Puck

That Shrewd and Knavish Sprite Called Robin Goodfellow

by Allen W. Wright

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, Act 3, scene 2

Oberon, Titania and Puck with Fairies Dancing by William Blake. c.1786, from Tate Britain

In honour of that merry wanderer of the night

This site is dedicated to Puck, that mischievous imp of English folklore, also known as Robin Goodfellow or as a Hobgoblin. This trickster was immortalized in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Learn about the character's history and his appearances in ballads, plays, movies, modern novels and television shows.

TOP SECTIONS

Link to an article on this history of Puck, art by Henry Fuseli is

Puck Through the Ages: The History of a Hobgoblin

Trace the history of this mischievous fairy through his different names and natures from medieval tradition to modern pop culture

Link to reviews of film and TV versions of A Midsummer Night's Dream

Puck on Film

Review of the various movie and TV adaptations of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, including the live cinema broadcasts of stage productions

The Ballads of Robin Goodfellow

Two 17th century ballads about Robin Goodfellow and a 19th century Irish fairy tale about the Pooka

ALL SECTIONS

PUCK THROUGH THE AGES - THE HISTORY OF A HOBGOBLIN - Trace the history of this mischievous fairy through his different names and natures from medieval tradition to modern pop culture
PUCK ON FILM - Review of the various movie and TV adaptations of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, including the live cinema broadcasts of stage productions
THE BALLADS OF ROBIN GOODFELLOW - Two 17th century ballads about Robin Goodfellow and a 19th century Irish fairy tale about the Pooka
PUCK LINKS - Links to other websites about Puck aka Robin Goodfellow, Shakespeare and more
PUCK: A PERSONAL JOURNEY - How I first got interested in Robin Goodfellow
WHAT THE TRICKSTER MEANS TO ME - A look at the classic archetype
A HOBGOBLIN'S BOOKSTORE - A place to buy books and videos about Puck

Would you like to learn more about Robin Hood? Check out these other sections of this website

ROBIN HOOD -- BOLD OUTLAW OF BARNSDALE AND SHERWOOD - The index page of a website with extensive resources covering the Robin Hood legend from its medieval beginnings to the present day
WOLFSHEAD THROUGH THE AGES: THE HISTORY OF ROBIN HOOD - Learn about the growth and development of the Robin Hood legend from the medieval ballads to the modern movies and TV shows
BEGINNER'S GUIDE - Basic information about the Robin Hood legend as it exists in popular culture
ROBIN HOOD FAQ - The answers to your frequently asked questions about Robin Hood include links to further information
ROBIN HOOD TALES - Read Robin Hood ballads, poems, short stories and comic books

© Text and banner picture, Copyright 2022 Allen W. Wright - All Rights Reserved
Additional pictures are copyright their respective holders and are used without permission under fair use for the purposes of criticism and review
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from the book and video links associated with these articles (at no additional cost to you).

This page is a part of Robin Hood -- Bold Outlaw of Barnsdale and Sherwood