Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Comparative Literature Department, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2008. / Typescript.

The aim of this thesis is to introduce the popular puppet theatre called Opera dei Pupi, which was developed mainly in Sicily in the second half of the 19th century. The first part desrcibes literary influences that nourished this tradition, from which puppeteers derived topics for their repertoire. These stories were primarily about the French king Charlemagne and his knights and were called paladins. I am trying to map the form of an adaptation of this topic for Opera dei Pupi needs and the way of connection with oral tradition. Furthermore I am going to mention the secondary repertoire of the theatre for example farce. Next chapter focuses on a formal side of the Opera dei Pupi including puppeteer's personality, his work and activities, structure of the theatre itself, characteristics of puppets and handling them. Furthermore this section also describes a specific concept of everyday's performances "to be continued" and how were these performaces organized in practice. The analytical part focuses on a process of putting plot on a scene, which includes both improvisation and fixed rules approach. The principal theme of this part is the so-called copione, which are the puppeteer's own handwritten notes, on which the show was based. This section also includes numerous excerpts not only from copione but also...

The usage of puppets in nursery school In its theoretical part, my diploma thesis presents the preschool-age children's game and focuses on its object and the perception of the puppet as a toy. It approaches the theory and function of the puppet from its educational point of view. Further, it points to various methods of their usage and to the relation between the teacher and a puppet. In the conclusion, it includes some suggestions to make simple puppets. Next part of this work results from the research on the relation between children and puppets within the educational process in nursery school. It approximates children's displays towards the puppet and their ability to distinguish between the puppet and the teacher. Further, it is supplemented with the research on different methods of using the puppets and the experience within the pedagogues' practice. Key words: Marionette theatre, puppets, a preschool-age child, nursery school, the education of a preschool-age child, game, the object of the game