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Clowns and Tricksters: An Encyclopedia of Tradition and Culture
 
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Clowns and Tricksters: An Encyclopedia of Tradition and Culture (Library Binding)

by Kimberly A. Christen (Author), Sam D. Gill (Editor)
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Clowns and tricksters are well-known figures in cultures throughout the world. In Western culture the clown conjures up images of carnivals and foolish characters in face paint. In non-Western cultures, clowns hold privileged status in religious ceremonies and origin myths. Tricksters on the other hand are identified as disobedient, obscene, disrespectful, funny, powerful, paradoxical characters in almost every culture in which they are found. This encyclopedia surveys, from a cross-cultural perspective, the similarities and differences between clowns and tricksters in world cultures. It presents each character in the context of the culture in which he or she is found.


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Clowns and tricksters found in religious myths, common folktales, and ritual celebrations are among the world's best-known cultural figures. They often are "nonhumans" or humans who do not act according to social norms; they typically do things backward and use deception or ambiguity to trick others.

Clowns and tricksters vary widely in their identity. In Native American cultures, clowns hold privileged positions in religious ceremonies and myths of origin. For the ancient Greeks, Hermes stood out as the trickster par excellence, while for Native Americans, Coyote, Raven, and Mink fill that role. In Africa, the most widely recognized tricksters are Spider and Hare.

This far-reaching collection includes circus clowns and Wile E. Coyote alongside such lesser-known characters as Ture and Yiyi.

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