THE FOOL
- Court Jesters date back before the Medieval era
- Job was to bring smile to the face of the master and entertain
- Female fools were rare, though have been mentioned(Lucretia the Tumbler and Jane The Fool)
- Only one who really had freedom of speech - could say anything to the king/queen, because of their eccentricity and state as the fool, who as a job mocks people
- Some achieved considerable fame, but many were common in court
- often worked also as actors or playwrights
- "Natural fool" was someone who was born with a foolish nature, in other words they were mentally disabled. Society found mental illness(madness) entertaining, and if one was clever or lucky enough to use their simplicity as a advantage, they could make a living out of it.
- "Artificial Fool" purposely acted simple, odd, or eccentric to entertain and sometimes even to indirectly to give advice.
- The first costumes of court fool show their hats to have had ears of an ass, the tail being added later. This then moved on to colourful and humorous attire.
- Feste was originally probably played by Robert Armin, a goldsmiths turned actor and author, who is listed as one of the 'principal actors' in Shakespeare's plays. He also wrote three jest-books.