Meet the jesters who’ve spoken truth to power around the globe and across centuries
The word ‘jester’ is often synonymous with medieval European court entertainers donning floppy, bell-adorned hats. But, as this short from TED-Ed reveals, the concept of a jokester or performer with some licence to challenge rulers and the nobility spans both centuries and the globe, with the earliest known instance occurring in China in the 7th century BCE. With an appropriately waggish animation style, the video introduces viewers to some notable historical jesters from around the world while exploring the many roles, responsibilities and degrees of influence they possessed.
videoHistory
In Stalin’s home city in Georgia, generations clash over his legacy
20 minutes
videoHistory
In the face of denial, this film uncovers the hidden scars of Indonesia’s 1998 riots
21 minutes
videoIllness and disease
Humanity eradicated smallpox 45 years ago. It’s a story worth remembering
25 minutes
videoArt
When East met West in the images of an overlooked, original photographer
9 minutes
videoHistory
Hags, seductresses, feminist icons – how gender dynamics manifest in witches
13 minutes
videoFairness and equality
‘To my old master’ – a freed slave answers the request to return to his old plantation
7 minutes
videoInformation and communication
‘Astonished and somewhat terrified’ – Victorians’ reactions to the phonograph
36 minutes
videoArchaeology
What’s an ancient Greek brick doing in a Sumerian city? An archeological investigation
16 minutes
videoHistory
From Afghanistan to Virginia – the Muslims who fought in the American Civil War
22 minutes