News from the New World Discovered in the Moon
Encyclopedia
News from the New World Discovered in the Moon was a Jacobean era masque
, written by Ben Jonson
; it was first performed before King James I
on January 7, 1620
, with a second performance on February 29 of the same year. Jonson's text comments on significant then-contemporary developments in astronomy
and journalism
.
The text of the masque was first published in the second folio collection of Jonson's works
in 1641
.
made by contemporaneous astronomers — Galileo Galilei
most famous among them — using the earliest telescopes
. Their observations of mountain ranges and other geographic and geological features on the Moon's surface was interpreted as equivalent to the discovery of a "new world" — as in two later works by John Wilkins
, The Discovery of a World in the Moon (1638
) and A Discourse Concerning a New Planet (1640
).
and news agencies were coming into being. Jonson expressed his skeptical attitude toward these developments in several works written in this period, most notably in The Staple of News
(1625
), but also here in his 1620 masque. (Jonson even recast some of the masque's prose into verse for the play.)
This conversation climaxes in the anti-masque, which is a dance of "Volatees," a race of lunar bird-men. The serious portion of the masque follows, in which the "scene opens" to disclose the principal masquers, led by Prince Charles
, who descend, "shake off their icicles," and dance, to the accompaniment of music and song. The masque also features the inevitable lavish praise of King James.
The lunar bird-men derive from the True History
of Lucian
, perhaps through the medium of Rabelais'
Pantagruel
.
wrote incidental music for the masque; his score was premiered on Nov. 30, 1978, at a performance in Athens, Greece.
Masque
The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in 16th and early 17th century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio...
, written by Ben Jonson
Ben Jonson
Benjamin Jonson was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor. A contemporary of William Shakespeare, he is best known for his satirical plays, particularly Volpone, The Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair, which are considered his best, and his lyric poems...
; it was first performed before King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
on January 7, 1620
1620 in literature
The year 1620 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*The Book of Psalmes: Englished both in Prose and Metre with Annotations by Henry Ainsworth is the only book brought to New England by the pilgrim settlers....
, with a second performance on February 29 of the same year. Jonson's text comments on significant then-contemporary developments in astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
.
The text of the masque was first published in the second folio collection of Jonson's works
Ben Jonson folios
The folio collections of Ben Jonson's works published in the seventeenth century were crucial developments in the publication of English literature and English Renaissance drama. The first folio collection, issued in 1616, treated stage plays as serious works of literature instead of popular...
in 1641
1641 in literature
The year 1641 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*Pierre Corneille marries Marie de Lampérière.*Sir William Davenant is convicted of high treason.*Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon becomes an advisor to King Charles I of England....
.
Astronomy
The masque refers to the discoveries of features on the MoonMoon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
made by contemporaneous astronomers — Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei , was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations and support for Copernicanism...
most famous among them — using the earliest telescopes
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
. Their observations of mountain ranges and other geographic and geological features on the Moon's surface was interpreted as equivalent to the discovery of a "new world" — as in two later works by John Wilkins
John Wilkins
John Wilkins FRS was an English clergyman, natural philosopher and author, as well as a founder of the Invisible College and one of the founders of the Royal Society, and Bishop of Chester from 1668 until his death....
, The Discovery of a World in the Moon (1638
1638 in literature
The year 1638 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*February 6 - Luminalia, a masque written by Sir William Davenant and designed by Inigo Jones, is staged at the English Court....
) and A Discourse Concerning a New Planet (1640
1640 in literature
The year 1640 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*January 21 - Salmacida Spolia, a masque written by Sir William Davenant and designed by Inigo Jones, is performed at Whitehall Palace — the final royal masque of the Caroline era.*March 17 - Henry Burnell's play Landgartha...
).
Journalism
Jonson combined these new discoveries, and this perception of a new frontier of knowledge, with the innovative contemporary climate in the dissemination of news. The later Jacobean era was the time when the first English-language newspapersNewspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
and news agencies were coming into being. Jonson expressed his skeptical attitude toward these developments in several works written in this period, most notably in The Staple of News
The Staple of News
The Staple of News is an early Caroline era play, a satire by Ben Jonson. The play was first performed in late 1625 by the King's Men at the Blackfriars Theatre, and first published in 1631.-Publication:...
(1625
1625 in literature
The year 1625 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*January 1 - The King's Men act Henry IV, Part 1 at Whitehall Palace....
), but also here in his 1620 masque. (Jonson even recast some of the masque's prose into verse for the play.)
The show
Jonson opens his masque with a conversation among two heralds, a printer, a chronicler, and a factor (a kind of columnist or correspondent). All are in some sense in the news business, though their approaches differ; the traditional heralds are startled by the capitalist assumptions of the printer, who asks them the cost-price of their news. The characters discuss a number of contemporary issues, culminating in the news from the Moon — which allows for satire on a range of subjects. The Moon is described as "an earth inhabited...With navigable seas and rivers...forests, parks, coney-ground, meadow-pasture, what not?" With all the similarities between Earth and Moon, though, there are differences; the Moon's denizens have no spoken language, rather communicating by signs — which renders all the lawyers mute. They also have no tailors; as a result, the lunar "self-lovers" have all died.This conversation climaxes in the anti-masque, which is a dance of "Volatees," a race of lunar bird-men. The serious portion of the masque follows, in which the "scene opens" to disclose the principal masquers, led by Prince Charles
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, who descend, "shake off their icicles," and dance, to the accompaniment of music and song. The masque also features the inevitable lavish praise of King James.
The lunar bird-men derive from the True History
True History
True History or True Story is a travel tale by the Greek-speaking Syrian author Lucian of Samosata, the earliest known fiction about travelling to outer space, alien life-forms and interplanetary warfare. Written in the 2nd century, the novel has been referred to as "the first known text that...
of Lucian
Lucian
Lucian of Samosata was a rhetorician and satirist who wrote in the Greek language. He is noted for his witty and scoffing nature.His ethnicity is disputed and is attributed as Assyrian according to Frye and Parpola, and Syrian according to Joseph....
, perhaps through the medium of Rabelais'
François Rabelais
François Rabelais was a major French Renaissance writer, doctor, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He has historically been regarded as a writer of fantasy, satire, the grotesque, bawdy jokes and songs...
Pantagruel
Gargantua and Pantagruel
The Life of Gargantua and of Pantagruel is a connected series of five novels written in the 16th century by François Rabelais. It is the story of two giants, a father and his son and their adventures, written in an amusing, extravagant, satirical vein...
.
Modern music
The modern composer Theodore AntoniouTheodore Antoniou
Theodore Antoniou , is a Greek composer and conductor. His works vary from operas and choral works to chamber music, from film and theatre music to solo instrumental works. In addition to his career as composer and conductor, he also holds the position of professor of composition at Boston University...
wrote incidental music for the masque; his score was premiered on Nov. 30, 1978, at a performance in Athens, Greece.
Sources
- Brown, Huntington. Rabelais in English Literature. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1933.
- Frank, Joseph. The Beginnings of the English Newspaper, 1620–1660. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1961
- Logan, Terence P., and Denzell S. Smith, eds. The New Intellectuals: A Survey and Bibliography of Recent Studies in English Renaissance Drama. Lincoln, NE, University of Nebraska Press, 1977.
- Sanders, Julie. Ben Jonson's Theatrical Republics. London, Palgrave Macmillan, 1998.
- Somerville, C. John. The News Revolution in England: Cultural Dynamics of Daily Information. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1996.