1. Two of Shakespeare’s Character Archetypes
Jesters and Fools
Two of Shakespeare’s Character Archetypes

2. The Jester Archetype
A Jester (similar to the clown of today) was an occupation during the Elizabethan era—typically a jester was employed by a member of the royal court and charged with the task of keeping him/her entertained
The Shakespearean Jester Archetype:
Tells jokes (often silly, always cleaver, & occasionally rude)
Behaves mischievously (a prankster)
Sings and/or talks in riddles
Often speaks the truth as he knows it

3. The Fool Archetype
A fool(s) exists in most Shakespearean plays—not only in his comedies. These characters elicit humor, but often do so un- intentionally (intentionally by Shakespeare, unintentionally by the character)
The Shakespearean Fool Archetype:
Undereducated
Fickle
Easily confused
Sporadically quick-witted
occasionally he is sharp; often he’s
too dumb to understand what he is saying
Often egotistical

4. The Jester & Fool in MSND
The Fool
Who is the jester in A Midsummer Night’s Dream? How does he/she fulfill the Shakespearean archetype of a jester?
Who is the fool in A Midsummer Night’s Dream? How does he/she fulfill the Shakespearean archetype of a fool?
Jester: Puck (he is Oberon’s jester)
Fool: Bottom

5. The Roles they Play
How Jesters &Fools Contribute to A play

6. (Catharsis is an emotional release)
Comic Relief
Shakespeare includes jesters and fools in his plays as a tool to create comic relief—this is typically their main function
Comic relief is a humorous instant of catharsis woven in to a serious or tragic moment in a work of literature
(Catharsis is an emotional release)
How do Puck and Bottom create comic
relief in A Midsummer Night’s Dream?

7. Foil Characters
Shakespeare often includes jesters and fools in his plays to serve as foil characters—this is typically a secondary function
A foil is a character who contrasts with another (typically the protagonist or another main character) in order to highlight various characteristics of him/her character, throwing said characteristics into sharper focus
Do Puck and Bottom serve as foils in A Midsummer Night’s Dream? If so, how?

8. Puck the jester
Inspiring Art still today

9. Puck (Robin Goodfellow)
Inspired “Puck” in Berserk
A fairy that serves as comic relief in an anime/manga thing

10. Puck (Robin Goodfellow)
Inspired “Puck” in Final Fantasy IX
He is a meddling street urchin

11. Puck (Robin Goodfellow)
Inspired “Noah Puckerman” from Glee

12. Puck (Robin Goodfellow)
Played by “Neil” in Dead Poets Society
Click on the picture to show a short video (less than 2 minutes). There are Spanish subtitles, but whatever.