Arlequin. [1] The distinctive characteristic of traditional Italian comedy is the performance of national as opposed to individual foibles and its grotesque imitation of the mores found in different Italian cities. Each city is represented by a character type who is always the same :  [2] Pantalone is Venetian, the Doctor is Bolognese, Scapin, Neopolitan, and Arelquin, Bergamasque. This last character is both the most bizarre and the funniest of them all. Now, a black man from Bergamo is absurd. Yet it is possible that an African slave might have been the first model for this character type. He is a mixture of ignorance, wit, stupidity and grace; a sketch of a certain kind of man, a big baby who has moments of lucidity and intelligence, and whose many blunders and clumsiness have a certain spicy vivacity that makes his actions highly amusing. The key to his style is flexibility and agility; he displays the sweetness of a kitten overlayed by a coarseness that makes him even more comical; his role is that of a valet; he is credulous, gourmand, always in love, always getting into trouble, with his master, or just all by himself; he suffers but is easily consoled, like a child, and his suffering is as hilarious as his joy.

This role demands a naturalness and a great deal of wit, grace and flexibility.

The only French poet to stage him successfully is Lisle in Arlequin the savage and Timon the misanthrope ;  [3] but in general, the freedom in performance of this ingenuous actor and the orginality of his language are best served by a simple sketch that he can fill out in his own way.

From Italian comedy, where he plays a role appropriate to the tradition, arlequin has passed into French comedy; and in German comedy he could replace the role of Hans Wurst. His character consists in maintaining the seeming air of a very simple, and naïve boy, even a buffoon, while actually being sly, very clever in observing the foibles and the stupidity of others and in pointing them out with as much naivete as finesse. Some critics think that this character debases the comic stage and that his role shocks good taste in theatrical performance; however, it is easy to show that such a judgement is not really serious, for, in many cases, the role of arlequin is exactly what is called for.

What better way of exposing a real fool on stage in all his ridiculous folly than to have him accompanied by a good arlequin . One has only to remember how well and with what energy the jesters of princes past knew how to reveal the follies of the great and how well these jesters could humiliate by their vivacious jibes. Only ridicule can disconcert a pretentious high-born powerful fool; but to succeed, the scoffers need to have the character of a true arlequin . Thus it would be best to conserve at least in the theater the role of the former court buffoons.

It is not important in truth that the buffoon wear an extravagant costume or carry a slapstick, or that he always be racy; or that he fall too easily into low comedy. His grand role must be to reveal the ridiculous hidden under his subject’s grave and dignified air; to unmask his deceit and to expose him to the boos of the public. That, without a doubt, is the biggest advantage a public theater can offer, and it is not a negligible one either; there are men so shamelessly nasty as to put themselves above the law, equity and humanity. The strongest criticism makes not the slightest impression on them; there is no stopping their folly or their treachery. Give them up to arlequin ; and as indifferent as they were to being reproached, that is how sensitive they will be to being mocked, for their grandeur was based primarily on their disdain. By scorning the judgement of others, they could more easily believe in their own importance, rank, privilege; but, as public laughing stocks, they suddenly fall from such height, debased and reviled.

In effect, arlequin does on the stage what Lucien and Swift do in their texts. Satirical raillerie is truly in the character of arlequin . Thus, there are comedies where this character has the main part. Comic poets for whom arlequin is judged too base, nevertheless feel a need of this role; they fill it with valets: but these valets are in effect only arlequins in livery. So, when they need such a character, would it not be better to have arlequin himself play it? In any event, it is a hard role to play well, and must be drawn by a master’s hand. It is not easy to have this character appear at just the right moment when he would be the most effective; besides in order to derive major effect, he has to have the gift of ridicule and of all talents that is the most rare.

Note

1. This article is taken from the Theory of beaux-arts [ Theorie der schönen Künste ], by M. Sulzer.

2. In Italian Commedia , this is called a tipo fisso .

3. The author’s full name is Louis-François Delisle de La Devetière.