Marionettes in History
Marionettes have been used throughout history to fill in for humans and tell stories that other puppets, and sometimes human actors, are unable to tell. Marionettes are unique puppets in that they can be made to mimic human behavior through an intricate series of strings.
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What Is a Marionette?
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A marionette is a puppet that is controlled by strings that are usually hidden by the top of a small stage. A marionette is created to copy human anatomy. The person that operates the controls of a marionette is called a manipulator.
Ancient Origin of Marionettes
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Marionettes can be traced back to the year 2,000 B.C. in Egypt, where marionette-like puppets were placed near the deceased in burials. At an some point in time, these puppets spread to Rome and Greece, and by the 1800s, had become popular in Europe.
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The Marionette in Europe
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Although Italy has been known as the modern-day birthplace of marionettes, the Czech Republic and Germany have also been known for marionette-making. These puppets were used to teach lessons of morality or express vulgar acts that humans were not otherwise meant to perform.
The Marionette in North America
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The Hopi tribe of Arizona was also known to use marionette puppets during their annual Palu Lakonti. They created a large snake-like puppet that was controlled from strings above.
The Marionette in Myanmar
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Troupes of marionettes were commissioned by royalty in Myanmar (Burma) to teach a lesson to those who had made a mistake in their court. They would ask the troupe to put a on a small play showing how the mistake had affected others. This was often done metaphorically.
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