18th century, Europe, fictive fool, primary source, quotes, Wales, Welsh
Speaking the truth, especially to power, is a risky business, occasionally even life-threatening. Better leave it to the professionals who know how to wrap it in humour so the receiver laughs before they have chance to chop anyone’s head off. This from an...
12th century, Europe, Ireland, primary source, quotes, stories
Jesters could use rhymes and ditties to crack a joke or make a point, and the capacity to produce verse can signal some overlap with poets. But this intersection goes further – in some times and places the role of court poet could share some common ground with...
19th century, Europe, primary source, quotes, Russia, Russian
A salient characteristic of the jester is the right to speak out, or in any case, freely. Their licence to say whatever they feel like is widely acknowledged even if sometimes it was curtailed by an offended king or other bigwig in the moment. After the court jester...
19th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, play, primary source, Qing dynasty, quotes, stories
An actor who showed all the signs of being a jester was He Jiasheng 何家聲 (What Family Reputation). During the reign of the Guangxu Emperor (r. 1875-1908) he used an improvised pun to comment on the lack of reform in government.In the play Clear Brook Cave, he acted...
19th century, China, Chinese, dramatic character, East Asia, historical figure, play, primary source, Qing dynasty, quotes
Perhaps a Chinese equivalent to the Elizabethan Richard Tarlton in being a widely loved and acclaimed comic actor and a self-appointed ad hoc court jester was Liu Gansan 劉趕三 (1817-94), who had all the outspokenness of a jester and:left behind him the reputation of a...
1st century, Europe, historical figure, Italy, Latin, primary source, quotes, Roman
Even Nero (r. 54-68), not noted for his niceness, allowed a certain latitude to his mocking critics and these were probably mimes – actors who could take it upon themselves to improvise on stage and send some satirical sallies out into the auditorium. Despite...
16th century, dramatic character, Europe, France, French, play, primary source, quotes
The sottie was a genre of short, satirical play performed in France in the 15th and 16th centuries. Its name comes from ‘sot’ meaning ‘fool’, as many of the characters were one or another kind of fool. The plays could draw attention to...
19th century, dramatic character, England, English, Europe, historical figure, play, primary source, quotes
A number of historical jesters had plays written about them, including Dongfang Shuo 東方朔 (c. 160 – c. 93 BCE) in China, and Henry VIII’s jester Will Somers. Here we find Charles the First (1824), a dramatic fragment by Shelley, which has Charles I give an...
