In Katharine Karr’s novel, “Fortune’s Fool,” the main character, Conrad and his lady, Christa, work for a lord named Otto. Otto is a very cruel, nasty lord, so Conrad and Christa decide to run away to find a new, better lord. During their journey, they pretend to be jesters for rulers in return for food and shelter. The first place they stay is in a monastery. During their stay, different aspects of monastic life and buildings in the monastery are described. Jester performances and jester life are also depicted during their stay in the monastery and during other stays throughout their journey. Katherine Karr’s, “Fortune’s Fool” accurately shows the daily life inside a monastery as well as portrays some aspects of a medieval jester. In “Fortune’s Fool,” Kathleen Karr accurately portrays the image of the jester. In the beginning of the novel, Conrad and Christa (who is known as Christof …show more content…
the Fair) perform for the first time in the monastery. One of the brothers prepared their costumes for their performance. Conrad describes, “I picked up my fool’s cap. Its bells shone with polishing” (57). Conrad describes the hat that he had to wear for the performance. It shows that a medieval jester had a special hat that contains bells. To verify this, I researched what medieval jesters wore during their performances. According to “Medieval Jesters,” “The medieval jesters’ cloth hat, called a Fool’s hat, was most distinctive consisting of three points with a jingle bell at the end of each point” (Linda Alchin). This descriptions seems to match the description of the hat in the novel. They both have bells and they are both called a fool’s hat or cap proving it is a distinctive hat that jesters wore during performances. This clearly shows that the author did research to include the distinctive fool’s hat in the novel. The description of the hat in the novel was right because it matched the description that was written by someone who researched and wrote a historical book on the topic of medieval jesters. Even though the novel did not describe the hat in much detail, what it did say about it, it matched the description I found in my research. Therefore, Kathleen Karr accurately portrays the image of the medieval jester. Kathleen Karr also accurately portrays the daily life of a medieval jester in her novel “Fortune’s Fool.” In the novel, it describes a scene where Conrad goes to the library while staying in the monastery.
The keeper of the library, Brother Thomas, asked Conrad if he reads, and if he reads Latin. Conrad replied, “Yes to both” (65). This shows that Conrad, a jester, was literate and educated. In my research, I learned how jesters were treated and where they came from. This included whether or not they were educated. According to Linda Alchin in “Medieval Jesters,” “Jesters came from a wide variety of backgrounds and many of them were well educated.” This matches with the novel because although Conrad came from a poor background, he was also educated. According to the research, this was correct. Jesters could have come from a poor background, which Conrad was. It also happens that Conrad was educated, which according to research, could have also been true. This indicates that the author researched to make sure that medieval jesters could be poor, and they could be educated as
well. Kathleen Karr also mentions some buildings in a monastery. The whole layout of the buildings in a monastery were not described, but some buildings were mentioned. From the novel, it mentions that a monastery can include a library and and a stable for horses and other animals. A monastery can include many other buildings, as I found from my research, but the novel mentions these two buildings. It is known that the monastery in the novel had a library because Conrad says, “Meanwhile, I spent my free hours in the library as well-” (75). This shows that the author included a library in the monastery. She also included a stable in the monastery for Conrad’s horse, Blackspur. This is seen right when they get to the monastery as they ask, “And my horse?” (54) which they replied, “The best oats await him in our stable” (54). This shows that this monastery included a stable. The author did not give a full layout of the buildings in the monastery, but she did mention a couple buildings that were in the monastery. To prove that the author was correct, and monasteries in medieval times could contain libraries and stables, I researched buildings in a medieval monastery. “Medieval Monastery” states that, “There was also a library...and a guest house for the reception of strangers, besides barns,...” (Linda Alchin). This shows that monasteries could include libraries and stables, just like the one in the book. This proves that Kathleen Karr did research to make sure that it was historically accurate to include a library and a stable in the monastery. This quote from the article also includes information about a guest house for strangers that they took in. Although Kathleen Karr does not describe the rooms the main characters sleep in, they do need to sleep somewhere. The monastery must have also had guest houses or rooms in case they take in strangers, like they did in the novel. The author of the book researched and found out that monasteries took in travelers and had a place for them to stay to be able to include it into her book. If she did not research this, than she would have not known if monasteries taking in travelers was historically accurate. Kathleen Karr, the author of “Fortune’s Fool,” accurately portrays what a jester looked like, what their life was like, and what buildings were in a monastery. The information that Kathleen Karr wrote about monasteries and jesters were true, but she did not go into great detail about all of them. It was known that Conrad had a specific jester hat that was worn, and that it had bells on it, but it was not described in great detail. The information was not wrong, it matched with the research, however, it can not be known for sure whether the hat had three points on it. Also, the author does not go into great detail of what jesters wore during the performance. We know of the hat, but she did not mention other clothing accessories that might have been used during a performance. We also do not find out specific performances that Conrad does as a jester. We know that he sings and performs plays and jokes around, but the author does not go into great detail of his performances as well. Lastly, Kathleen Karr mentions some rooms that were included in the monastery, but not many rooms were mentioned. The daily life of the monastic people were not described in much detail either. There were hints here and there whether they were praying, but it does not depict the whole daily life of a person living in a monastery. The author’s information was historically accurate, but it was not described greatly and in much detail to show more historical context.
