Beyond the Jester: Pocket’s Multi-dimensional Trickster Identity in Christopher Moore’s The Serpent of Venice

Abstract

The paper titled, “Beyond the Jester: Pocket’s Multi-dimensional Trickster Identity in Christopher Moore’s The Serpent of Venice” tries to dissect the trickster traits embodied in the character named Pocket, a fool in the novel. The paper defines as well as briefs out the major characteristic features attributed to the trickster figure in general. Pocket, the fool portrayed by Christopher Moore is different from that of Shakespeare’s fool. Shakespeare depicted Pocket only as a supporting character; whereas Moore’s Pocket is the main character. Moore characterized Pocket as a foolish, crude and crazy figure with good intentions which resembles a trickster. Tricksters are generally treated as the mythical characters commonly found in the folktales and mythology that carries specific traits that makes them different from that of a fool or jester or even clowns. Tricksters are also considered to be a source of humour or laughter that through their tales transmit some moral values. Pocket in The Serpent of Venice takes in some features which make it similar to the so-called mythical figure, trickster. Thus, the paper intends to analyse how trickster qualities like ambiguity, shape-shifting, sexual appetite, lying, boasting, and messenger/imitator of Gods and so on are present in the characteristic of the fool, Pocket which makes him different from Shakespeare’s representation.