely in Victor Hugo’s play, Marion de Lorme, does not behave obviously like a jester until the scene he shares with the king, who says: ‘Come. You who are never frightened of my majesty, Light in my soul a ray of gaiety’. ‘Viens. ...
16th century, dramatic character, Europe, France, French, play, primary source, quotes
The sottie was a form of French satirical drama from the 15th and 16th centuries, until they were banned. Their characters were allegorical without individual names and they were a channel for criticising the government. The Farce Morale de Troys Pelerins et Malice...
16th century, Europe, France, French, primary source, quotes
The king-fool duopoly seems, according to the reliable Rabelais, to have a celestial underpinning. I trust that ‘king’ is used capaciously to include queens and other rulers … Kings and fools are born under the same horoscope. Un mesme...
20th century, dramatic character, Europe, French, play, primary source, quotes
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 king is forced to take on the role of jester, as in Frank Wedekind’s play King Nicolo (1901). In another...
16th century, Europe, France, French, historical figure, primary source, quotes
We know, often from court account records, that court jesters, particularly of the ‘natural’ fool variety, were sometimes allocated a carer or guardian. Here Thony is described as having had two such carers. Louis de la Proue (whose nickname was ‘La...
16th century, Europe, fooleum, France, French, historical figure, manuscript, painting, primary source
This curious series of illuminations features the French jester Triboulet in various states of interaction with Death and others.There does appear to be a fairly clear narrative: Triboulet meets Death; Triboulet is struck down by Death; Triboulet lies in his grave...
17th century, court accounts, Europe, France, French, historical figure, primary source, quotes
An account of the French court’s expenses for 1622 gives the sum of 1,800 livres for the jester Maître Guillaume, and 1,200 for his female counterpart, Mathurine la Folle. There is no explanation for this disparity, and we can only hope it isn’t an early...