Steven Ozment examines the marriage between a sixteenth century German merchant and his wife. The publication illustrates the adversities of a long distance marriage, the Black Plague that passed through Germany, the passing of little Balthasar, their only child, as well as the trade of business that assists the binding of the two and their union together. Magdalena and Balthasar write letters back and forth to one another in an attempt to keep each other sane. The disposition of their marriage held a robust love for one another. Their letters were exchanged during the time of Balthasar's business travels. The numerous amount of diverse emotions, misfortunes, and affection that Magdalena and Balthasar exuded within their relationship embodied who they were as a couple.
Ruby Turpin is not an entirely lovable character. In fact, her attitude seems quite sour at times. Throughout Flannery O’Connor’s Revelation, she is portrayed as harsh and judgmental. And until the end, she seems to be under the impression that she is a saint. Nevertheless, while her attitude in reality is far from what she perceives, I believe there is a place for her in the communion of saints.
The essay begins with Griffin across the room from a woman called Laura. Griffin recalls the lady taking on an identity from long ago: “As she speaks the space between us grows larger. She has entered her past. She is speaking of her childhood.” (Griffin 233) Griffin then begins to document memories told from the lady about her family, and specifically her father. Her father was a German soldier from around the same time as Himmler. Griffin carefully weaves the story of Laura with her own comments and metaphors from her unique writing style.
The city of Denver and the challenges confronting its elected leaders, are no different than any other large city, one of the most problematic of which, includes enhancing the quality of public schools for ethnic minority students from lower socio-economic neighborhoods. Katherine Boo’s, “Expectations”, provides a narrative centered on Superintendent Michael Bennett and the implementation of his ambitious strategy to raise high school graduation standards throughout the Denver public school system. Bennett’s plan to achieve this lofty goal illustrates the “four tides,” or philosophies, of administrative reform: liberation management by allowing students from underperforming schools to attend any high quality public school of their choice; (2) a war on waste through the closure of Manual High School; (3) a watchful eye with computer tracking to ensure student accountability; and (4) scientific management with increased and meticulous academic standards.
There is a tremendous difference between a fool and a jester. Fools are regarded as light-hearted, dim-witted, and absent-minded people whose outrageous stupidity amused the rest of the population. These jovial folk represented the lowest in society: too carefree to get ahead in society and too stupid to care. Many people believed that Jan Steen, a prominent and well-educated artist of the Dutch Golden Age, was a fool. It is not a far-fetched assumption to make since he donned the appearance of a fool in his own paintings. However Steen was no fool. Much like the history of jesters, Jan Steen’s unsavory appearances in his own work is often misunderstood and taken at face value. To look into Steen’s own depictions of his life in his paintings one might completely agree that he is a foolish drunkard who happened to be blessed with the ability to paint. It is interesting, then, to realize that Steen is more jester than fool, especially in his self portraits. In medieval times the only person who could get away with insulting the king and royal family was the court jester. Jesters would use their quick wit, silver tongues, and superior intellect to insult or comment on the presiding royalty and would often be received with thunderous laughter and applause. Steen, much like the jester, used a foolish appearance to give social commentary on the world around him. One of the best examples of this is in Steen’s “The Continence of Scipio” (see Figure 1). A goofy cast of characters replace the traditionally serious and dignified roles of the figures in the classic story but none so ridiculous as the narcissistic husband, Aluccius (who looks suspiciously like Stee...
A very prosperous merchant who is kin to Johnny. He is very dishonest and steals from Johnny. He wants nothing to do with Johnny.
