The Masque of Blackness

masque by Jonson

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June 30, 2026

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The Masque of Blackness is a masque written by Ben Jonson, first performed in 1605. Masques were elaborate court entertainments popular in 16th and 17th century England, featuring masked and costumed participants who would dance and interact with guests. Jonson, collaborating with designer Inigo Jones, elevated the masque form with literary depth and spectacular staging.12

The Masque of Blackness specifically presented a dramatic narrative where figures of darkness transform into beautiful, pale ladies, symbolizing the supposed inferiority of African features compared to European ones. This theme reflects the racial prejudices prevalent during the Jacobean era. The masque was performed before King James I and his court, highlighting its role as a form of courtly entertainment and political commentary.12

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Ben Jonson
His masques at court
…in 1603, and in 1605 The Masque of Blackness was presented at court. The “masque” was a quasi-dramatic entertainment, primarily providing a pretense for a group of strangers to dance and sing before an audience of guests and attendants in a royal court or nobleman’s house. This elementary pattern was…
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…in 1603, and in 1605 The Masque of Blackness was presented at court. The “masque” was a quasi-dramatic entertainment, primarily providing a pretense for a group of strangers to dance and sing before an audience of guests and attendants in a royal court or nobleman’s house. This elementary pattern was…
Read More