ABSTRACT
In its long history European puppetry has developed various forms, and their synchronic existence today has become one of puppetry's characteristic features. For centuries, puppetry also connected to different genres including Medieval Mystery plays, commedia dell’arte, opera, variety, circus and melodrama, and was inspired as well by narrative forms including the popular tales of chivalry. The majority of these were adapted by puppeteers into folk styles utilizing such comic figures as Pulcinella, Polichinelle, Punch, Petrushka, Hanswurst, Kasper, Kašparek, Guignol, Tchantchès, Woltje, Cassandrino, Gianduja, Gerolamo and many others. Generally created as string-puppets or hand-puppets, very occasionally they became rod-puppets (Hänneschen) or even shadow-puppets (karagöz).
