PUNCH, the chief character in a popular comic exhibition performed by means of puppets (q.v.). Various accounts are given of the origin of the name. The exhibition is of Italian origin, and the Italian name is Pulcinella, or Policinella. According to one story, a peasant, a well-known character in the market-place of Naples, got the name Pulcinella from dealing in fowls (puleinellt), and after his death was personated in the puppet-shows of the San Carlin° theater. Another account makes the word a corrup tion of Pucci() d'Aniello, the name of a witty buffoon of Acerra who joined a company of players, and became the favorite of the Neapolitan populace. Others give his original name as Paolo Cinella. The variety and inconsistency of the legends show them to be , myths—histories invented to account for the name. The modern Punch is only a modi fication of an ancient mask (q.v.) to be seen represented on ancient vases, and taken per haps from the Oscan Atellame; and the Italian name is pretty evidently a diminutive of pollice, the thumb—Tom Thumb (the dwarfs of northern mythology are sometimes styled deiumling, timmkins). The English name Punch is apparently identical with Eng. paunch; Bavarian punzen, a cask; Ital. punzone, a puncheon; and denotes anything thick and short (e.g., a Suffolk punch). The name Puncleinello seems to have arisen from blending the English and Italian names.
The drama or play in which the modern Punch figures is ascribed to an Italian comedian, Silvio Fiorillo, about 1600. The exhibition soon found its way into other countries, and was very popular in England in the 17th century. Its popularity seems to have reached its height in the time of queen Anne, and Addison has given in the Spectator a regular criticism of one of the performances. The scenes as now given by the itinerant exhibitors of the piece are much shortened from what were originally per formed, in which allusions to public events of the time were occasionally interpolated. The following is an outline of the plot as performed in 1813. Mr. Punch, a gentleman of great personal attraction, is married to Mrs. Judy, by whom he lias a lovely daughter, but to whom no name is given in this piece, the infant being too young to be christened. In a fit of horrid and demoniac jealousy, Punch, like a second Zelueo, strangles his beauteous offspring. Just as he has completed his dreadful purpose Mrs. Judy enters, witnesses the brutal havoc, and exit st reaming; she'soon returns, however, armed with a bhidgeon, and applies it to her husband's bead, "which to the wood returns a wooden sound." Punch at length exasperated seizes another bludgeon, soon vanishes his
already weakened foe, and lays her prostrate at his feet; then seizing the murdered infant and the expiring mother, he flings them both out of the window into the street. The dead bodies having been found, police-officers enter the dwelling of Punch, who flies for his life, mounts his steed; and the author neglecting, like other great poets, the confining unities of time and place, conveys his hero into Spain, where, however, he is arrested by an officer of the terrible inquisition. After enduring the most cruel tortures with incredible fortitude, Punch, by means of a golden key, opens his prison door and escapes. The conclusion of the story is satirical, allegorical, and poetical. The hero is first overtaken by weariness and laziness in the shape of a black dog, which lie fights and conquers; disease in the disguise of a physician next arrests him; but Punch "sees through the thin pretense," and dismisses the doctor with a few derogatory kicks. Death at length visits the fugitive; but Punch lays about his skeleton carcass so lustily, and makes the bones of his antagonist rattle so musically with a bastinado, that "death his death's blow then received." Last of all comes the devil; first tinder the appearance of it lovely female, lint afterwards in his own natural shape, to drag the offender to the infernal regions, to expiate his dreadful crimes. Even this attempt fails, and Punch is left triumphant over doctors, death, mind the devil. -The falls amid the shouts of the conqueror, who. on Ids victorious staff, lifts on high his vanquished foe.
The well-marked peculiarities in the original personification of Punch, which were a high back, distorted breast, and long nose, were intended to give an increased zest to his witticisms; but these features have been much exaggerated ID the now so well-known illustrations of the popular periodical which bears his name.
The performance of Punch, as generally represented, requires the assistance of only two persons—one to carry the theater and work the figures, the other to bear the box of puppets, blow the trumpet, and sometimes keep up the dialogue with the hero of the piece. The movements of the puppets are managed simply by putting the hands tinder the dress, making the second finger and thumb serve for the arias, while the forefinger works the head.