The group includes Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle (the trio from Cambridge, who are all taller than all the other members of the group, and known as the more "aggressive" half of the group), Terry Jones (from Wales), Michael Palin (from Oxford) and Terry Gilliam (Minnesota in the United States). Chapman wrote the sketches with Cleese, Jones wrote with Palin, Idle wrote alone and Gilliam did the animations. Neil Innes and Carol Cleveland have both on occasion been mentioned as the "7th Python".
Graham Chapman, widely known as "The Dead One", died of cancer on October 4, 1989, the day before Python's 20th anniversary (thus being called "the greatest party pooper of all time" by Terry Jones), is tagged as the greatest actor among the group by his fellow Pythons. He had problems with alcohol and was a dedicated smoker of the pipe (he appears with a pipe in his hand in most of the Python sketches). He was known for his outstanding and abstract sense of humour; Cleese states that during their sketch-writing partnership Chapman did not say much, but when he said something it was often brilliant. The term "pepperpot" which is used to describe middle-aged ladies was found by Chapman.
John Cleese, probably the most famous Python on the other side of the Atlantic, is most widely known for his silly walk - the famous walk that he invented for Monty Python's Flying Circus, and repeated in one episode of Fawlty Towers, where he tries very hard not to remind his German visitors of the World War II by doing impersonations of Hitler. He lives in the USA. He played the lead as Basil Fawlty in "Fawlty Towers". He has been reported to be the first man to say "shit" on British TV and the first man to say "fuck" at a British memorial service.
Eric Idle is the composer of most Python songs (along with Neil Innes) such as the Python anthem "Always Look on the Bright Side Of Life" (which is also played after Iron Maiden's shows). His outstanding linguistic abilities have earned him the name "Master of the One-Liner". He created the Beatles parody "The Rutles" along with Neil Innes, and recently adapted the Python movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" as a Broadway musical called "Monty Python's Spamalot". His most famous Python role is the character he plays in the "Nudge Nudge" sketch. He is the self-acclaimed third tallest and sixth nicest Python.
Terry Gilliam was the only American in the group and has one of the most successful post-Python careers among the six, as he is the director of hugely popular movies like Brazil, 12 Monkeys, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and The Fisher King. His part was instrumental in helping Python gain their reputation as a unique comedy group, his animations helping them link sketches (which, of course, don't have punch lines) in an unprecedented manner. He has become a British citizen in early 2006 and renounced his American citizenship shortly afterwards. He acknowledges The Goon Show, a radio show aired in the 1950s on BBC radio, written by Spike Milligan and performed by Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers, as the main reason he chose Britain as his homeland.
Terry Jones is the most successful actor of the woman role (as demonstrated in the Spam sketch, which is only one of numerous occasions in which he has voiced the trademark of a high-pitched female impersonation). He is the director (or co-director) of all Python movies. He has also written, directed and appeared in a few more movies which featured some of his Python mates; despite the fact that these movies aren't quite a match for his work in the Flying Circus, they include some hilarious scenes, such as the singing scene in Erik the Viking. He is the writer of such excellent songs as "I'm So Worried" and "Traffic Lights". He has done a few historical documentaries, and in one of them he briefly acts the part of King Richard III (called "Ring Kichard the Thrid" by the Eric Idle character "the man who speaks entirely in anagrams", which prompts Michael Palin the interviewer to suggest that "Ring Kichard is surely a spoonerism and not an anagram", which results in Eric Idle's character leaving the studio, saying "If you are going to split hairs, I'm going to piss off" (which can serve as a pointer to the Eric Idle-John Cleese movie "Splitting Heirs")).
Michael Palin, known as the nicest python, and the favorite Python to work with for John Cleese, has done numerous travel documentaries during his post-Python career. His amazing sense of humour has inevitably permeated into what would otherwise be just ordinary documentaries (occasions like the Polushka Pole incident and thanking the goddess for her "nice mountain", to name a couple). This nice man, who finds it very difficult to say "no", is the only one who said "no" to a reunion in their 30th year. He is the inventor of the threat "If you don't cooperate, I will get nasty and start using some Dutch words".
