China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, Liao dynasty, primary source, quotes, stories
A paradox of the jester’s method is that they could hit home all the better for using the indirect means of jokes, stories and other roundabout ways of getting a point across. Is there something we can learn here? A Chinese official is described in his...
19th century, dramatic character, Europe, France, French, primary source, quotes
As the jester Giraff says in Victor Hugo’s play about Cromwell (1827), the jester can always save his skin, and in order to reach old age in a world full of uncertainty, there is no wiser guise. See a similar sentiment expressed by Leopardi around the same...
15th century, 16th century, English, Europe, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Scotland
The feigning of folly could be profitable and in 15th century Scotland it appears there was enough of it going on to prompt a law prohibiting it. This and similar constraints were repeated in the parliamentary records for another 150 years or so; I have found such...
