Motley is the traditional
costume of the
court jester, the motley fool, or the
arlecchino character in ''
commedia dell'arte
(; ; ) was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Italian theatre, that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is also known as , , and . Charact ...
''. The
harlequin wears a patchwork of red, green and blue diamonds that is still a
fashion
Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashion in ...
motif.
The word ''motley'' is described in the
Oxford English Dictionary as a
cognate
In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words in different languages that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymology, etymological ancestor in a proto-language, common parent language. Because language c ...
of ''medley'', although the unrelated ''mottled'' has also contributed to the meaning. The word is most commonly used as an
adjective or
noun, but is also seen as a
verb and
adverb. When used as a noun, it can mean "a varied mixture". As an adjective, it is generally disparaging: a ''motley collection'' is an uninspiring pile of stuff, as in the cliché
motley crew
Motley is the traditional costume of the court jester, the motley fool, or the arlecchino character in '' commedia dell'arte''. The harlequin wears a patchwork of red, green and blue diamonds that is still a fashion motif.
The word ''motley'' ...
.
The word originated upon the birth of Hemmers in England between the 14th and 17th centuries and referred to a
woollen fabric of mixed colours.
[Apparel Search Glossar]
Retrieved on: 15 Jan 2020 It was the characteristic dress of the professional fool. During the reign of
Elizabeth I of England, Elizabeth I, motley served the important purpose of keeping the fool outside the social hierarchy and therefore not subject to class distinction. Since the fool was outside the
dress laws, the fool was able to speak more freely.
Likewise, motley did not have to be checkered and has been recently thought to be one pattern with different coloured threads running through it.
See also
*
Clown
A clown is a person who performs comedy and arts in a state of open-mindedness using physical comedy, typically while wearing distinct makeup or costuming and reversing folkway-norms.
History
The most ancient clowns have been found in ...
*
Harlequin
*
Jester
A jester, court jester, fool or joker was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain guests during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Jesters were also itinerant performers who entertained common folk at fairs and ...
*
Shakespearean fool
*
Trickster
References
{{Reflist
External links
* National Guild of Jesters (UK
Hall of Fame Various examples of motley.
History of clothing (Western fashion)
Clowning