Literary notes about frolicsome (AI summary)
The word "frolicsome" has been masterfully employed by writers to evoke a sense of playful liveliness and whimsical charm. Literary examples illustrate its versatility: Henri Bergson describes a dynamic, almost magical natural process as "frolicsome" in the movement of snow-white foam following shifting outlines [1], while Giovanni Boccaccio uses it to characterize a spirited lady whose laughter underscores her merry disposition [2]. Walt Whitman extends this imagery to nature itself, attributing a playful, lively quality to the motion of water in a gentle breeze [3]. In a more intimate domestic scene, Anne Brontë's depiction of a young boy playing with his little dog reveals the term’s capacity to capture innocent, spirited interaction [4]. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Michel de Montaigne further explore its connotations, from the mischievous behavior of maidens [5] to the charming, carefree digressions of creative expression [6]. Together, these examples demonstrate how "frolicsome" enriches visual and character portrayals across genres and eras.
- A fringe of snow-white foam, feathery and frolicsome, follows their changing outlines.
— from Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic by Henri Bergson - The lady, laughing, for that she was a frolicsome dame and doubtless had cause to laugh, answered merrily; 'How?
— from The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio by Giovanni Boccaccio - It was full tide, a fair breeze from the southwest, the water of a pale tawny color, and just enough motion to make things frolicsome and lively.
— from Complete Prose Works by Walt Whitman - Mrs. Graham herself was not to be seen; but there was Arthur playing with his frolicsome little dog in the garden.
— from The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë - Luckless wight doomed through a whole summer day to be the butt of mirth and mischief among the frolicsome maidens!
— from Twice-told tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne - how beautiful are these frolicsome sallies, those variations and digressions, and all the more when they seem most fortuitous and careless.
— from Essays of Michel de Montaigne — Complete by Michel de Montaigne
