Harpo Marx as Trickster

<p> The author invites readers to spend time in the pleasure of Harpo's cinematic company while comparing him to tricksters from folklore myth and legend. The book demonstrates how Harpo the sweetest wildest most magical Marx brother accomplishes the archetypal trickster's work. Thirteen chapters examine Harpo's trickster persona closely in each of the Marx Brothers' films: <I>The Cocoanuts Animal Crackers Monkey Business Horse Feathers Duck Soup A Night at the Opera A Day at the Races Room Service At the Circus Go West The Big Store A Night in Casablanca</I> and <I>Love Happy</I>.</p><p> Harpo as trickster embodies luck foolishness cleverness mania hunger lust stealing shape-shifting gender-bending alliance with underdogs attacks on the powerful musicality sympathy for animals magic and mischief. His trickster behaviors in all the films are woven into a composite impression that with a little luck will resonate beyond the covers of this book and leak out into the world making it a more just flexible resilient amusing and magical place.</p>