Richard Tarlton
Richard Tarlton or Tarleton († September 1588 ) was an English actor of the Elizabethan era . He was the best-known clown of the time, known for his off-the- cuff verses , which were also known as "Tarltons". He helped the Elizabethan theater to entertain large parts of the population and thus paved the way for the Shakepeare stage. After his death, many bon mots and jokes were always attributed to him and published as Tarlton's Jests .
Tarlton was an accomplished dancer, musician, and fencer . He was also the author of a number of "jigs," what we would now call a farce or a sketch . He also wrote pamphlets and at least one complete play.
family
Information on Tarlton's family background is sparse. His father's first name is unknown; his mother's is Katherine, but the maiden name is missing here. A later trial testifies to a sister named Helen . The comedian's birthplace is unknown. A century after death Tarltons writes Thomas Fuller that Tarlton in Condover ( Shropshire ) was born, where his father kept pigs. The family is said to have moved to Ilford , Essex later .
Career
According to tradition, Tarlton started his career in London either as an apprentice, swineherd in Ealing or a water carrier. However, it seems unlikely that he did all three. In 1583, when he was mentioned as one of the original members of the Queen's Men , he was already a seasoned actor.
He had an early extraordinary influence on Elizabethan clowns. His grave inscription reads: "He of clowns to learn still sought / But now they learn of him they taught" ("He always tried to learn from clowns / But now they are learning from him what they taught him"). Tarlton was the first comedian to look closely at the idiosyncrasies of simple, backward people ("natural fools", which possibly also included the mentally handicapped) and to add these observations to his representations. His type of performance combined the styles of the medieval Vice ("bad" opponent), the professional Ménestrels and the Lord of Misrule (chosen "chairman" of the English Christmas celebrations, comparable to the German carnival prince ). During the performance, he brushed hecklers off with sharp rhymes if necessary. How he often stepped out of the role of the respective piece and in between performed singing and dancing pieces on topics (“theams”) suggested on demand. After the performance, he spent some time with the audience, joking and joking at each other.
At the beginning of his career he worked with the Queen Elizabeth's Men at the Curtain Theater in 1583 . Tarlton's Jests , published in 1600, describes how the retired Tarlton recommended Shakespeare actor Robert Armin as his successor.
He was the Queen I. Elizabeth most appreciated clown . He had the talent to shake Knittelverse out of his sleeve at any time on call ; in fact, improvised Knittel verses were also called "Tarltons" at the time. In order to benefit from his popularity, a large number of songs and jokes were attributed to him and after his death the series "Tarlton's Jests" (such as "Tarlton's fools"), which in part also contained many jokes that were written before his time, included several volumes. Since Tarlton always appears in the third person, a similarity with other humorous characters can be seen here, including modern and fictional ones. For example Till Eulenspiegel , Graf Bobby , Tünnes and Schäl etc.
Example from "Tarlton's Jests, and News out of purgatory" from 1844:
"How Tarlton saved his head from cutting off
Tarlton upon a time being in the country, and lodging in an homely inne, during which time there was a gentleman dwelling in the same towne somewhat franticke and distraught of his wits: which mad man on a sudden rusht into Tarlton's bed-chamber with his sword drawne, and, finding him there in bed, would have slaine him, saying, Villaine, were it not valiantly done to strike off thy knave's head at one blow? Tarlton answered. Tut, sir, that's nothing with your worship to doe: you can as easily strike off two heads at one blow as one; wherefore, if you please. Ile goe downe and call up another, and so you may strike off both our heads at once. The madman beleeved him, and so let him slip away. "
“How Tarlton kept his head from being cut off
It so happened that Tarlton once stayed in the country and stayed in a cozy inn. At the same time there was also a gentleman living in the city who did not like his humor and was furious with anger. That mad man suddenly stormed Tarlton's bed chamber, his sword drawn, found him there in bed, wanted to kill him and said, villain, wouldn't it be brave to cut off the crook's head with one stroke? Tarlton replied, But, sir, that is not your admiration, you could easily cut off two heads instead of one; So please. I'll go down and call someone up so you can cut off both of our heads at once. The madman believed him and let him escape like that. "
Another Jest describes how he sued the Lord Mayor of London . Other books and various ballads also adorned themselves with his melodious name. There were people who suggested that the character of Yorick would be included in Hamlet's self-talk in memory of Tarlton.
