Was Pulcinella a Pastafarian? -- Folk plays, Folk Religions and the Evolution of Carnival

My talk will draw parallels between the anarchic character of Pulcinella and certain features of the universal Folk Play. In particular, there is The Hero's opposition to authority and invulnerability to any form of attack -- The Doctor will always revive him since he, like Pulcinella, is an everyman. There are also parallels in the plausible origin of the folk play as a replacement -- or revival -- of the practice of Carnival, in which the natural order of society is subverted for a short period; or the Feast of Fools, during which the principal tenets of religion may be mocked with impunity. Our own hero, Pulcinella, would most likely have adopted, as parody religion, a firm belief in the Flying Spaghetti Monster -- not least because of his inordinate fondness for pasta!