# Punch and judy puppets... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 25, 2002, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-and-judy-puppets/138625 "2002-11-25T08:56:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![the\_duke\_69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@the\_duke\_69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_duke_69)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2002, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-and-judy-puppets/138625/1 "2002-11-25T08:56:20Z")
Where did they get there name and who created them…any help would be apriciated! ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2002, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-and-judy-puppets/138625/2 "2002-11-25T09:26:02Z")
Mr Punch is an anglicisation of the character Pulcinella, who appeared in the Italian _Commedia dell’Arte_ theatres of the 16[sup]th[/sup] to 18[sup]th[/sup] centuries, but the character of Punch is said to be much older than that. According to [this site](http://www.punchandjudyworld.org/WWFPJ/PJhist.html), Judy was originally called Joan, and was added by English puppeteers in the 17[sup]th[/sup] century. Puppet theatres (initially string puppets, later glove puppets) were growing in popularity as part of the upsurge in public entertainments following Cromwell’s period of austerity. Other characters, such as the policeman, crocodile and live dog called Toby were added gradually. [This site](http://www.punchandjudy.com/home.htm) contains numerous links, and claims that: > [@](#): > > Children’s favourite Punch and Judy shows are full of sexual titillation aimed at adults, drama researchers say… The art of Punch and Judy dates back to the Italian Renaissance and because Italy was heavily influenced by the Greeks, symbolism and fertility rights became an integral part of Italian culture and art. > … > Punch and Judy are seen dancing during the performance, which is a well known dramatic interpretation of the sexual act, but when Judy presents Punch with a baby he is very angry and hits them both and tries to throw the baby out of the window. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punch-and-judy-puppets/138625/3 "2002-11-26T00:20:58Z")
> [@](#): > > Judy presents Punch with a baby he is very angry and hits them both and tries to throw the baby out of the window. Aw, you’re kidding me. We call this the _Michael_ and Judy show. 😃