He also wrote at least one complete play (the two-part "The Seven Deadly Sins", 1585). Even if it performed quite successfully at the time, it has been lost; only the second part was found later. In addition to the ballads and that play, Tarlton wrote several pamphlets , beginning in the 1570s . One of them was "A True report of this earthquake in London" ("A true report of the earthquake in London", written in 1580); another "Tarlton's Newes out of Purgatorie" ("Tarlton's News from Purgatory", 1590). While these and others are actually by him, there were a number of other works after his death that were also ascribed to him. Gabriel Harvey described him as early as 1579, which indicates that Tarlton was already well known at that time and would later lead to his fame. This fame broadened the limits of social standing for actors, who at the time were more of a rabble. In addition to his artistic talents, Tarlton was also a fencing master.
According to one of his sons, Tarlton gambled away all of his family's fortune and died impoverished. He lived in Hanwell and is said to be buried in the grounds of Drayton Manor House where he and his family lived. This building now forms part of a school called Drayton Manor High School .
Tarlton wrote his will on September 3, 1588 and described himself here as "Richard Tarlton, one of the grooms of the Queen's Majesty's Chamber" ("Richard Tarlton, one of the servants ..."). In his last will, he entrusted his illegitimate son Philip to the care of his wife and two of his friends, Robert Adams and William Johnson ("one also of the grooms of her Majesty's Chamber").
Aftermath
Richard Tarlton left a great (intangible) legacy. It is often mentioned today in university studies. A hundred years after his death, pubs were named after him and corresponding nose tags showed him.
The other great comedian of the 16th century, William Kempe († 1603), was often considered a worthy successor to Tarlton.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Tarlton, Richard († 1588) Peter Thomson, 2004 in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
- ↑ Richard Dutton et al., Eds., Hanwell Shakespeare, p. 24.
- ↑ a b The Tarlton Project
- ↑ Chettle, Tarlton's Jests: and News out of purgatory The Forgeries, by John Payne Collier
- ↑ Stephen, Sir Leslie. Dictionary of National Biography , Volume 55. Macmillan, 1898, p. 370.
- ↑ , David Kathman: " The Seven Deadly Sins and Theatrical Apprenticeship" , Early Theater Volume 14 (2011), pages 121-139.
- ↑ William Shakespeare; James Boswell ; Edmond Malone ; Alexander Pope ; Samuel Johnson : The plays and poems of William Shakspeare , viii., P. 30, and foreword.
- ↑ "my most loving mother, Katherine Tarlton, widow, and my very loving and trusty friends Robert Adams, gentleman, and my fellow, William Johnson, one also of the Grooms of her Majesty's Chamber"
- ^ EAJ Honigmann (1993): "Playhouse Wills", Manchester: Manchester University Press. P. 57
- ^ Samuel Schoenbaum: William Shakespeare: A Compact Documentary Life . Oxford University Press, 1987, p. 184, ISBN 0-19-505161-0 .
literature
- Richard Tarlton in the Encyclopædia Britannica
- David Wiles: Shakespeare's Clown: Actor and Text in the Elizabethan Playhouse , Cambridge University Press, June 30, 2005 - 223 pages, ISBN 978-0-521-67334-1 , (online)
- EAJ Honigman, Susan Brock (Eds.): Playhouse Wills . Manchester University Press, 1993, ISBN 978-1-77048-299-9 , pp. 9 (English, limited preview in Google Book Search).
- Dictionary of National Biography , Volume 55 (Stow - Taylor), 1898
- Dutton, Richard, Alison Gail Findlay, and Richard L. Wilson, eds. Lancastrian Shakespeare: Region, Religion, and Patronage. , Manchester University Press, 2004.
- Andrew Gurr . The Shakespearean Stage 1574-1642. Third edition, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1992.
- Peter Thomson (Ed.): Shakespeare's Theater . Routledge , 2013, ISBN 978-1-136-11364-2 (English, limited preview in Google Book Search).
Web links
- "Will of Richard Tarleton or Tarlton, Groom of Her Majesty's Chamber, proved September 6, 1588" in The National Archives
- The Tarlton Project
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Tarlton, Richard |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Richard Tarleton |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | English comedian |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 16th Century |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1588 |
| Place of death | London |