A masque is a formal performance that includes dancing, elaborate costumes, and ornate sets. An anti-masque is an exaggerated, disorderly performance that occurs as part of the pageantry in the presentation of a masque, a formal performance that includes dancing, elaborate costumes, and ornate sets. In 16th and 17th century England, masques were a popular form of court entertainment. In the early 1600s, the anti-masque was introduced. Ben Jonson, the playwright, is widely credited with introducing this innovation to the performance in order to heighten dramatic tension and interest.
Masques originated in formal pageants and flattered their patrons, who were usually monarchs or high-ranking lords. Some courtiers joined in at the height of this form of entertainment, performing elaborate and complex dances while hiding their identities behind masks. Because of the subject matter, anti-masques were usually performed at the beginning or as an interlude, and they were usually performed professional actors rather than courtiers.
The players would be crude and raunchy in this segment of the show, allowing the main masque to provide some sort of resolution. This was usually done to flatter the patron of the performance; for example, the anti-masque might depict popular political opponents, whereas the masque might be an allegory for the monarch, who could restore order and grace. The anti-masque added a sense of pageantry to the performance while also increasing the chances that the patron would be pleased with the flattering resolution.
Anti-masque actors would dress in grotesque costumes and masks, as well as heavy make-up. Some were intended to be frightening, while others included a sense of humour to mock the anti-subjects. masque’s For example, a performer dressed as a politician might engage in crude jokes based on bodily humor, and performers may purposefully trip, fall, and move in ungainly and awkward ways. The level of dramatization was determined the performance and the creator’s instructions, which were always tailored to the patron’s preferences.
Performances of this type continued after their popularity peaked, but they became much less common. Playwrights were still producing masques in the twentieth century, albeit as formal public performances rather than private court events. The pomp and pageantry of these events remained, but the narratives were less reliant on allegory. The goal was to tell a story and preserve a traditional art form, not to please the viewer.