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Click www.ondix.com to visit our student-to-student file sharing network. Commedia dell'arte is a truly popular form of theatre - of the people, by the people, for the people. Commedia dell'arte is definitely an art form centred on people and their world. Commedia del'Arte emerged in Tuscany around 1550, Although its origins are hazy due to the illiteracy of its first performers and audience, it is believed to have stemmed from the carnivals in Italy . Here it rose from the people from folk theatre, which used masks and music, and from the charlatans using pretence as a means of earning money. The form combined mime, improvised and scripted dialogue (often coarse), with tumbling and acrobatics. Commedia del'Arte performances and techniques spread throughout Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, with offshoots in France, Spain and England. The scenarios involved in Commedia arose from the thematic concerns the form had. It was mainly concerned with examining the human condition via satire. Therefore, the canovaccios were filled with driving themes such as food, drink, sex, love, money and vengeance. The artists created the scenarios to fit into the peoples living conditions as a safety valve. They could laugh at their situation on stage, making their conditions a little more bearable. In this way, Commedia was designed by troupes, simply the Italian public, for their audience and the people. A del'Arte company consisted of 10 or 12 strolling players. Each was assigned a stock part and had his standard costume and established peculiarities. Stock characters came from the people in that they were often satirizations of them. Ill Dottore, an expert on everything who could talk unendingly, was a satirization of the bolognese academics. Ill Capitano was a satirization of invaders of Italy, particularly the Spanish army. Pulchinella is believed to have been derived directly from an interjecting peasant whom the troupes found entertaining. Such characters as these were created because the audience could relate to them and laugh. As the people changed, so too did stock characters. More were added into the list of masks, and elements such as costume changed to suit the society the play was directed at. Performance features of the performances were directed straight to the people. The amount of credit the audience gave the actors, determined the energy of the characters. For example, if a crowd cheered Arlecchinos antics on, he would play this up by continuing it for a longer period of time. Such was the improvising nature of commedia conventions. Some of the stock characters would directly address the audience, especially Arlecchinos or Harlequin which would allow further interest to evolve in the people watching. Isabella would flirt with the audience, Ill Dottore would address them with "expert" knowledge on anything, and fool them with tautologies, "he who is always wrong, is less right than anyone else".# Ill Capitano would address them directly in an attempt to gain praise from them. Other characters, such as Pedrolino, would play on the audience for sympathy. The degree of response by the people watching towards the masks indicated the action the troupe would continue to further their scenarios. The characters or "masks," in spite of changes over the years, retained much of their original flavour. Most important were the zanni, or servant types; Arlecchino, or Harlequin, was the most famous. He spoke directly to the audience, He wore a cat-like mask and motley coloured clothes and carried a bat or wooden sword, the ancestor of the slapstick. He was an acrobat and a wit, childlike and amorous. His crony, Brighella, was more roguish and sophisticated -- a cowardly villain who would do anything for money. He also was the musician of the group. Pedrolino (or in France, Pierrot) was a whitefaced, moon-struck dreamer. Pagliaccio, the forerunner of today's clown, was closely akin to Pedrolino. Pulcinella, as seen in the English Punch and Judy shows, was a dwarfish humpback with a crooked nose, the cruel bachelor who chased pretty girls. Pantalone or Pantaloon was a caricature of the Venetian merchant, rich and retired, mean and miserly, with a young wife or an adventurous daughter. His costume was red. Il Dottore (the doctor), his only friend, was a caricature of learning -- pompous and fraudulent; he survives in the works of Molière. Dottore always wore the signature black of the Renaissance university man. Il Capitano (the Captain) was a caricature of the professional soldier -- bold, swaggering, and cowardly. The more agile Scarramuccia, or Scaramouche, who dressed in black and carried a pointed sword, replaced him. Scaramouche became the Robin Hood of his day. Plays also usually contained several maids, called Zagne or Servette, each as clever as Scapino or Brighella. The handsome Inamorato (the lover) went by many names. He wore no mask and had to be eloquent in order to speak the love declamations. The Inamorata was his female counterpart. Her servant, usually called Columbine, was the beloved of Harlequin. Witty, bright, and given to intrigue. La Ruffiana was an old woman, either the mother or a village gossip, who thwarted the lovers. Cantarina and Ballerina often took part in the comedy, but for the most part their job was to sing, dance or play music. None of the women wore masks. These characters all retained their general personalities through the years and evolved in different countries. Shakespeare often used types of Commedia characters in his plays. The minor actors were often almost as beloved as the leads. Just like the Punch and Judy shows, the audience knew what to expect, although the actual circumstances in the play would vary. However, the four main characters still remained to be like Pantalone, Dottore, Harlequin and Brighella. The masks themselves often reflected the Italian people, Their warts, apart from hiding imperfections in