Renaissance England was a place where society, culture, and life was both ordered and disordered. The lines between social classes were drawn with broad strokes, people lived and moved accordingly with the rhythms of the calendar and seasons, and of course, the hierarchical system of government ordered society as well. Disorder manifested itself in many ways, especially through escapism. Escapism, then, is any outlet that a citizen may have utilized to (temporarily) detach himself from reality. It comprises entertainment, such as theater and song. It comprises events, such as fairs and feasts. In all these avenues, reality, to some extent, is distorted or warped. Norms such as laws, customs, or tradition are either skirted or completely broken. Here, we hope to explore the dynamic of "escape" for the early English citizen and the methods he might have taken to find that moment of revelry or license.

Below, you will find links that explore these differing escapist outlets of the theater, the fair, and the song. Click on the pictures or links below to discover more.

   
Jonson's Theater as Unifier: The theater and the fair were both places where people from many social levels interacted. The were also places where one went to escape one's social status. Renaissance England was a stratified society, causing some tension among the classes. In Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair, the spaces of the fair and theater are used to unify the audience, leading them to identify with others in the crowd.
The World Turned Upside Down--The Fair as an Escape: Oftentimes, the world of the carnival has been described as a safety valve where citizens of Renaissance England were given license to behave out of their usual character. The resulting collision of energies was an oftentimes riotous landscape where the world was warped and distorted--truly, turned upside down.

Melodious Diversions--Escaping through Music: Musical form was another escapist outlet for the Renaissance English citizen. Ballads, masques, and church music were all forms of expressing one's opinion concerning everyday life, as well as political and social movements of the time.

Annotated Bibliography | About the Creators