As admitted on several occasions, the group likes to dress up as women.
Having said all that, Terry Jones is actually Welsh.
Constitutional Peasant
Monty Python Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dennis: MAN!
Arthur: Old man, sorry. What knight lives in that castle over there?
Dennis: I'm 37.
Arthur: What?
Dennis: I'm 37, I'm not old!
Arthur: Well, I can't just call you "man".
Dennis: You could say "Dennis".
Dennis: Well you didn't bother to find out, did you?
Arthur: I did say I'm sorry about the "old woman" thing, but from behind you looked...
Dennis: What I object to is you automatically treatin' me like an inferior.
Arthur: Well, I am king.
Dennis: Oh, king, eh? Very nice. And how'd you get that, eh? By exploiting the workers! By hanging on to outdated imperialist dogma which perpetuates the economic and social differences in our society! If there's ever going to be any progress...
Dennis' Mother: Dennis, Dennis, there's some lovely filth down here! [sees Arthur] Oh. How'd you do?
Arthur: How do you do, good lady? I am Arthur, king of the Britons. Whose castle is that?
Dennis' Mother: King of the who?
Arthur: The Britons.
Dennis' Mother: Who are the Britons?
Arthur: Well, we are. You are all Britons and I am your king.
Dennis' Mother: I didn't know we had a king. I thought we were an autonomous collective.
Dennis: You're fooling yourself. We're living in a dictatorship! A self-perpetuating autocracy in which the working classes...
Dennis' Mother: Oh there you go, bringing class into it again!
Dennis: But that's what it's all about! If only people would realise...
Arthur: Please, please, good people. I am in haste. Who lives in that castle?
Dennis' Mother: No one lives there.
Arthur: Then who is your lord?
Dennis' Mother: We don't have a lord.
Arthur: What?!
Dennis: I told you. We're an anarcho-syndicalist commune. We take it in turns to act as sort-of-executive officer for the week...
Arthur: Yes.
Dennis: ... But all the decisions of that officer have to be ratified at a special biweekly meeting...
Arthur: Yes, I see.
Dennis:... by a simple majority, in the case of purely internal affairs...
Arthur: [getting bored] Be quiet.
Dennis:... but by a two thirds majority, in the case of more major —
Arthur: Be quiet! I order you to be quiet!
Dennis' Mother: Order, eh? Who does he think he is?
Arthur: I am your king!
Dennis' Mother: Well I didn't vote for you.
Arthur: You don't vote for kings!
Dennis' Mother: How'd you become king, then?
Arthur: The Lady of the Lake,... [Angel chorus begins singing in background] her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water signifying by Divine Providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. [Angel chorus ends] THAT is why I am your king!
Dennis: Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.
Arthur: Be quiet!
Dennis: You can't expect to wield supreme executive power just 'cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!
Arthur: Shut up!
Dennis: I mean, if I went 'round saying I was an emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!
Arthur: Shut up! Will you shut up?! [Grabs Dennis and shakes him]
Dennis: Ah, now we see the violence inherent in the system!
Arthur: Shut up!
Dennis: Oh! Come and see the violence inherent in the system! HELP, HELP, I'M BEING REPRESSED!
Arthur: BLOODY PEASANT!!
Dennis: Oh, what a giveaway. Did you hear that? Did you hear that, eh? That's what I'm on about! Did you see him repressing me? You saw it, didn't you?
The lyrics of this Monty Python song named Constitutional Peasant revolves around Arthur, the king, and Dennis, a commoner. As Arthur tries to ask Dennis about the knight who lives in the castle over there, the latter becomes offended by the way the king treats him. Dennis starts to talk about social and economic differences between, in a way, accusing Arthur of being an exploiter of workers. His mother then interrupts, saying that they are living in a self-perpetuating autocracy, which is a dictatorship, and brings class into the discussion. Meanwhile, Arthur is becoming annoyed with Dennis' long explanations on the type of government they practice, an anarcho-syndicalist commune, which leads to a chaotic argument between them. At some point, Dennis shouts for help, accusing Arthur of repression and violence, and the song ends with the king calling him a bloody peasant.
