CDA CHARACTERS Flashcards
What is Pantalone like…?
-He is old and very mean. He is very greedy and loves money!
-Thinks that he knows best, will always try and get his own way!
-His half mask has narrow eyes and a big nose
-He pretends that he is a very fragile with old age, but can actually move very fast when he is stealing!
-Pantalone walks with a crooked back, with one hand in front of him – ready to steal something!
-Is very cunning, will try and trick other characters out of their money!
-Father/ husband/ widower/ old bachelor
-Poor/rich/miserly
-Bankrupt/ rich noble
-Sudden explosions of fury
-Lustful
-Harsh voice and grating
laugh
-Quarrelsome
-Agile when angry leaving
him exhausted, panting
-Backfalls
What is Pierott like…..?
-Falls in love quickly with very beautiful ladies (Although the ladies never seem to know who
he is!)
-Is very naive and gullible – he is often tricked by other Commedia characters!!
-He has extreme mood swings! One minute he is extremely happy and the next he is hysterically
crying! ( it is usually over a pretty girl who does not love him back!)
-Very kind and very caring. Pierott is not a nasty
character, he loves everyone and everything!
-also known as “Pierrot” or “Pedro”
-The loyal servant.
-Hardworking, trustworthy,
-honest and devoted to his master.
-Charming and likable, he wears a loose white outfit with a neck ruff.
-Tends to be the butt of the physical jokes.
What is Brighella like…?
-Either a shopkeeper or servant.
-Brighella is always out for a way to profit from any
given situation.
-Will cheerfully lie to save himself.
-Crafty, quick, unscrupulous thrives on double dealings, intrigues, and foul play sometimes depicted as an innkeeper, shop owner, valet, or soldier
-cynical liar who only looks out for himself
- He is sleazy, seductive, dangerous
-He is a drunkard and boisterous lazy but can move quickly
-He slinks without muscular effort
-Always ready to pounce
-He might blithely be cleaning his nails with the
knife which will soon cut a throat.
-He gets very close to people when he speaks.
-He can sing and dance, and drink with the best of
them.
-His costume is usually trimmed in green.
-Cunning servant
-Deceives and confuses
-Breaks marriages, arranges others
-Cynical
-Carries a purse and dagger
What is The Captain/ Capitano
like….?
-He thinks he is very important! He walks around with
his head held high, nose up in the air and his shoulders back.
-He pretends he is very brave and he loves to
show off in front of the ladies! (like a peacock!)However….he is actually a coward and a
big wuss!
-He talks in a very loud, booming voice because he likes to be the centre of attention – but if he gets scared he will scream like a little girl!
-He is probably not even a real Captain!
-He will make up stories to impress the ladies – the
stories are big fibs and are over exaggerated, which is why his half mask has such a big nose!
-Soldier
-Fierce appearance but coward
-Ferocious voice
-Struts pompously
-Talks constantly about acts of bravery
-Vain
-Believes he can conquer women
What is Dottore/ The Quack
Doctor like…..?
-He has never been to medical school
(or probably dropped out!) – but he
pretends he knows everything about medicine and
diseases!
-The doctor will make up and exaggerate
illnesses. E.g.. If you come to see him about a
broken fingernail he would diagnose you with the
life threatening disease of “fingernailus,
brokenus maximus” and then he would suggest
you chop off you whole arm in case you die!
He is extremely fat, and moves
very slowly. He often holds his
belly and runs out of breath
very easily!
-The doctor’s half mask reveals the actor’s cheeks. The actor uses red face paint on their cheeks as The Doctor is usually drunk!
-He appears to be a learned man, but generally that impression proves to be false.
-He is older, wealthy, and a member of the vecchi.
-Pedantic and miserly, he is hopelessly unsuccessful with women.
-Everyone else believes what he is saying to be true but it is erroneous.
-This leads into further trouble and confusion.
What is Colombine like…..?
-Pretty and intelligent – but extremely vain! She loves to look at herself in the mirror!
-She is a maid to a rich Lady. As a result of this, she is
of a higher status and thinks she is better than the rest
of the characters!
-Pierott and many others are hopelessly in love
with Colombine. However Colombine has her eyes on much richer gentlemen!
-Colombine moves very quickly in small dainty steps.
-female counterpart of Arlecchino.
-Servant and zanni.
-Initiates the plot of the play.
-Clever, crafty, and untamed.
-Her costume often had the same colored patches found in Arlecchino’s outfit.
-fresh and frisky, sometimes crafty, and often
without morals
-makes use of disguises, dressing up as
doctors, cavaliers, barristers, and other
servants
-often the smartest character in a scenario
-She was autonomous, self-sufficient and quite rational
-Colombina was not afraid to show her buxom contours or flaunt her robust hips
-She stands with hands on her hips, or holding
a basket or tambourine, while flirting
The Innamorati- The Lovers
-The innamorato and innamorata had many different names over time (“Isabella” was a particularly popular
name for the woman, as was “Flavio” for the man).
-Young, righteous, and hopelessly in love with one another.
-Wear the most fashionable dress of the day.
-Never play in mask.
-Often seen singing, dancing, or recitingpoetry,
-Frequently portrayed as the children of Dottore and Pantalone.
-Madly in love but only surmount the obstacles put in the way of their happiness, at the end of the play.
Isabella- YL
- Young lover
- Beautiful
- Very vain- loves looking at herself in the mirror
- Spoilt, silly child
- Origins – from a 16th century
- Status – Prima Donna – daughter of Pantalone
- Costume – Well dressed
- Speech – refined
- Characteristics -Flirtatious, provocative and stubborn
Flavio- YL
- Young lover
- Handsome
- Very vain- always looking in the mirror
- Spoilt, silly and childish
Harlequin/Arlecchino
-Moves very quickly, like a Sprite/ Elf. He is very
light on his feet.
-He is not mean like Pantalone, he is jolly and enthusiastic about everything
-Wears very bright colours. His half mask is made up of colourful diamond shapes.
-Cheeky, likes to play funny jokes on people.
-Good friends with Colombine
-is often the servant to Pantalone
-He is in love with Colombina,
-He can often have a close relationship with the
audience,
-The Arlecchino character also tries to trick his masters and is always plotting and planning, but his plans never
work.
-Also known as Arlequin or Harlequin
-Lazy but agile
-Stupid but cunning
-Chief rascal and pickpocket
-Somersaults
-Hunchback
-High speed laughing
-Bowing
-Weeping
-Maintains the rhythm of comedy
-Servant
Pulcinella
-He seems to be jolly but is actually extremely mean and nasty underneath
-Is best friends with Pantalone, they love to team up and trick more vulnerable characters (like Pierott!)
-Has a crooked walk and an evil laugh
-He carries around a stick , which he uses to trip up
other commedia characters!
-His half mask is normally black (evil) with a frowning expression
-He has a fat belly and holds it as he walks quickly
-sometimes called “Punch,”
-Pitiable, helpless, and often physically disfigured.
-Usually has a hump, a distinct limp, or some other obvious physical deformity.
-In some portrayals he cannot speak, and expresses himself in squeaks or other strange sounds.
-His personality can be foolish or sly and shrewd.
-Clucking voice
-Imitates a chirping chicken
-Hunchback
-Supersitious
-Cowardly
-Reckless
-Beats others and gets beaten
-Greedy
-Chatterbox
