Harlequin is the most admired of the 'zanni' or comic servant characters from the Italian Commedia dell'Arte. There is no one single theory about the origin of the name. While some claim that it has originated from Dante's Inferno, XXI, 118(Italy's greatest poet), there are others who have reason to believe that the name could have originated from Harlenkoenig, a Scandinavian hero. Some historians also claim the origin of the name to be derived from Harlay, an English gentleman of the court of Henri III, who had guarded an Italian actor.
The name Harlequin is associated with humour and comedy. It refers to a buffoon or a clown dressed in mask and tight coloured outfits, quite in tandem with the outfit worn in commedia dell'arte.
The name Harlequin is associated with humour and comedy. It refers to a buffoon or a clown dressed in mask and tight coloured outfits, quite in tandem with the outfit worn in commedia dell'arte.
