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Pantalone in the White House
In literary terms — Trump is a comic character, miscast in the epic drama of American history
Pantalone operates on the assumption that everything can be bought and sold, and this turns out to be true, with the exception of loyalty (and love). But he also loves money for its own sake and will therefore only part with it when there is no other option. When things do not go his way he quickly slips into emotional extremes, particularly enraged petty tyranny. He has a long memory and never forgets or forgives the slightest past transgression.
John Rudlin, Commedia Dell’Arte: An Actor’s Handbook
There’s a never-ending stream of interpretation and analysis on the subject of Donald Trump. But none of it quite reaches the heart of the matter — which is literary, not political.
To understand Donald Trump, think of him as a theatrical character. And to understand his self-scripted play, just think of it as a commedia del arte performance.
The Commedia Tradition
Commedia was extremely popular in Italy and France from the 16th through the 18th centuries — something comparable to today’s “reality” TV. Like Real Housewives of Wherever, it was a formulaic entertainment in which plot elements and characters…
