Motley's Place in the Dungeon
Posted: 05 Dec 2008, 16:23
I have a theory on Motley's role in the dungeon if anyone would like to read it. I'm not sure whether this'll create much opportunity for discussion, but I hope it does. Anyway, here we go:
Firstly, some background information. When jesters were popular, making fun of the king was labelled treason and such a crime went heavily punished. This meant that the general public, however they disliked their king, could not speak out. Straight obedience doesn't suit everybody, so such an arrangement would have led to a lot of bitter resentment.
So the king would appoint a jester. The classic jester was a satirist - he would joke about the king, indeed, he'd indulge in treason where most others could not. He had a certain licence to do so: he was a jester, so officially, everything he said was in jest. Nobody could take the fool seriously, of course. This acted as a pressure valve for the community at large - at least somebody could say what was on most of their minds.
Motley, I think, is a microcosm of this: although he is not strictly speaking in a kingdom but in a sealed-off dungeon, he is under an absolute ruler, all the same. Treguard is not a king, but he holds absolute rule in the dungeon. I'll guess that he runs a tight ship and won't stand for being badmouthed. Therefore he employed Motley.
Motley does lark around a lot, but I think it's his role to do exactly that, and that if he can get others to think of him as stupid then he's done his job - and then some. If his audience are prepared to cut Motley's subjects - Motley, Malice etc. some slack, then he's done all he has to do.
Any thoughts?
Firstly, some background information. When jesters were popular, making fun of the king was labelled treason and such a crime went heavily punished. This meant that the general public, however they disliked their king, could not speak out. Straight obedience doesn't suit everybody, so such an arrangement would have led to a lot of bitter resentment.
So the king would appoint a jester. The classic jester was a satirist - he would joke about the king, indeed, he'd indulge in treason where most others could not. He had a certain licence to do so: he was a jester, so officially, everything he said was in jest. Nobody could take the fool seriously, of course. This acted as a pressure valve for the community at large - at least somebody could say what was on most of their minds.
Motley, I think, is a microcosm of this: although he is not strictly speaking in a kingdom but in a sealed-off dungeon, he is under an absolute ruler, all the same. Treguard is not a king, but he holds absolute rule in the dungeon. I'll guess that he runs a tight ship and won't stand for being badmouthed. Therefore he employed Motley.
Motley does lark around a lot, but I think it's his role to do exactly that, and that if he can get others to think of him as stupid then he's done his job - and then some. If his audience are prepared to cut Motley's subjects - Motley, Malice etc. some slack, then he's done all he has to do.
Any thoughts?