Masks and Masking

With masks and masking being very “in” at the minute, I thought that it was time to revisit the sixteenth century, Shakespeare’s day, in fact. In his play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Flute says to Quince: Nay, faith, let me not play a woman, I have a beard coming, (Act One, Scene II, 43-45) Quince replies That’s all one. You shall play it in a mask. In Shakespeare’s day, masks were not just for actors, it seems. Women wore them generally, especially while out of doors in the summer, to protect their complexions. Ah, I love that. Those Elizabethans were a funny lot, when you think about it. On the one hand, ladies courted poisoning by covering their (indoor) faces in white lead in order to appear pale and beautiful. On the other hand, they were aware of the deleterious effects of the sun on the complexion – but every age has its contradictions and paradoxes. Now, we are masking for another, very serious purpose. Whatever, pay attention to style as you mask - see above!