Ben Jonson's masque
Pleasure Reconciled to Virtuewas first staged before King James I in the Banqueting House of Whitehall Palace on 6 January 1618. The event marked the acting debut of Prince Charles (the future Charles I), who also served as the masque’s official sponsor. The performance famously failed to impress King James. Jonson composed the text and Inigo Jones designed the scenery and costumes.
The scenic design is dominated by an anthropomorphic Mount Atlas, made to resemble the head of a grey-haired man. The action opens with Comus, the god of festivities, entering surrounded by his supporters. This is followed by the first anti-masque, which features dancing bottles and a cask. Hercules, the demigod and hero of many ancient legends, appears and denounces the decadent
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Citation: Vyroubalova, Ema. "Pleasure Reconciled to Virtue". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 May 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=2762, accessed 04 December 2024.]