Customer Reviews

Fools and Jesters at the English Court

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The morning after I finished reading Fools and Jesters of the English Court by John Southworth, I eagerly abandoned my bed and headed over to the Medieval Galleries at the Metropolitan Musuem of Art. I was anxious to test my newfound knowledge and see how many authentic English fools I could identify in the tapestries and stained glass. I knew the best clues would not be as obvious as the traditional jester's cap of bells. Now I know better than that. For casual English history buffs like me, Fools and Jesters of the English Court is an intriguing read, throwing an intensely revealing spotlight on these performers of old and their sometimes complex roles in medieval English society. However, for as many clever and shrewd "fools" who held unique positions of influence over their royal companions, there were just as many whose lives and minds were starkly simple by contrast. Southworth's book is a thorough education in this highly specific slice of England's history and will not be a quick, easy read for anyone not already possessing a related degree. However, for the rest of us, it is worth taking moments away to refer to the English royal family tree or to take the occasional grounding glance at a historical time line to get the best overall understanding of the material. Even without this effort, though, there are many anecdotes throughout that provide a satisfying look backwards at personalities that seldom make it through the filter of historical repetition -- of significant dates; of shocking statistics of battles and plagues; of scandal and brutality attributed to kings and queens.

A nice, scholarly overview for anyone interested in a nice, scholarly overview of English court foolery.

How can you take a subject like this and make it boring? Read the book and find out.