Harlequin

Harlequin (Arlecchino in italian) is the most popular of the comic servant characters from the Italian Commedia dell'Arte. Although illustrations of Arlecchino have only been dated as far back as 1572, the character had existed prior to this date. The origins of the name are uncertain: some say it comes from Dante's Inferno, XXI, XXII and XXIII; one of the devils in hell having the name Alichino. Others maintain that the name comes come from Harlenkoenig, a Scandinavian hero. Another hypothesis states that the name is derived from Harlay, an English gentleman of the court of Henry III, who had protected an Italian actor. Still another unproveable theory states that it came from Old High German Karalchin would spice up the movement. Within these restrictions the character was tremendously elastic. Various troupes and actors would alter his behavior to suit style, personal preferences, or even the particular scenario being performed. Some of the most famous actors were Tomaso Visentini ("Thomassin"), who performed with the Comédie Italienne in 18th century France (little man), similar to the name Mannekin or Manneken. Interpreted thus, Harlequin's distinctive motley costume may be a stylized variant of Zanni's plain white garb, designed to reflect the ad-hoc patching necessary to prevent the garment's degradation. Popular theories suggest that he may have emerged from France, Africa, or Italy. The notion that the Harlequin motif grew out of France is evidenced by Hellequin, a stock character in French passion plays. Hellequin, a black-faced emissary of the devil, is said to have roamed the countryside with a group of demons chasing the damned souls of evil people to Hell. The physical appearance of Hellequin offers an explanation for the traditional colours of Harlequin's mask (red and black). A third potential origin for the Harlequin is that he simply evolved from a Zanni archetype who, although a slow thinker, was acrobatic and nimble. The primary aspect of Arlecchino was his physical agility. While generally depicted as stupid and gluttonous, he was very nimble and agile, and performed the sort of acrobatics the audience expected to see. The character would never perform a simple action when the addition of a cartwheel or backflip, and Tristano Martinelli. He is typically cast as the servant of an innamorato or vecchio much to the detriment of the plans of his master. Arlecchino often had a love interest in the person of Columbina, or in older plays any of the Soubrette roles, and his lust for her was only superseded by his desire for food and fear of his master. Occasionally, Arlecchino would pursue the inamorata, though rarely with success, as in the Recueil Fossard point out a range of unlikely symptoms. Pierre Louis Duchartre says that Arlecchino desperately tries to hide his lack of brains, to the point of seeming malicious in so doing; as in one scenario where Arlecchino is diguised as a doctor and prescribes ridiculous "remedies" that would certainly prove fatal if undergone. of the 16th century where he is shown trying to woo Donna Lucia for himself by masquerading as a foreign nobleman. He also is known to try to win any given lady for himself if he chances upon anyone else trying to woo her, by interrupting or ridiculing the new competitor. Despite Arlecchino's agility of body, his mind does not entertain the same capacities. He is a slow thinker, with some versions portraying him as able to entertain only one thought at a time - and he is often capable of confusing that. This leads to a range of situations, including Lazzi where Arlecchino is tricked into thinking he himself is dead, when other more wily characters of the Commedia dell'Arte He eventually became something more of a romantic hero around the 18th century, when his popularity provoked the Harlequinade.