The introduction to Fools and Jesters in Literature, Art, and History: A Bio-Bibliographical Sourcebook (1998) contains a concise and precise categorization of fools. As editor Vicki Janik suggests, there are two subgroups of fools based upon the following criteria:
1. The fool's perception and acknowledgement of his own weaknesses or desires.They can be further divided into the wise fool, the dupe or victim, the trickster or evildoer, and the innocent or holy fool (3).
2. The fool's perception and acknowledgement of the weaknesses or desires of those around him. (3)
Another classification scheme, presented by Francis Douce, originally published in 1839, divides clowns and fools into nine subgroups, including "the general domestic fool, [...] the clown, [...] the female fool, [...] the city or corporation fool, [...] tavern fools, [...] the fool of the ancient theatrical mysteries and moralities, [...] the fool in the old dumb shows exhibited at fairs and perhaps at inns, [...] the fool in the Whitsun ales and Morris dance, [and] the mountebank's fool, or merry Andrew" (499-501). Although Douce's nine-part scheme is more precise in its classification, it is based on the fool's employment status rather than his social function and degree of awareness (Jenstad). The Janik scheme provides more theoretical distinction by concentrating on the character traits and motivations of each of the types of fools. It is also important to note that "some fools elude any category, and some fit into more than one category" (Janik 4); we can only use categories if we recognise our imposed limitations. Failing to do so would be to exhibit our own foolishness.
-- Victoria Abboud, 2001