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The Fools of Shakespeare

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The Fools of Shakespeare T H E FO O L S O F S H A K ES P EA R E ir it A n Interpretation of Tne W , Wis do m an d Pe rs o n a litie s BY FR E D E R I CK W A RD E NEW YO RK R M CB IDE, NAST 8: CO MPA NY I 9 1 3 To tlze memo ry of tlzat g allant g entle man o a rien and s en i ac to r , l y lf d pl d d , I ES L OU S 1 A M , in asso ciatio n will: wlwm were spent the nappies! years of my fro/es siandl e is e icate all titat ma be lif , d d d y o un wo rt/t in lite o o win a es f d y f ll g p g . PREFACE sir d e the the Foolery, , o s walk about orb like sun ; i t shines everywhere . How far the above epigram may apply to the o f . compiler this work, may be a matter of opinion Among the legion o f books dealing with the I ma characters of Shakespeare , have found the j o rity to be devoted to his tragic andserious crea to u tions , a few his h morous types, but none to his fools . In the course of a lengthy career upon the d d to stage, which has been chiefly evote the plays o f I d Shakespeare , have witnesse the performance o f these fools by accomplished actors who se skill d and has illuminate the text, whose abilities have vitalized the poet’ s creations till they livedin my d min , not as imaginary beings , but as real men who d d and d . walke , talke , gambole before me I d to d d have listene their wor s , laughe at their d do n d and Wit, pon ere their wis om , have marveled ii PREFACE that their point and significance have apparently escapedthe notice o fso many readers andstudents . This must be my excuse, if not my j ustification , b for the ook . The matter was the subj ect of one o f my lec “ d and d tures , un er the title, The Wit Wis om ’ o f Shakespeare s Fools and included in my “ ” I d and . series Shakespeare His Plays foun , so d I d however, the material abun ant coul not include it in the limited time at my command o n I d the platform . have therefore elaborate the d d theme, enlarge the scope of the esign , and d d d I ivi e it into chapters , which hope will enter d d and o f tain the rea er, instruct the stu ent, prove some interest generally . I no to and en make claim originality, have deav o re din all instances to credit the author with I d the thoughts have quote . I d have foun occasion in several instances , to differ with some of the well known Shakespearean scholars ;but it must always be remembered that I - o f the fo r speak from the view point actor, whom , and for whom alone the plays were written . PREFACE iii I d d have not entere the literary issecting room , nor invaded th e realm of psychol ogy . The line of and demarcation between humor imbecility, folly and I to . insanity, leave the professional alienist I have taken the characters as they appear in the plays and as I conceive the author intended due to thu them , with reference their relation to other characters . I d procee upon the fact that Shakespeare , being to d. an actor, wrote these plays be acte That his purpose was to create or draw the characters as he saw or imagined them for dramatic presenta tion . I believe their literary quality was a mat o f dff ter comparative in i erence to him , the cre the ation of the plot, the conception of charac and the d ters, arrangements of the inci ents being no t d . his first, if his only consi eration The beauty d d of iction , the elicate imagery , the exquisite and the poetry, the sublime philosophy, were spontaneous expression of his transcendent but unconscious genius Scan the reco rds o the tho u hts o men f g f , On rav en s to ne o r a rus lea g , p py f; On archm ent scro ll o r rinted a e p p p g , Thro ugh all the e o ns of the ages pas t To the high no o ntide of the passing day Then add the sum and its rand to tal , g Will be be ared b the enius o o ne name gg y g f , Shak espeare ! FR D RIC K WARD E E E . CONTENTS INTRODUCTION THE FOOL IN L I FE AND L ITERATURE Y ORI CK TOU CH STONE TRIN CULO I N THE TEM PEST “ ” FESTE I N TWELFTH NI GHT “ L AUN CELOT GOBB O I N THE MERCHANT OF VENI CE “ CITI Z EN I N JULIUS CESAR “ THE CLOWN I N A N TON Y AND CLEOPATRA “ ” THE GRAVE - DIGGERS IN HA M LET “ L AUN CE AND SPEED IN THE Two GENTLEM EN ” OF VERONA “ THE FOOL IN KIN G L EAR I L LUSTRAT ION S Frederick Warde as Cecco in The ’ Duke s Jester Fro ntispie ce FA OTNG P A GE ’ Edwin Booth as B ertuccio in The Fool s Revenge James L ewis as Touchstone in As You L ike It 34 as in The T . C . Cooke Trinculo Tempest 74 “ ” “ ” E in i . Y . Backus as Feste Twelfth N ght 96 “ ” Charles Charters as L auncelot Go bbo in The ” Merchant of Venice 1 1 6 “ ” L o uis James as Pepé in Francesco da Rimim 1 50 “ ” James L ewis andSidney Herbert as L aunce and “ ” Speed in The Two Gentlemen of Verona 1 70 FOOL S OF SHAK ESPEA RE INTRODUCTION was fool , however, exempt, upon the prin “ c iple that There is no slander in an allowed his his fool . Usually a favorite with master, . influence was sought in many a state and court fo r d o f db intrigue, un er the cloak folly he coul y could no rove or ' ridicule anys chem e or ro t r M wishes might desire . However plain his truths ‘ o r bitter his satire few were rash enough to re tali and who ate , woe to that noble or courtier might o r d o f incur the enmity ispleasure the fool , for he would become the target of his wit and the butt o f o f d o o r his j ests , with little hope re ress, or pp tunit y for revenge . if o f o ne : was M mg a jester was a lonely he Ca o f co n subject to the prices his master, d d d above the boar , hate below it, yet feare by all . To play such a part successfully requireda man INTRODUCTION 3 o fmore than ordinary He couldnot be without le e must be a man Of great to take advantage Of every occasion for the cxr o f his W it th o f the and cise , Wi j udgment time, discretion as t 0 and Times have changed. Progress evolution have brought new conditions ; folly no longer and carries a bauble, the man who nough to wear the motley Of the medi the toga o f the statesman with dignity to tfice andhonor to himself . The requirements of a court fool are well de “ ibed r Sc . 1 . by Viola in Twel fth Night, Act 3 , ’ to the This fellow s wise enough play fool , A nd to do that well c raves a kind of wit H e d o n o he must Observe their moo wh m jests , The n and the quality of perso s, time , A nd the h a d at t , like agg r , check every fea her a his e e is Th t comes before y . This a practice ' ’ As full of labor as a wise man s art ; Fo r he is folly that wisely shows fit , men - e t . But wise , folly fall n, quite aint their wit 4 INTRODUCTION Thea slress o f the fool was a motley or parti d d and o f colore oublet hose, with the arms the house to which he belonged embroidered on the d- d d breast or thigh ; his hea ress , a hoo parti ‘ C d an d rm d olore like his coat, su ounte by a cocks d comb ; his emblem, which he always carrie , was f d d a lath or short sta f, hea e by a miniature hood and cockscomb similar to his own called and d a bauble , was as sacre to the fool as to the d to the the sword sol ier, or the crest d as knight . The bauble also serve a protection , who —fo r to was mh e mighto ffend h strike the fool o nsider h f ward. L cds t e g , , s a t ov ag g g g g The cap bauble ’ andpoints o fthe j ester s dress were adorned with d as d and small bells that j ingle he move , gave warning o fhis approach .
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