The song is satirical and humorous, as it highlights the absurdity and flaws of different types of government and the social and economic inequalities that often exist between classes. It also pokes fun at the notion of divine providence, as Arthur claims his kingship was bestowed on him by the Lady of the Lake, while Dennis points out the inadequacy of such a ceremony as a basis for a system of government. Furthermore, the song portrays the desire of people for equal rights and voices, which is highlighted by Dennis' mother's statement about living in a dictatorship.
Line by Line Meaning
Old woman!
Arthur mistakes Dennis for a woman
MAN!
Dennis corrects Arthur on his gender
Old man, sorry. What knight lives in that castle over there?
Arthur asks Dennis which knight resides in the nearby castle.
I'm 37.
Dennis informs Arthur of his age.
What?
Arthur is surprised and confused by Dennis' age.
I'm 37, I'm not old!
Dennis insists that he is still relatively young at 37 years of age.
Well, I can't just call you "man".
Arthur acknowledges that he cannot address Dennis without using his name.
You could say "Dennis".
Dennis suggests that Arthur addresses him by his name.
I didn't know you were called Dennis.
Arthur expresses surprise that Dennis' name is actually Dennis.
Well you didn't bother to find out, did you?
Dennis is upset that Arthur did not take the time to learn his name.
I did say I'm sorry about the "old woman" thing, but from behind you looked...
Arthur tries to explain his confusion about Dennis' gender.
What I object to is you automatically treatin' me like an inferior.
Dennis takes offense to the way Arthur has been addressing him.
Well, I am king.
Arthur asserts his dominance as the king.
Oh, king, eh? Very nice. And how'd you get that, eh? By exploiting the workers! By hanging on to outdated imperialist dogma which perpetuates the economic and social differences in our society! If there's ever going to be any progress...
Dennis challenges Arthur's right to be king based on his belief that the monarchy perpetuates social inequality and economic injustice.
Dennis, Dennis, there's some lovely filth down here! [sees Arthur] Oh. How'd you do?
Dennis' Mother interrupts the conversation with her own comment about some filth on the ground before acknowledging Arthur's presence.
How do you do, good lady? I am Arthur, king of the Britons. Whose castle is that?
Arthur introduces himself to Dennis' Mother and inquires about the owner of the nearby castle.
King of the who?
Dennis' Mother is surprised and confused about Arthur's claim to be the King of the Britons.
Well, we are. You are all Britons and I am your king.
Arthur explains his belief that all people present are Britons, and thus under his rule as king.
I didn't know we had a king. I thought we were an autonomous collective.
Dennis' Mother challenges Arthur's assertion that she and others are his subjects and suggests that they operate under an autonomous collective.
You're fooling yourself. We're living in a dictatorship! A self-perpetuating autocracy in which the working classes...
Dennis disagrees with Arthur's claim of a monarchy and argues that they live under a dictatorship that only serves the interests of the ruling class and disadvantages the working class.
Oh there you go, bringing class into it again!
Dennis' Mother dismisses Dennis' argument about class as an often-repeated topic of discussion.
But that's what it's all about! If only people would realise...
Dennis insists that class-based inequality is what the entire discussion is about and wishes that more people would understand this issue.
Please, please, good people. I am in haste. Who lives in that castle?
Arthur tries to steer the conversation back to his original query about the castle's inhabitant.
No one lives there.
Dennis' Mother answers Arthur's query about the castle and states that it is unoccupied.
Then who is your lord?
Arthur wants to know who holds authority over the land where the castle stands.
We don't have a lord.
Dennis' Mother replies that there is no lord in their community.
What?!
Arthur is taken aback and surprised by the notion that there is no lord over the land.
I told you. We're an anarcho-syndicalist commune. We take it in turns to act as sort-of-executive officer for the week...
