Italy

The Italian comedy produced characters that never varied, some of whom are supposed to have descended directly from the mim i of the Fabulæ Atellanse. This ancient origin is claimed for Harlequin and Punchinello, both of whom are buffoons, cowards, wags, and jesters, like the Sannio of the Romans. Pantalone was a Venetian merchant; Dotore, a Bolognese physician; Spaciento, a Neapolitan braggadocio; Pullicenella, a wag of Apulia; Giangurgolo and Coriello, two clowns of Calabria; Gelsomino, a Roman beau; Betrame, a Milanese simpleton; Brig hell a , a Ferrarese pimp, and Arlecchino, a blundering servant of Bergamo. Thus each personage, clad in a peculiar dre , and furnished with a peculiar mask, was intended as a characteristic representative of some particular Italian district or town. To further this local personation, each actor spoke the dialect of the place he represented. Besides these, and a few other such personages, of which at least four were introduced into each play, there were the amorosos or inamoratas-that is, men and women who played serious parts; and also Smeraldina , Colombina, Spilletta , and other females, who acted the servettas and waiting-maids. These last wore no masks, and all spoke Tuscan or Roman. The pieces played by them were called Com media dell' Arte . Gold on i adopted Harlequin and the rest of his mimic troop; but, instead of trusting to the extemporary wit of the actors, wrote for them plots and dialogues.