jesters
Medieval royal entertainers
Jesters were entertainers employed by medieval and Renaissance courts to amuse royalty through jokes, tricks, songs, and foolery.
They wore distinctive motley clothing and cap with bells.
The jester's role granted unusual license to mock even powerful figures: Only the jester dared tell the king the truth.
Now used figuratively for anyone playing the fool or providing comic relief.
Unwise, gullible person
- clownComedic performer in makeup
- harlequinMasked comic servant character
- buffoonLudicrous, clumsy fool
- mimeWordless expressive performer
acrobat · juggler · tumbler · storyteller · improv · slapstick · pratfall · pantomime
Cunning deceiver in myth
- foolUnwise, gullible person
- HarlequinMasked comic servant
- PierrotWistful whiteface pantomime figure
- commediaItalian masked theatrical tradition
Pagliacci · Rigoletto · Touchstone · Yorick · Falstaff · Puck · Loki · Coyote
Unwise, gullible person
- motleyVaried, incongruous mixture
- baubleShowy, worthless ornament
- scepterCeremonial staff of sovereignty
- monarchHereditary supreme ruler
throne · palace · royalty · nobility · king · queen · courtier · medieval
fool
Unwise, gullible person
- clownComedic performer in makeup
- harlequinMasked comic servant character
- buffoonLudicrous, clumsy fool
mime · acrobat · juggler · tumbler · storyteller · improv · slapstick · pratfall · pantomime · antic
trickster
Cunning deceiver in myth
commedia · Pagliacci · Rigoletto · Touchstone · Yorick · Falstaff · Puck · Loki · Coyote · wild-card
fool
Unwise, gullible person
- motleyVaried, incongruous mixture
- baubleShowy, worthless ornament
- scepterCeremonial staff of sovereignty
monarch · throne · palace · royalty · nobility · king · queen · courtier · medieval · Tudor
humor
Amusing quality
quip · banter · gag · funny · laughter · satire · parody · mockery · irony · sarcasm
mirth
Amusement with laughter
- gaietyLively, exuberant cheerfulness
- revelryNoisy, lively celebration
- festivityCelebratory occasion or mood
joviality · glee · frolic · playfulness · whimsy · lightheartedness · amusement · fun · capering · merrymaking
- Medieval Englandking, kings, castle, castles, knight
- Tudor entertainmentShakespeare, Elizabethan theatre, masques, interludes, morality plays
- comedycomedy, jokes, humor, puns, sarcasm
- humorjoke, jokes, joking, comedy, comic
- Medieval Europekings, queens, knights, castles, castle
- character typesprotagonist, hero, antagonist, villain, heroes
jestersadvisors
Those who give counsel
counselors · sages · wise men · ministers · statesmen
jesterskings
Male hereditary rulers
monarchs · nobles · aristocrats · lords · sovereigns
jestersheralds
Messengers who announce
orators · chroniclers · prophets · oracles · town criers
- court jestersRoyal entertainers in caps
- jester hatCourt entertainer's headpiece
- medieval jestersRoyal household comedians