“Say, Who Are You Anyway?”: Clowns, Childhood, and Madness in The Character of Harpo Marx

A literary criticism of the book "Harpo Speaks!," the autobiography of American comedian and actor Harpo Marx, also known Adolph or Arthur Marx, is presented, focusing on depictions of Marx's childhood. It comments on growing up in New York City, the bullying and intimidation Marx faced as a Jewish child, and the idea of childhood madness. Aspects of Vaudeville in Marx's acting are also considered