Final answer:
Commedia dell'arte is an improvisational, actor-driven form of comedy originating from 16th century Italy. It features stock characters like Capitano and Arlechino and influenced playwrights such as Shakespeare and Molière. It is not attributed to a single author as the performances were based on improvisation and familiar scenarios.
Step-by-step explanation:
Commedia dell'arte is a form of theatre that originated in Italy in the 16th century, characterized by its use of stock characters, improvisation, and a loose plot structure to guide the actors. This comedic art form flourished during that time and has had a lasting impact on comedy across Europe. Commedia dell'arte includes a host of recognizable characters, such as the boastful Capitano, the cunning servants known as zanni (with Arlechino or Harlequin being the most famous), the greedy old man Pantalone, and the foolish Dottore, a doctor character. The performances would often incorporate audience suggestions and relied heavily on trained actors' improvisational skills. While commedia dell'arte did influence playwrights like Shakespeare and Molière, it was not written by a singular author; rather, it was an actor-driven tradition with parts often improvised on the spot based on well-understood character roles and scenarios.
The legacy of commedia dell'arte is evident in many works of dramatic literature and has deeply influenced comedic writing from its inception through to the present day. It draws its roots from the reworkings of Greek comedies by Roman playwrights like Plautus, who helped establish the foundation for stock characters and farcical plotlines that became characteristic of commedia dell'arte.