Graduate Program

English

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Semester of Degree Completion

2010

Thesis Director

Julie Campbell

Thesis Committee Member

Melissa Caldwell

Thesis Committee Member

Jad Smith

Abstract

This thesis is an examination of two early seventeenth century court masques commissioned by Queen Anna and composed by the court poet and playwright, Samuel Daniel. The thesis is divided into three chapters. The first chapter presents a brief history of the court masque as a genre and examines the context of each of Daniel's masques. The second and third chapters focus on The Vision of the Twelve Goddesses and Tethys' Festival in relation to the dancers, costumes, sets and politics surrounding the performances. By exploring the political events behind the composition of each masque, readers may gain a more comprehensive understanding of the atmosphere surrounding the original performances and come to grasp a deeper meaning with regard to certain artistic choices within the masques made by both Daniel and the queen. Examining the dancers in each masque aids in understanding how influential certain members of the queen's court were and the reasons behind choosing certain women to play specific roles in the masques. This thesis explores several aspects of the court masque as a genre including performance, spectacle and text, in addition to the socio-political context surrounding Daniel's composition of his masques. This thesis proves that Daniel's court masques were not only court entertainments, but political tools utilized by both Samuel Daniel and Queen Anna.

Download

Share

COinS