It is possible to differentiate between different types of puppets.
A puppet is a doll that moves using strings or another procedure . It can be made of cloth, wood or any other material and allows plays to be performed, generally aimed at children.
More specifically we can establish that there are three main types of puppets:
Glove puppet . As its name indicates, it is one that is shaped like a glove so the artist who works with it inserts his hand into it and then moves it as he pleases. However, there is a variation and it is that set of puppets that are inserted into the fingers.
String puppet , which moves through some threads that are hooked and at the end of which are the hands of the puppeteer who will move them.
Base puppet . They are called that because it has a wooden support and also a rod, which are the elements that allow you to work with it while holding it.
Shadows and silhouettes , whether articulated or not, are also known as types of puppets.
history of puppets
The history of puppets, also known as marionettes , dates back to Ancient Greece . The Greeks used the concept of neurospasta to refer to puppets, a word linked to movement with strings. The Romans also used puppets for entertainment.
It is important that whoever handles the puppet can hide and only leave the doll in public view. In this way, the illusion is created that the puppet has a life of its own and moves without any guide.
The history of puppets is very old.
Presence on TV
It is interesting to note that currently on the Spanish television scene there are some puppets that have become important figures. We are referring to Petancas, Trancas and Barrancas, three violet ants who interview the famous people who attend the program "El Hormiguero."
However, other significant television puppets have existed before. This would be the case of some of the most loved and followed characters from the children's space "Sesame Street", which had great success among children around the world during the 1980s. Epi, Blas or Coco were some of those mythical puppets that are part of our cultural heritage.
Mastery of a puppet
The person who operates a puppet is known as a puppeteer . It is a true art that requires a lot of practice to master the doll perfectly.
The most advanced puppets are able to move different parts of the body and face independently, so the puppeteer must have excellent coordination of their movements.
A person controlled by another
In colloquial language, the term puppet also refers to a person who allows himself to be manipulated by another (in the same way as the doll). In this sense, it is a defamatory accusation, since it assumes that the subject in question does not have his own thoughts but rather repeats what another tells him.
It is common that, in the field of politics , certain individuals are accused of being puppets of more powerful others, who are actually behind their initiatives and proposals.