An anti-masque in literature, particularly during the English Renaissance, is a grotesque or comic interlude that precedes the main masque performance, providing a stark contrast to the idealized beauty and harmony of the masque proper.
Purpose and Function
The anti-masque served several key functions:
- Comic Relief: It offered a humorous and often satirical break from the serious and allegorical themes of the main masque.
- Dramatic Contrast: By presenting chaos, ugliness, or absurdity, the anti-masque highlighted the order, beauty, and virtue of the masque. The contrast made the masque's ideals seem even more impressive and desirable.
- Thematic Introduction: In some cases, the anti-masque could subtly introduce themes that would be more fully explored in the masque, albeit in a distorted or inverted form.
- Showing off the range of talent: The anti-masque gave more performers a chance to shine, often using physical comedy and acting styles that differed from those used in the main masque.
Characteristics of an Anti-Masque
- Grotesque Characters: Anti-masques typically featured characters who were deformed, ugly, or otherwise unconventional. These could include monsters, witches, rustics, or drunkards.
- Disorder and Chaos: In contrast to the harmony and order of the masque, the anti-masque presented scenes of confusion, disruption, and general mayhem.
- Satire and Parody: Anti-masques often poked fun at social conventions, political figures, or literary tropes.
- Energetic Dance and Music: While the masque featured stately dances and elegant music, the anti-masque often included more lively, even frenzied, performances.
Examples
Ben Jonson, a prominent playwright and poet, frequently incorporated anti-masques into his masques for the English court. For example, in his masque Oberon, the Fairy Prince (1611), the anti-masque features satyrs who are comically uncouth and clumsy, contrasting sharply with the grace and elegance of the fairy prince Oberon and his court.
Transition to the Masque
The transition from the anti-masque to the masque was often a carefully orchestrated moment. The chaos and disorder of the anti-masque would be resolved, often through the intervention of a powerful figure or the use of magic, paving the way for the arrival of the masque characters and the restoration of harmony.
