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 into 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 that character, throwing those 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.