When Did Masque as a Dramatic Device Flourish in England

The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment that flourished in 16th- and early 17th-century Europe.

When was the masque introduced in England?

Outrageous or offensive? The first masque performed for James I and Anne of Denmark in 1605 was ‘Masque of Blacknesse’, created by Inigo Jones and Ben Jonson. It was commissioned by the Queen, in which she and her ladies appeared and danced with blacked-up faces.

What is the masque in English literature?

masque, also spelled mask, festival or entertainment in which disguised participants offer gifts to their host and then join together for a ceremonial dance.