| Scaramouche | |
|---|---|
 J. S. Grimaldi as Scaramouche, c. 1815 | |
|
Other Names |
Scaramouch, Scaramuccia |
|
First Appearance |
Commedia dell'arte (16th Century) |
Origin[]
Scaramuccia in 1860
Scaramouche is a stock clown character of the 16th-century commedia dell'arte (comic theatrical arts of Italian literature). The role combined characteristics of the Zanni (servant) and il Capitano (masked henchman), with some assortment of villainous traits. Usually attired in black Spanish dress and burlesquing a don, he was often beaten by Harlequin for his boasting and cowardice.
Scaramouche influences the audience to do his bidding. Coviello (like Scaramouche) is "short, adroit, supple, and conceited". In Molière's The Bourgeois Gentleman, Coviello disguises his master as a Turk and pretends to speak Turkish. Both Scaramouche and Coviello can be clever or stupid—as the actor sees fit to portray him.
In Blaise Pascal's Pensées Section 1 Article 12, Scaramouche is described as a person "who only thinks of one thing. The doctor, who speaks for a quarter of an hour after he has said everything, so full is he of the desire of talking."
Scaramouche is one of the great characters in the Punch and Judy puppet shows with roots in commedia dell'arte. In some scenarios, he is the owner of The Dog, another stock character. During performances, Punch frequently strikes Scaramouche, causing his head to come off his shoulders. Because of this, the term scaramouche has become associated with a class of puppets with extendable necks.
The hero of Rafael Sabatini's historical novel Scaramouche, and its film adaptations, is a similar swashbuckling character who goes incognito in the theatrical role of Scaramouche.
Although Tiberio Fiorillo (1608–1694) was not the first to play the role, he greatly developed and popularized it. He removed the mask, used white powder on his face, and employed grimaces. He was small, had a long beard, and wore a predominantly black costume with a white ruff. In France, he became known as Scaramouche. In the 19th century, the English actor Joseph Grimaldi and his son J. S. Grimaldi made numerous appearances as Scaramouche.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Scaramouche from before January 1, 1931 are public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances are listed below:
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- Scaramouche (1921)
Public Domain Comic Appearances[]
- Stories by Famous Authors #13
Public Domain Film appearances[]
- Scaramouche (1912-13) Op. 71, is a two-act tragic ballet-pantomime, comprising 21 numbers, written by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.
- Scaramouche (1923), silent movie by Rex Ingram
Notes[]
- In the 1975 song "Bohemian Rhapsody", by the British rock band Queen, Scaramouche is asked if he would like to perform the dance known as a fandango.