Role Description____________________________________

Jesters, also known as fools, tricksters, or clowns were both actors and entertainers for the royal court or any member of the nobility that could afford them. The jester was one of the few people that could speak freely in the royal court, using humor to mock, jibe, or joke.


Keywords______________________________________________________

clown	trickster	fool	ioculator	court jester
harlequin	entertainment	court fool	comic entertainment

Print Resources_________________________________________________

Title	Location	Call Number	Pages
Medieval World	Reference	REF 940.1 MED	v.9, p. 66
Encyclopedia Britannica (topic listed under "fool")	Back left case	REF 031 ENC	v.4, p. 870
The Middle Ages	Reference	REF 940.1 MID	v. 3, p. 143, 161, 162-164
Arts and Literature in the Middle Ages	Back right case	700.9 CEL	p. 26-28

Web Resources__________________________________________________

Suggested Databases:
Thomson Gale: Student Resource Center Gold; History Resource Center-World

Web Sites:
Medieval European Jesters and Fools
Fooling Around the World: The History of the Jester
Foolish Fashion
Myth Busting
History of the Fool
Court Jesters