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From the late-medieval period through to the seventeenth century, English theatrical clowns carried a weighty cultural significance, only to have it stripped from them, sometimes violently, by the close of the Renaissance when the famed "license" of fooling was effectively revoked. This groundbreaking survey of clown traditions in the period looks both at their history, and reveals their hidden cultural contexts and legacies; it has far-reaching implications not only for our general understanding of English clown types, but also their considerable role in defining social, religious and racial boundaries. It begins with an exploration of previously un-noted early representations of blackness in medieval psalters, cycle plays, and Tudor interludes, arguing that they are emblematic of folly and ignorance rather than of evil. Subsequent chapters show how protestants at Cambridge and at court, during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward, patronised a clownish, iconoclastic Lord of Misrule; look at the Elizabethan puritan stage clown; and move on to a provocative reconsideration of the Fool in 'King Lear', drawing completely fresh conclusions. Finally, the epilogue points to the satirical clowning which took place surreptitiously in the Interregnum, and the (sometimes violent) end of "licensed" folly. Professor ROBERT HORNBACK teaches in the Departments of Literature and Theatre at Oglethorpe University.

English drama --- English drama (Comedy) --- Clowns --- Clowns in literature. --- Fools and jesters in literature. --- Comic, The, in literature. --- Theater --- Circus performers --- Entertainers --- Fools and jesters --- Comedians --- History and criticism. --- History --- Shakespeare, William, --- Shakespeare, William --- Shakespear, William, --- Shakspeare, William, --- Šekʻspiri, Uiliam, --- Saixpēr, Gouilliam, --- Shakspere, William, --- Shikisbīr, Wilyam, --- Szekspir, Wiliam, --- Šekspyras, --- Shekspir, Vilʹi︠a︡m, --- Šekspir, Viljem, --- Tsikinya-chaka, --- Sha-shih-pi-ya, --- Shashibiya, --- Sheḳspir, Ṿilyam, --- Shaḳspir, Ṿilyam, --- Syeiksŭpʻio, --- Shekspir, V. --- Szekspir, William, --- Shakespeare, Guglielmo, --- Shake-speare, William, --- Sha-ō, --- Şekspir, --- Shekspir, Uiliam, --- Shekspir, U. --- Šekspir, Vilijam, --- Ṣēkspiyar, Viliyam, --- Shakspir, --- Shekspyr, Vyli︠e︡m, --- Şekspir, Velyam, --- Ṣēkspiyar, Villiyam, --- Shēkʻspʻiyr, Vlilliam, --- Ṣēkspiyar, --- Ṣēkspiyar Mahākavi, --- Ṣēkspiyar Mahākaviya, --- Sheḳspier, Ṿilyam, --- Shēkʻspir, --- Shakespeare, --- Śeksper, --- Шекспир, Вильям, --- Шекспир, Уильям, --- שייקספיר, וויליאם, --- שייקספיר, וו., --- שיקספיר, וויליאם --- שיקספיר, ויליאם --- שיקספיר, ויליאם, --- שכספיר, ויליאם, --- שכספיר, וילים, --- שכספיר, ו׳ --- שעפקספיר, וויליאם, --- שעקספיער, וויליאם --- שעקספיער, וויליאם, --- שעקספיער, ווילליאם --- שעקספיער, וו., --- שעקספיר --- שעקספיר, וו --- שעקספיר, וויליאם, --- שעקספיר, וויליאמ --- שעקספיר, ווילליאם --- שעקספיר, ווילליאם, --- שעקספיר, וו., --- שעקספיר, װיליאם, --- שעקספיר, װילליאם, --- שעקספיר, װ., --- שעקספער --- שעקספער, וויליאמ --- שקספיר --- שקספיר, וו --- שקספיר, וויליאם --- שקספיר, וויליאם, --- שקספיר, ווילים, --- שקספיר, וילאם --- שקספיר, ויליאם --- שקספיר, ויליאם, --- שקספיר, ויליים, --- שקספיר, וילים --- שקספיר, וילים, --- شاكسبير، وليم --- شاكسپير، وليم --- شكسبير، وليام --- شكسبير، وليم --- شكسبير، وليم، --- شكسبير، و. --- شكسپير، وليم --- شكسپير، ويليام --- شيكسبير، وليام --- شيكسبير، وليام.، --- شيكسبير، وليم --- شکسبير، وليم --- وليم شکسبير --- 沙士北亞威廉姆, --- 沙士比亞威廉姆, --- 莎士比亞威廉姆, --- 莎士比亞威廉, --- 莎士比亞, --- Characters --- Clowns. --- Blackness in Medieval Psalters. --- Clown Tradition. --- Elizabethan Puritan Stage Clown. --- Fool in King Lear. --- Iconoclastic Lord of Misrule. --- License of Fooling. --- Licensed Folly. --- Medieval. --- Renaissance. --- Satirical Clowning. --- Theatrical Clowns. --- Tudor Interludes.