Studies devoted solely to methods of characterization in Philippine dramatic plays have been relatively few. In addition to language, the playwright Piux Kabahar presents odd characters, those with offbeat thoughts and behaviors. A reading of Kabahar’s comic plays will yield a surprisingly large number where one finds the character of the fool. The fool is not an artificial creation as he is found in real life. Culturally, the fool may be seen as a laughingstock and as somebody divinely inspired, as a mentally or physically deformed human being, but also one with insights not given to other people. Every fool part, no matter how minor it may be, has a contribution to make towards the audience’s understanding of the play, or the point of view on which one bases their final interpretation. In the areas of life where one is prone to idiocy, Kabahar provides several examples: mockeries which have the power to teach and Kabahar makes use of the fool so that the audience may be educated. This paper discusses Kabahar’s several fools: the tagabukid or probinsiyano (country bumpkin) like Posoy in Seguro ang Pansit; the siaw nga sulugoon (comic servant) like Karyo in Ontoy; the gupon such as the character of Tolindoy in Mutya (Jewel, 1929); the buang, specifically the buang sa gugma such as Liyoy in Buang (Fool), and the pilosopo such as Menes in Bungang Ginadili (Forbidden Fruit, 1932).

Authors:
Hope Yu, University of San Carlos, Philippines

About the Presenter(s)
Professor Hope Yu is a University Professor/Principal Lecturer at University of San Carlos in Philippines

See this presentation on the full schedule – Sunday Schedule

Bookmark