the leather, alluded to the boils on the malnourished poor of Italy. In similar ways, the costumes echoed the people. Zanni often wore loose white clothes made of potatoes sacks, while the higher status masks wore fashionable garments, with lace becoming seen as it became fashionable in Europe. The performers were always outside, where actors could "breath the fresh air of intervention"#. This allowed access to many people and made commedia popular as a result of its physical proximity to its audience. Popularity also came about because of its irreverence and politically risqué nature. The performances given to peasants were the most politically satirical, and this appealed to the peasants because it allowed them to laugh at the upper class. Commedia was additionally coarse and vulgar, a trait which appealed to many of the Italian peasantry. Naturally, the vulgarity was toned down along with a degree of political satire for coert performances. However, to the average person, commedia was often immature in its slapstick and sexual references, as well as its scatological humour. This is seen in the stock character Pulchinella, who's natural home was the stage. He, therefore, "farted and belched" freely.# From this collection of stock characters (and perhaps a dozen others), each Commedia troupe was able to dramatize hundreds of plot ideas. Commedia actors also developed individual comic routines, called Iazzi, which they could execute on demand, especially when it was felt that a sudden laugh was needed. For instance, a Commedia performer might pretend to trip and tumble into a pail of bath water during the exit sequence. The universatility of this form derides from the ability it had to change and suit the people it was directed at, whilst not compromising in its essentials such as masks, improvisation, movement and acrobatics, stock characters, scenarios and lazzis. The Commedia's popularity both within Italy and outside the country was extraordinary. By the 1600s, the governments of Spain and France had attempted to censor and regulate the theatre form. Eventually, the physical humour and character types of the Commedia were incorporated in conventional European theatre. The traditions of the Commedia can easily be detected in the comedies of the French dramatists Molière and Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux. Competing playwrights Carlo Gozzi and Carlo Goldoni attempted to revive and reform the Commedia in Italy during the 18th century, but the vulgar, improvised genre remained in the world of popular entertainment, where the performers--not the playwrights or directors--retained creativity. Commedia was for the people in the fact that it was a mirror to its society. It reflected class systems and social problems such as the treatment of servant by master, propety disputes and communication difficulties between generations of a family. The class system was reflected in the wealth and status of its stock characters, such as the high status of wealthy Pulchinella, and the low status of Arlecchino. To perform, the commedia troupes roamed nomadically around the country in search of carnivals and markets in which to act. They came to the people, or to the courts they were playing in. Commedia dell'arte is, by definition, by the people, as it is literally interpreted as "the comedy of the arts", #owned by the performer. Average Italian families comprised these troupes, making the connection between them and their public strong. Subject matter in regards to thematic concerns was highly based on experiences of the people, and of satirizing the events. For example, the plague, and figures, such as Spanish invaders, made commedia a derivation of the people. Commedia was certainly for the people, as the troupes played upon whatever they reacted heavily to, and their techniques, such as movement and grummelot, ensured enjoyment by all, even if they did not speak the dialect being used by the troupes. Commedia was aimed at entertaining the Italian public with its techniques, codes, conventions and themes included in their scenarios. Bibliography Performance And Literature In The Commedia Del"Arte By Robert Henke. Published by - Cambridge University Press 2002 The Commedia Dell"Arte The Documentary History By Keneth Richards and Laura Richards, Published by - Blackwell Publishers 1990 The World Of Harlequin, By Allardyce Nicoll, Published by Cambridge University Press 1963 Commedia Dell"Arte An Actors Handbook, By John Rudlin, Published by Routledge 1994 Masks Of The Commedia Dell"Arte, Antonio Fava with John Rudlin, Arts Archives, Produced by The Arts Documentation Unit, Exeter 1993 (YSJ Video Archives) Masks A Release Of Acting Resources Volume Three - The Italian Commedia " Please Be Gentle, By David Griffiths, Published By - Harwood Academic Publishers imprint, part of The Gordon and Breach Publishing Group 1998 Keywords: commedia dell arte truly popular form theatre people people people commedia dell arte definitely form centred their world commedia arte emerged tuscany around although origins hazy illiteracy first performers audience believed have stemmed from carnivals italy here rose from from folk theatre which used masks music charlatans using pretence means earning money form combined mime improvised scripted dialogue often coarse with tumbling acrobatics performances techniques spread throughout europe during centuries with offshoots france spain england scenarios involved arose thematic concerns mainly concerned with examining human condition satire therefore canovaccios were filled driving themes such food drink love money vengeance artists created scenarios into peoples living conditions safety valve they could laugh their situation stage making their conditions little more bearable this designed troupes simply italian public audience company consisted strolling players each assigned stock part standard costume established peculiarities stock characters came that they were often satirizations