Dennis explains that they are an anarcho-syndicalist community and that they all take turns as an executive officer on a weekly basis.
Yes.
Arthur acknowledges Dennis' explanation of their anarcho-syndicalist community structure.
... But all the decisions of that officer have to be ratified at a special biweekly meeting...
Dennis expands on the requirements for the executive officer's decisions to be ratified by a biweekly meeting.
Yes, I see.
Arthur shows he understands Dennis' explanation of the executive officer's decision-making process.
... by a simple majority, in the case of purely internal affairs...
Dennis further specifies the process for decision-making based on the type of issue at hand.
Be quiet.
Arthur interrupts Dennis' explanation and tells him to stop talking.
... but by a two thirds majority, in the case of more major —
Dennis continues to explain the decision-making process for more major issues.
Be quiet! I order you to be quiet!
Arthur tries to silence Dennis by ordering him to stop talking.
Order, eh? Who does he think he is?
Dennis' Mother finds Arthur's attempt to enforce silence as indicative of his sense of entitlement and Narcissism.
I am your king!
Arthur proclaims himself as the people's king, with authority over them.
Well I didn't vote for you.
Dennis' Mother challenges Arthur's authority and asserts that she did not vote for him to be king.
You don't vote for kings!
Arthur explains that kingship is not an elected role, but one that is inherited or established through other means.
The Lady of the Lake,... [Angel chorus begins singing in background] her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water signifying by Divine Providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. [Angel chorus ends] THAT is why I am your king!
Arthur recounts his story of being chosen by the Lady of the Lake, who delivered Excalibur into his possession, as evidence of his divinely appointed kingship.
Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.
Dennis argues that Arthur's kingship cannot be based on a random occurrence involving a sword from a body of water, but rather from a mandate derived from the masses, i.e., democracy.
You can't expect to wield supreme executive power just 'cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!
Dennis further criticizes Arthur's claim to supreme executive power and mocks the idea of receiving a sword from a watery 'tart' as a basis of legitimacy.
Shut up!
Arthur berates Dennis for his continuous interruption.
I mean, if I went 'round saying I was an emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!
Dennis offers another analogy to disprove Arthur's claim of kingship. This time he uses the example of calling oneself an emperor because of a lucky encounter with a woman who lobbed a sword at him.
Shut up! Will you shut up?! [Grabs Dennis and shakes him]
Arthur loses his temper and resorts to physical violence, shaking Dennis to stop him from speaking.
Ah, now we see the violence inherent in the system!
Dennis reacts to Arthur's violent response, saying that it is an inherent characteristic of the system that they live in as anarcho-syndicalists.
BLOODY PEASANT!!
Arthur returns to his previous disdainful attitude towards Dennis, calling him a 'peasant'.
Oh, what a giveaway. Did you hear that? Did you hear that, eh? That's what I'm on about! Did you see him repressing me? You saw it, didn't you?
Dennis reacts to Arthur's insinuation that he is a peasant and suggests that his reaction, including the use of violence, is proof of his repression of the working class.
Contributed by Camden V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@adams.2407
I love how the peasants are just making a pile of mud like 7 year olds while describing complicated political theory
@DrLoverLover
It's supposed to symbolize poor people. Poor people are not stupid
@JerryMetal
what are you talking about? that was some lovely filth xD
@arturnotyourbusinessyoutub1294
The "complicated political theory" is just collectivist garbage, so it fits with their mud-collecting activity.
@Rayhan1649
I thought they were making fertilizer or something
@Mantorok
@@DrLoverLover It's meant to symbolize that anarcho-syndicalists are.
@cmuniz
“I’m your king!”
“Well I didn’t vote for you…”
Simply amazing line 😆
@darkblue1566
I just lose my sh*t every time I hear that!
@moritzgoldi453
Also referenced in Warcraft 3 (Clicking on a human worker multiple times)
@darkblue1566
@moritzgoldi453 Monty Python has had an impact generally on so many, regardless of geography.