Arcades (Milton)
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''Arcades'' is a
masque The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment that flourished in 16th- and early 17th-century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio (a public version of the masque was the pageant). A masq ...
written by John Milton and performed on 4 May 1634. The piece was written to celebrate the character of Alice Spencer, the Countess Dowager of Derby, widow of
Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby (1559 – 16 April 1594), was an English nobleman and politician. He was the son of Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby, and Lady Margaret Clifford. Ferdinando had a place in the line of succession to Eliza ...
, during her 75th birthday. The masque distinguishes Spencer as having a greater far superior to other noble women by titling Spencer as queen of a metaphorical Arcadia that is far superior to any other realm. The piece served as a basis for Milton's later masque, ''
Comus In Greek mythology, Comus (; grc, Κῶμος, ''Kōmos'') is the god of festivity, revels and nocturnal dalliances. He is a son and a cup-bearer of the god Dionysus. He was represented as a winged youth or a child-like satyr and represents ana ...
''.


Background

Spencer's family invited Milton to write a masque for a celebration to honour her on her 75th birthday, 4 May 1634. This arrangement was made possible through the intervention of
Henry Lawes Henry Lawes (1596 – 1662) was the leading English songwriter of the mid-17th century. He was elder brother of fellow composer William Lawes. Life Henry Lawes (baptised 5 January 1596 – 21 October 1662),Ian Spink, "Lawes, Henry," ''Grove Musi ...
, the Earl's music tutor for his children, and friend to Milton's father. Milton wrote ''Arcades'' and the piece was performed at the Harefield estate. This masque established many themes and ideas later developed in his other masque, ''
Comus In Greek mythology, Comus (; grc, Κῶμος, ''Kōmos'') is the god of festivity, revels and nocturnal dalliances. He is a son and a cup-bearer of the god Dionysus. He was represented as a winged youth or a child-like satyr and represents ana ...
''.


Masque

The masque begins by praising the countess and describes her in royal terms during the first song:Lewalski 2003 p. 8 :Mark what radiant state she spreads, :In circle round her shining throne :Shooting her beams like silver threads: :this, this is she alone, :Sitting like a goddess bright, :In the center of her light (lines 14–19) Genius continues this idea and emphasizes that she was: :the great mistress of yong princely shrine, :Whom with low reverence I adore as mine, (lines 36–37) According to Genius, sirens, similar to the muses, create a music that fills the senses:Revard 1997 p. 144 :But else in deep of night when drowsiness :Hath locked up mortal sense, then listen I :To the celestial sirens' harmony (lines 61–63) Genius describes how he, unlike mortals, is able to hear the song of the sirens and the song compelled him to an innocent rapture along with the Fates who are also seduced by the siren song: :Such sweet compulsion doth in music lie, :To lull the daughters of Necessity, :And keep unsteady Nature to her law, :and the low world in measured motion draw :After the heavenly tune, which none can hear :Of human mold with gross unpurged ear; :And yet such music worthiest were to blaze :The peerless height of her immortal praise, (lines 68–75) Her magnificence is further distinguished from any others during the second song: :Such a rural queen :All Arcadia hath not seen. (lines 94–95) This is compounded by the third song declaring that other queens are below her status and concluding the masque: :Here ye shall have greater grace, :To serve the Lady of this place. :Though Syrinx your Pan's mistress were, :Yet Syrinx well might wait on her. :Such a rural queen :All Arcadia hath not seen. (lines 104–109)


Themes

''Arcades'' sought to draw upon pastoral elements and mocked the pastoral Caroline traditions of
Henrietta Maria of France Henrietta Maria (french: link=no, Henriette Marie; 25 November 1609 – 10 September 1669) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland from her marriage to King Charles I on 13 June 1625 until Charles was executed on 30 January 1649. She wa ...
. Instead of following traditional themes inherent in the genre that welcome guests, the guest characters in the masque seek to praise the Countess who is guided by the spirit Genius. Genius is not a unique figure in Miltonic poetry and he is similar to a demon or Thyrsis in ''Comus'' because he relies on divine music for an earthly purpose. The masque portrays a powerful female character at the centre of the plot. Although he does not say that she is part of the surrounding social context, especially one that could be seen in a negative light, she does have direct connections to classical female divinities, such as
Cybele Cybele ( ; Phrygian language, Phrygian: ''Matar Kubileya/Kubeleya'' "Kubileya/Kubeleya Mother", perhaps "Mountain Mother"; Lydian language, Lydian ''Kuvava''; el, Κυβέλη ''Kybele'', ''Kybebe'', ''Kybelis'') is an Anatolian mother godde ...
and
Latona In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Leto (; grc-gre, Λητώ , ''Lētṓ'', or , ''Lātṓ'' in Doric Greek) is a goddess and the mother of Apollo, the god of music, and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt.Hesiod, ''Theogony'404–409/ref ...
, who have established divine families. The female figure is not only a mother of her family; she is also mother of a greater version of Arcady. In her position, the people and spirits of the land honour her for her greatness.Revard 1997 pp. 154–155


Notes


References

* Carey, John. "Milton's Harmonious Sisters" in ''The Well Enchanting Skill''. Ed. John Caldwell, Edward Olleson, and Susan Wollenberg. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990. *
Lewalski, Barbara Barbara Josephine Lewalski (; February 22, 1931 – March 2, 2018)Roberts, Sam (March 29, 2018).. ''The New York Times''. nytimes.com. Retrieved 2018-03-30. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lewalski, Barbara Kiefer 1931 births 2018 deaths American academics o ...
. "Genre" in ''A Companion to Milton''. Ed. Thomas Corns. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2003. * Revard, Stella. ''Milton and the Tangles of Neaera's Hair''. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1997. * Shawcross, John. ''John Milton: The Self and the World''. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1993. {{John Milton English Renaissance plays 1634 plays Masques Works by John Milton