Feste the Fool in Twelfth Night
Shakespeare’s plays often have a clown or fool. What purpose did this role play within the plot. How did Shakespeare represent the common people with this character? In a paragraph (250 words), answer the questions listed above. DUE Friday March 2nd at midnight.
9 Comments
Callum
3/2/2018 06:52:16 am
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Cat
3/18/2018 10:49:07 am
Excellent entry, Callum! Yes, Feste has proven to be quite a complex character, and though foolish, the most intelligent character in the play. I agree, his role is definitely to appease the audience and remind them not to judge a book by its cover.
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Anna
3/2/2018 07:00:41 am
The reason why they always have a clown or a fool in a comedy is because in those days that was the form of entertainment. They would entertain kings and queens and high ranked people. In the story the fool is an important character because twelfth night is a comedy and the fools were always meant to be funny. In twelfth night the fool always has funny lines he also sings and most of the time when he sings it is very funny. Comedies are meant to be funny so the fool contributes to making the play funny witch will make it comedy. The fools are also very mischievous and like to play tricks on people witch is again a important part to a comedy. Clowns and fools in modern days are still a form of entertainment but you have to go to a circus or a theatre to see them. Usually when we have a fool or clown in play it means it is going to be a comedy or a funny play. Clowns and fools are never associated with sadness because they just naturally make you laugh. They also can be put in horror movies like the movie IT. This movie had a mixture of horror and comedy I thought this movie was more funny then scary I think the suspense is what made it scary. I think the clown made it funny the clown look funny and scary at the same time. I think you just cant take away the funniness to a clown even if it is supposed to look scary.
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Cat
3/18/2018 10:51:53 am
Excellent connection to "It." I have not seen the movie (I'm far too afraid), but find it interesting that it included elements of comedic value. I agree that Feste reminds us that the play is a comedy, even though it contains some very serious moments.
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Ewan Creskeyallan
3/2/2018 07:11:36 am
In twelfth night, the fool, Feste, is characterized as the wisest character in the plot. Though he bears the garbs of nothing but a fool he is gifted with a sharp wit and an unparalleled intellect. When arguing philosophy with his employers, he always wins, and even makes a sound thesis for why not he, but Olivia is the real fool in act 1. This theme repeats itself throughout the play, with various characters underestimating Feste, and thinking him a mere fool, but being proven to be the real fools of the play themselves eventually. Feste is chosen to represent the common man, as he is but one of them. Trodden upon and routinely by the society they live in, but not to be underestimated. If Shakespeare did this out of an understanding of commoners, or if he simply wrote Feste without any grand metaphor in mind is not for me to judge. I was not there and can only infer or assume what he intended. I would like to end this with some words of wisdom: "Better a witty fool than a foolish wit."
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Cat
3/18/2018 10:54:32 am
Fantastic response! I enjoyed your inclusion of the quote at the end. Feste most certainly underestimated throughout the play and leads the reader to question how his intelligence will play out! How do you feel about Viola? Don't forget that she is the one character able to keep up with Feste's wit. What does this suggest about what will happen to her?
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Élie
3/2/2018 01:15:31 pm
I believe Shakespeare puts a “fool” is this play to represent the funny and unfunny “fools” who are part of our daily lives. Let’s take my daily live for example, I have friends who makes good jokes that make me laugh On the other hand, I also have “friends” (who are usually spoiled rich kids) who make bad and mean jokes about what I have which has lead to me crying. This makes me relate to Olivia as the fool rudely jokes on how her brother’s soul is in hell (1.5.37). There is another relation that I (the common people) share with the character who have to endure this fool. The fool is untrustworthy and unreliable as in 1.5.31, it shows that the fool took three days off without telling anyone. Shakespeare has really made a connection here as I know so many unreliable people (especially at Astolot) who are always late, never tell the teachers in advance if they have an appointment, and come to class unprepared. The fool also seems to be ready to do anything he is asked by his superiors (including singing) which relates to unintelligent poor and middle class people who have to do what is commanded by high working intelligent higher class people if they want to keep their low wage job. To me, the fool also represents people who think they’re funny when they are really not funny in real life. This is how I believe Shakespeare has represented the “common People” in this story/play.
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Cat
3/18/2018 10:58:41 am
Great job! I appreciate your honesty and personal connection. It sounds like you are learning about the types of people you want to be friends with versus not. I enjoyed your comment about how jokes have multiple layers; on the one hand, a joke is meant to be funny, but it isn't funny if it hurts someone else's feelings. I would argue that this is one of the themes within the play - the complexity of jokes and the repercussions that they can have.
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Chris
6/12/2018 07:13:28 am
The common role of the clown or fool is usually to bring joy and laughter to the play.Back in those days clowns and fools were very common and they made people laugh a lot during the plays. It also was a good idea to put a fool or clown into plays because it changed up the story a lot because clowns were never trusted and if they were they would defiantly cause a lot of trouble.
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Cat MiglioreGrade 7/8 and High School teacher at Astolot Educational Centre Archives
April 2018
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