Pulcinella (; ) is a classical character that originated in of the 17th century and became a stock character in Neapolitan puppetry. Pulcinella's versatility in status and attitude has captivated audiences worldwide and kept the character popular in countless forms since his introduction to by in 1620.
His visual appearance includes a humpback, a crooked nose, gangly legs, a potbelly, large cheeks, and a gigantic mouth. These traits were inherited from two stock characters of the Atellan Farce. He typically wears a pointed hat (conical hat). When depicted as a member of the upper class, Pulcinella is a cunning thief and schemer. When depicted as a member of the servant class, Pulcinella is a perverted bumpkin. In either case, he is a social climber, striving to rise above his station in life. He is an opportunist who always sides with the winner in any situation and who fears no consequences. His main motivations are self-interest and self-preservation, yet Pulcinella tends to rescue other characters from trouble. He is said to be every character's savior, despite acting as a rebel and a delinquent.
Characteristics
Pulcinella embodies the Neapolitan plebians, the simplest man who occupies the bottom place on the social scale, the man who, although aware of his problems, always manages to come out of them with a smile. On that basis, many writers have come to refer to Pulcinella, in retrospect, as a model ENFP of sorts (based on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator 16 personality test).
Pulcinella represents the soul of the people and its primitive instincts. He almost always appears in contradiction, so much so that he does not have fixed traits. He may be rich or poor, a bully or a coward—sometimes exhibiting both traits simultaneously. In addition to being a faithful servant, he adapts to all trades: baker, innkeeper, farmer, thief, seller of miraculous concoctions.
His movements are broad and laborious, allowing him to aggressively emphasize his speech while simultaneously exhausting him. He will also get excited about something and move very quickly and deliberately, leaving him with no choice but to halt the action to catch his breath. He is to be thought of as a rebellious delinquent in the body of an old man.
The quality that best distinguishes Pulcinella is his cunning, with which he manages to solve the disparate problems that arise in front of him—always, however, in favor of the weakest at the expense of the powerful.
Another famous characteristic of his is that of never being able to shut up; from this trait comes the expression in several European languages "Pulcinella's secret" (i.e., an open secret that everyone knows).
Pulcinella's repertoire is full of movements, gestures, acrobatics, and dances rooted in Neapolitan culture. Among his accessories are the broom, the horn, and the cowbells, all of which Neapolitans consider charms against the evil eye and bad luck.
Pulcinella has his origins in two stock characters of the ancient Roman Atellan Farce, Maccus and Bucco. Maccus is described as being witty, sarcastic, rude, and cruel, while Bucco is a nervous thief who is as silly as he is full of himself. This duality manifests itself in both how Pulcinella is shaped and the way he acts.
Physically, the characteristics Pulcinella has inherited from his ancestors contribute to his top-heavy, bird-like shape. His humpback, his large, crooked nose, and his gangly legs come from Maccus, while his potbelly, large cheeks, and gigantic mouth come from Bucco.
Due to this duality of heredity, Pulcinella can be portrayed as either a servant or a master, depending on the scenario. "Upper" Pulcinella is more like Bucco, with a scheming nature, an aggressive sensuality, and great intelligence. "Lower" Pulcinella, however, favors Maccus, and is described by Pierre Louis Duchartre as being "a dull and coarse bumpkin." This juxtaposition of proud, cunning thief from the upper class and loud, crass pervert from the servant class is key to understanding Pulcinella's behaviors.
Pulcinella is a dualistic character: he either plays dumb, though he is very much aware of the situation, or he acts as though he is the most intelligent and competent one on the stage, despite being woefully ignorant. He incessantly attempts to rise above his station while not intending to work for it. He is a social chameleon who tries to get those below him to think highly of him but is quick to appease the powerful.