Zanni

The Zanni (Italian dialect form of Giovanni) is the archetypal figure of the servant in the commedia dell'arte or as the Zanni (singular: Zane ) is an umbrella term for various servant figures precisely this form of theater. The term is derived except from the first name, which was very common in the valleys of the province of Bergamo and the exodus of peasants who moved to the big cities of Venice, Genoa and Naples, and these so popular, even from the Sanniones, the Roman grimaces cutters from.

While in the early days of the Commedia Zanni was an independent figure, different characters dissolve (eg Arlecchino, Brighella etc.) from him later, while Zanni himself gradually disappears. The word Zanni is the collective term for the male servant figures, but it is not used in this form in Italy.

The early Zanni represented a person of the lower class, which usually is in an employment relationship to a higher standing of the characters of the Commedia dell'arte, mostly Pantalone. He is devious but that of low education, and anxious above all to his own advantage, making him automatically in contrast to his master. In addition, he was " a stupid, greedy and insolent in the game of love boobies who could do just torn when it to his own coat walked him" ( Jockel, see below). He had his prototype in the peasants who went to the harbor towns to first look there as porters and dockworkers, and later as a servant of her happiness.

The later Zanni are considered the very soul of the Commedia dell'arte. Most occurred in a piece of two of them: the first Zane was sent, active, more or less intelligent and the leader and head of an intrigue, while the second awkward, passive, and a fool was. However, the two complement each other in their gestures, glances and in language. Were they initially dressed in rather coarse peasant clothes, they received their typical liveries in the course of development of the Commedia.

The sometimes occurring female Zagna, such as Arlecchina, Colombina, Fantesca, France or China Smeraldina, was often played by men and " was not necessarily positive and lovely traits " ( Jockel, see below). Also she had slyly as a farmer in the town, where they often became victims of their own naivety. There she had to fight off the importunities both their masters and the servants to be ruler in and about the kitchen with wit and cheeky remarks, but also with filthiest insults to slaps.