Sandy Wilson, the author of Daddy’s Apprentice: incest, corruption, and betrayal: a survivor’s story, was the victim of not only sexual abuse but physical and emotional abuse as well, in addition to being a product of incest. Sandy Wilson’s story began when she was about six years old when her birth father returns home from incarceration, and spans into her late teens. Her father returning home from prison was her first time meeting him, as she was wondered what he looked like after hearing that he would be released (Wilson, 2000, p. 8). Not only was her relationship with her father non-existent, her relationship with her birth mother was as well since she was for most of her young life, cared for by her grandmother and grandfather. When she was told that her birth mother coming to visit she says, “…I wish my mother wouldn’t visit. I never know what to call her so I don’t all her anything. Not her name, Kristen. Not mother. Not anything (Wilson, 2000, p. 4).” This quote essentially demonstrated the relationship between Sandy and her mother as one that is nonexistent even though Sandy recognizes Kristen as her birth mother.
“There is in fact no such thing as an instantaneous photograph. All photographs are time exposures, of shorter or longer duration, and each describes a discrete parcel of time.” -John Szarkowski
Conrad's psychological problems generated from the facts that he repressed his feelings and that he looked to others for approval. He hid all his feeling and emotions and judged himself based on what others saw and thought. When Miss Melon, Conrad's English teacher, asked him, "Do you want an extension?" Conrad's immediate response was "NO"(18). He rejected her offer of assistance because he felt that help took away from his dignity and self pride. Conrad internalized what everyone else said and did and judged himself based on this. Conrad thought about himself: "All his fault. All connections with him result in failure. Loss. Evil… Everywhere he looks, there is competence and good health… He does not want to contaminate, does not wish to find further evidence of his lack of worth"(116). Conrad looked at everyone else and concluded that everyone else was "ordinary" and that he was a problem. He was afraid that since he was not "normal," ...
Ludwig Tieck’s novella, Eckbert the Fair, presents a certain ambiguity of moral values. The story meets a tragic ending where the main couple of the fairytale, Eckbert and Bertha, die as punishment for their crimes of betrayal, theft, and murder. However, an uneasy feeling of injustice remains about the punishment despite the clarity of their guilt. The tale itself strongly resembles a tragic play defined by Aristotle, but the narrative deviates from the structure of standard tragedy. In effect, the unique set-up of the narrative makes the evil deeds seem ultimately inevitable. The structure of the novella helps justifying the crimes, causing the distinction between the good and the bad to become unclear. In this paper, I will discuss this unique structure of the tale to analyze how this uneasy feeling about the ending emerges.
Examining the difference between reality and appearance is strongly manifested in this story. The author has made an impressive account of what is really happening to families whether during the earlier days or the modern times. The story of Tartuffe is a great lesson for every person that people should not be easily deceived by first impressions and the story of the Monkey King showed outspokenness along with truthfulness in intentions.
The elements of courtly love operate at several levels simultaneously in The Knight of the Cart; they are expressed by the behaviors of Lancelot, Queen Guinevere, Meleagant and other characters in the story. Two vividly deployed elements are the concepts of loyalt...
Throughout “Our Secret” Griffin explores the different characters’ fears and secrets and she gives specific insights into these “secrets”. Through examining others Griffin comes to terms with her own feelings, secrets, and fears. She relates to Himmler, Leo, Helene, and everyone else even though she is different than all of them. One fact that can be made about all of these characters is that they all represent humans and human emotion
In the Middle Ages, when The Canterbury Tales was written, society became captivated by love and the thought of courtly and debonair love was the governing part of all relationships and commanded how love should be conducted. These principles changed literature completely and created a new genre dedicated to brave, valorous knights embarking on noble quests with the intention of some reward, whether that be their life, lover, or any other want. The Canterbury Tales, written in the 14th century by Geoffrey Chaucer, accurately portrays and depicts this type of genre. Containing a collection of stories within the main novel, only one of those stories, entitled “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”, truly outlines the 14th century community beliefs on courtly love.
The perfect lives that make up the routine of the Illyrian citizens portrays a society in which enjoyment, and personal gain are held in utmost priority. Shakespeares mocks the passivity of the Illyrian lifestyle to explain to the audience that excess of such festivity has negative side effects such as ego and lack of true love. He expresses that the pursuit of expression and truth in itself invokes enjoyment. Sir Aguecheek mirrors the uncertainty of a person through lack of self-confidence and the desire to openly reveal his true self when lamenting “Is it a world to hide virtues in?” (1.3.131). While uncovering aesthetic and emotional mysteries, the Illyrians find that disport restrains them from actual enjoyment and love. The play follows the audience to motivate them towards dissemination of feelings and expression of passion as a “locus of growth and self discovery” (Logan 223) and to obtain true happiness by ridding themselves of excessive, meaningless fun.