them dottore expert everything could talk unendingly satirization bolognese academics capitano satirization invaders italy particularly spanish army pulchinella believed have been derived directly interjecting peasant whom troupes found entertaining such characters these were created because audience could relate them laugh changed stock characters more added into list masks elements such costume changed suit society play directed performance features performances directed straight amount credit gave actors determined energy example crowd cheered arlecchinos antics would play this continuing longer period time improvising nature conventions some would directly address especially arlecchinos harlequin which would allow further interest evolve watching isabella flirt dottore address them expert knowledge anything fool tautologies always wrong less right than anyone else capitano address directly attempt gain praise other pedrolino play sympathy degree response watching towards masks indicated action troupe continue further scenarios spite changes over years retained much original flavour most important zanni servant types arlecchino harlequin most famous spoke wore like mask motley coloured clothes carried wooden sword ancestor slapstick acrobat childlike amorous crony brighella more roguish sophisticated cowardly villain anything money also musician group pedrolino france pierrot white faced moon struck dreamer pagliaccio forerunner today clown closely akin pedrolino pulcinella seen english punch judy shows dwarfish humpback crooked nose cruel bachelor chased pretty girls pantalone pantaloon caricature venetian merchant rich retired mean miserly young wife adventurous daughter costume dottore doctor only friend caricature learning pompous fraudulent survives works moli always wore signature black renaissance university capitano captain caricature professional soldier bold swaggering cowardly agile scarramuccia scaramouche dressed black carried pointed sword replaced scaramouche became robin hood plays also usually contained several maids called zagne servette each clever scapino brighella handsome inamorato lover went many names wore mask eloquent order speak love declamations inamorata female counterpart servant usually called columbine beloved harlequin witty bright given intrigue ruffiana woman either mother village gossip thwarted lovers cantarina ballerina often took part comedy most part sing dance music none women these retained general personalities through years evolved different countries shakespeare used types plays minor actors almost beloved leads just like punch judy shows knew what expect although actual circumstances vary however four main still remained like pantalone brighella themselves reflected italian warts apart hiding imperfections leather alluded boils malnourished poor italy similar ways costumes echoed zanni loose white clothes made potatoes sacks while higher status fashionable garments lace becoming seen became fashionable europe performers always outside where actors breath fresh intervention this allowed access many made popular result physical proximity popularity also came about because irreverence politically risqu nature performances given peasants politically satirical appealed peasants because allowed laugh upper class additionally coarse vulgar trait which appealed many italian peasantry naturally vulgarity toned down along degree political satire coert however average person immature slapstick sexual references well scatological humour seen character pulchinella natural home stage therefore farted belched freely collection perhaps dozen others each troupe able dramatize hundreds plot ideas developed individual comic routines called iazzi they execute demand especially when felt that sudden needed instance performer might pretend trip tumble into pail bath water during exit sequence universatility derides ability change suit directed whilst compromising essentials improvisation movement acrobatics lazzis popularity both within outside country extraordinary governments spain france attempted censor regulate theatre eventually physical humour character types incorporated conventional european traditions easily detected comedies french dramatists moli pierre carlet chamblain marivaux competing playwrights carlo gozzi carlo goldoni attempted revive reform during century vulgar improvised genre remained world popular entertainment where performers playwrights directors retained creativity fact that mirror society reflected class systems social problems treatment servant master propety disputes communication difficulties between generations family class system reflected wealth status high status wealthy pulchinella arlecchino perform troupes roamed nomadically around country search carnivals markets came courts playing dell definition literally interpreted comedy arts owned performer average families comprised these making connection between public strong subject matter regards thematic concerns highly based experiences satirizing events example plague figures spanish invaders made derivation certainly played upon whatever reacted heavily techniques movement grummelot ensured enjoyment even speak dialect being used aimed entertaining public techniques codes conventions themes included bibliography performance literature robert henke published cambridge university press documentary history keneth richards laura richards published blackwell publishers world allardyce nicoll published cambridge university press handbook john rudlin routledge antonio fava john rudlin arts archives produced arts documentation unit exeter video archives release acting resources volume three please gentle david griffiths harwood academic publishers imprint gordon breach publishing group Keywords General: Essay, essays, termpaper, term paper, termpapers, term papers, book reports, study, college, thesis, dessertation, test answers, free research, book research, study help, download essay, download term papers