Commedia dell'arteCommedia 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 commedia alla maschera, commedia improvviso, and commedia dell'arte all'improvviso.
PantalonePantalone (Italian:), spelled Pantaloon in English, is one of the most important principal characters found in commedia dell'arte. With his exceptional greed and status at the top of the social order, Pantalone is "money" in the commedia world. His full name, including family name, is Pantalon de' Bisognosi, Italian for 'Pantalone of the Needy'. CharacterPantalone originated as part of a master/servant duo and was the original Il Magnificostock character.
Italian RenaissanceThe Italian Renaissance (Italian: Rinascimento [rinaʃʃiˈmento], "rebirth") is a period in Italian history covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It is the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread from Italy to the rest of Europe (and also to extra-European territories ruled by colonial powers or where Christian missionaries and/or traders were active). The period marked the transition from the Middle Ages to the modern era.
Stock characterA stock character, also known as a character archetype, is a type of character in a narrative (e.g. a novel, play, television show, or film) whom audiences recognize across many narratives or as part of a storytelling tradition or convention. There is a wide range of stock characters, covering people of various ages, social classes and demeanors.
Il DottoreIl Dottore (Italian:; lit.'the Doctor'), most commonly known in Italian as Dottor Balan or simply Balanzone (Italian:; BologneseEmilian: Dutåur Balanzån), is a commedia dell'artestock character, in one scenario being an obstacle to young lovers. Il Dottore and Pantalone are the comic foils of each other, Pantalone being the decadent wealthy merchant, and il Dottore being the decadent erudite. He has been part of the main canon of characters since the mid-16th century.
ZanniZanni (Italian: [ˈdzanni]), Zani or Zane is a character type of the early modern Italian comedy form commedia dell'arte, who is best known as an astute servant and a trickster. The Zanni comes from the countryside and is known to be a "dispossessed immigrant worker". Through time, the Zanni grew to be a popular figure who was first seen in commedia as early as the 14th century. The English word zany derives from this type of character.
Italian languageRomance languageItalian (italiano, pronounced, or lingua italiana, pronounced) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family. It is a standardised form of literary Florentine Tuscan and, together with Sardinian, is the least differentiated language from Latin. Current estimates indicate that between 68 and 85 million people speak Italian, including approximately 64 million native speakers as of 2024.
PlautusTitus Maccius Plautus ( ; c. 254 – 184 BC) was a Roman playwright of the Old Latin period. His comedies are the earliest Latin literary works to have survived in their entirety. He wrote Palliata comoedia, the genre devised by Livius Andronicus, the innovator of Latin literature. The word Plautine () refers to both Plautus's own works and works similar to or influenced by his.
TerencePublius Terentius Afer (; c. 195/185 – c. 159 BC), better known in English as Terence (), was a playwright during the Roman Republic. He was the author of six comedies based on Greek originals by Menander or Apollodorus of Carystus. All six of Terence's plays survive complete and were originally produced between 166 and 160 BC.
Received PronunciationStandard accent for British EnglishReceived Pronunciation (RP) is an accent of British English regarded as the standard accent of England, carrying high social prestige since the late 19th and especially early 20th century. It is recognised and influential throughout the whole English-speaking world. The study of RP is concerned only with matters of pronunciation, while other features of standard British English, such as vocabulary, grammar, and style, are not considered.
Tuscan dialectsTuscan (Italian: toscano; locally: vernacolo) is a set of Italo-Dalmatianvarieties of Romance spoken in Tuscany, Corsica, and Sardinia. Tuscan, especially its Florentine variety, formed the basis for establishing Standard Italian.
NarcissismNarcissism is a self-centered personality style characterized as having an excessive preoccupation with oneself and one's own needs, often at the expense of others. Named after the Greek mythological figure Narcissus who fell in love with his own reflection, narcissism has evolved into a psychological concept studied extensively since the early 20th century, and it has been deemed highly relevant in various societal domains.
innamoratoRelated word or term.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.