Court Fool

The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre | 1996 | 672 words | Copyright

Court Fool, member of the Royal Household, also known as the King's Jester, not to be confused with the humbler Fool of the folk festivals. His origin has been variously traced to the Court of Haroun-al-Raschid, to the classical dwarf-buffoon, and to the inspired madman of Celtic and Teutonic legend. At some point in his career he adopted the parti-coloured costume of his rival, which led to confusion between the two types, but the Court Fool has nothing else in common with the folk tradition, whose Fool is nearer to the clown. Shakespeare's Fools derive from the Court Fool, already a tradition in his time. In dramatic use they serve as vehicles for social satire.

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PHYLLIS HARTNOLL and PETER FOUND. "Court Fool." The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

PHYLLIS HARTNOLL and PETER FOUND. "Court Fool." The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O79-CourtFool.html

PHYLLIS HARTNOLL and PETER FOUND. "Court Fool." The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 1996. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O79-CourtFool.html

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