The+Secular+Masque


 * The Secular Masque **

Enter JANUS JANUS Chronos, Chronos, mend thy pace, An hundred times the rolling sun Around the radiant belt has run In his revolving race. Behold, behold, the goal in sight, Spread thy fans, and wing thy flight.

Enter CHRONOS, with a scythe in his hand, and a great globe on his back, which he sets down at his entrance CHRONOS Weary, weary of my weight, Let me, let me drop my freight, And leave the world behind. I could not bear Another year <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The load of human-kind.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Enter MOMUS Laughing <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MOMUS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ha! ha! ha! Ha! ha! ha! well hast thou done, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To lay down thy pack, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And lighten thy back. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The world was a fool, e'er since it begun, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And since neither Janus, nor Chronos, nor I, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Can hinder the crimes, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Or mend the bad times, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'Tis better to laugh than to cry.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHORUS OF ALL THREE <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'Tis better to laugh than to cry

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">JANUS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since Momus comes to laugh below, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Old Time begin the show, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That he may see, in every scene, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What changes in this age have been,

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHRONOS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then Goddess of the silver bow begin.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Horns, or hunting-music within <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">DIANA <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With horns and with hounds I waken the day, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And hie to my woodland walks away; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I tuck up my robe, and am buskin'd soon, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And tie to my forehead a waxing moon. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I course the fleet stag, unkennel the fox, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And chase the wild goats o'er summits of rocks, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With shouting and hooting we pierce thro' the sky; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And Echo turns hunter, and doubles the cry.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHORUS OF ALL <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With shouting and hooting, we pierce through the sky, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And Echo turns hunter, and doubles the cry.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">JANUS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then our age was in its prime,

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHRONOS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Free from rage,

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">DIANA <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">—And free from crime.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MOMUS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A very merry, dancing, drinking, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Laughing, quaffing, and unthinking time.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHORUS OF ALL <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then our age was in its prime, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Free from rage, and free from crime, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A very merry, dancing, drinking, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Laughing, quaffing, and unthinking time.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dance of Diana's attendants <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MARS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Inspire the vocal brass, inspire; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The world is past its infant age: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Arms and honour, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Arms and honour, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Set the martial mind on fire, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And kindle manly rage. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mars has look'd the sky to red; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And peace, the lazy good, is fled. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Plenty, peace, and pleasure fly; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The sprightly green <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In woodland-walks, no more is seen; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The sprightly green, has drunk the Tyrian dye.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHORUS OF ALL <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Plenty, peace, |&|c.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MARS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sound the trumpet, beat the drum, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Through all the world around; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sound a reveille, sound, sound, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The warrior god is come.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHORUS OF ALL <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sound the trumpet, |&|c.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MOMUS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thy sword within the scabbard keep, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And let mankind agree; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Better the world were fast asleep, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Than kept awake by thee. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The fools are only thinner, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With all our cost and care; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But neither side a winner, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For things are as they were.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHORUS OF ALL <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The fools are only, |&|c.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Enter VENUS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">VENUS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Calms appear, when storms are past; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Love will have his hour at last: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Nature is my kindly care; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mars destroys, and I repair; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Take me, take me, while you may, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Venus comes not ev'ry day.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHORUS OF ALL <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Take her, take her, |&|c.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHRONOS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The world was then so light, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I scarcely felt the weight; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Joy rul'd the day, and love the night. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But since the Queen of Pleasure left the ground, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I faint, I lag, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And feebly drag <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The pond'rous Orb around. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All, all of a piece throughout;

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">pointing {}} to Diana {}} <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MOMUS, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thy chase had a beast in view;

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">to Mars <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thy wars brought nothing about;

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">to Venus <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thy lovers were all untrue.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">JANUS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'Tis well an old age is out, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And time to begin a new.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHORUS OF ALL <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All, all of a piece throughout; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thy chase had a beast in view; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thy wars brought nothing about; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thy lovers were all untrue. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'Tis well an old age is out, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And time to begin a new.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Analysis **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//The Secular Masque// exemplifies Dryden's alacrity for creating poignant satires using classical allegories. The short scene was written as an addition to //The Pilgrim//, a Jacobean comedy written in the early 17th century. Although the characters in this short scene are all Roman and Greek gods, each one represents a specific facet of British history in the 1600's. The term "secular" in the title is derived from the Latin //saeculum//, meaning "age" or "period--an apt title for a Masque marking the turn of the century. The fact that the poem refers to this period is revealed in the first lines, spoken by Janus, the Roman god of openings and new beginnings. He advises, "Chronos, Chronos, mend thy pace,/ A hundred times the rolling sun/ Around the radiant belt has run/ In his revolving race" (1-4). The 17th century was in many ways a trying time for Britain, which explains the desire of Chronos (a mythological personification of time) to "drop [his] freight" and prevent another century from transpiring (8).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The piece begins to function as a specific satire, rather than a general critique of "the load of humankind," when the relationship between Dryden's characters and their real-life counterparts is elucidated (12). The "changes in this age" are introduced as godly personifications of human leaders and historical events. These characterizations begin somewhat optimistically with the entrance of Diana, the Roman goddess of chastity and hunting. According to most critics, Diana represents Elizabeth I (the Virgin Queen) and James I (an avid hunter). Under the rule of these two monarchs, Britain experienced a period of relative peace and comfort. This is expressed in the four speeches immediately following Diana's entrance:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"JANUS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then our age was in its prime,

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHRONOS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Free from rage,

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">DIANA <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">—And free from crime

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MOMUS <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A very merry, dancing, drinking, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Laughing, quaffing, and unthinking time" (37-40).

Dryden's satire takes a more critical turn with the entrance of Mars, the Roman god of war. In a more obvious analogy than the former, Mars is made to represent the civil wars between parliamentarians and royalists that plagued England in the middle part of the 17th century. Mars explains, "Mars has looked the sky to red,/ And peace, the lazy good, is fled./ Plenty, peace, and pleasure fly;/ The sprightly green,/ In woodland walks, no more is seen" (51-55). It is interesting to note that within this speech Dryden has ensconced a criticism of the period of peace that was lauded earlier in the poem, by referring to it as a "lazy good."

Finally Venus enters, speaking of a period of love after the wars ("when storms are past" [72]). In terms of British history, this amorous period represents the rule of Charles II--a ruler infamous for his entanglements with various mistresses.

These mythological symbols, although they correspond to historical persons/events, do little in themselves to solidify the scene as a satire of Dryden's usual potency. What allows for Dryden's laughing and critical eye to come through is the introduction of the character Momus, the Greek personification of mockery. He is often associated with poetry and satire, as exemplified in his position as a laughing spectator of the scene. In the words of Janus, "<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since Momus comes to laugh below,/ Old Time begin the show,/ That he may see, in every scene,/ What changes in this age have been" (22-25). Although Momus generally disapproves of the //saeculum// in question ("Thy chase had a beast in view/ Thy wars brought nothing about/ Thy lovers were all untrue" [87-89]), he encourages, like Dryden himself, a lighthearted treatment of these issues: "'Tis better to laugh than to cry" (20).