The Masks of Carnival Lesson Objective

To enhance descriptive writing through visual prompts.

Success Criteria

• To identify useful adjectives to describe a setting. • To imagine a clear story associated with an image. • To understand how key words can alter a story and its effect on the reader. To Begin

Have you ever tried on a mask? What did it look like? What did it make you feel like?

Masks are typically worn in theatre for the portrayal of certain characters or in traditional rites or festivities. Imagine what the use for this mask might be? What type of character do you think the mask portrays?

This is a devil’s mask from the Pascuarela Play of Tocuaro, Mexico. Can you see which features are devilish? How might you play this role if you were the actor inside this mask? What stories might you be in? What About This One?

What character do you think this mask is meant to represent?

How do you think you would act if asked to wear this mask? What story might accompany this mask?

This is a Bamileke Beaded Elephant Mask from Cameroon. Can you see the elephant features? And This One?

What character do you think this mask is meant to represent?

How do you think you would act if asked to wear this mask? What story might accompany this mask?

Transformation Mask (Kwakwaka'wakw: British Columbia, Canada). This mask can be used to show both an old man and a young one. These masks are used in the performance of myths and stories. Masks and Carnival

Masks have been used for thousands of years as a way of illustrating stories and tales. They are also used as a way of disguising the wearer. For hundreds of years, the Venetians have carried on the tradition of mask wearing during the pre-Lent season. In Venice, masks were traditionally worn between St. Stephan’s Day (December 26th) and Shrove Tuesday (the last day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent). By wearing a mask, the person was given more licence to get up to mischief – it is easier to do things when no one knows who you are. Masks and Literature

Masked Balls were very common and have found their way into our literature. In some versions of Cinderella, the ball she attends is a masked one. Romeo and Juliet has a masked ball in the plot. This device is what allows Romeo to attend a party at the home of a great enemy – he wears a mask and no one recognises him for a time. There is also a masked ball in the Shakespearean comedy Much Ado About Nothing. In the French novel The Man in the Iron Mask, a captive’s identity is kept secret for years because he is forced to wear a mask of iron. Masks and ‘Romeo and Juliet’

‘Welcome, gentlemen! I Mercutio demands a Tybalt recognises have seen the day mask to wear so that he Romeo’s voice at the That I have worn a visor can go to the ball and no Masked Ball and wants and could tell one will recognise him: to fight with him: A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear, ‘Give me a case to put ‘This, by his voice, Such as would please: my visage in: should be a Montague. 'tis gone, 'tis gone, 'tis A visor for a visor! what Fetch me my rapier, boy. gone:’ care I What dares the slave What curious eye doth Come hither, cover'd Lord Capulet speaking quote deformities?’ with an antic face, about the ‘good old To leer and scorn at our days’ when he enjoyed solemnity?’ putting on a mask and flirting with ladies who didn’t know who he was. Traditional Mask Forms

Traditional mask makers of Venice were treated very well. They had a special guild and laws of their own. They were called mascherari and their treatment shows what a particularly important place mask wearing had in the life of the Venetians. Traditional Mask Forms

There were several The most famous mask Another favourite types of mask that were however was the Medico mask was the popular in Venice that are Della Pesta (The Plague Columbina. This still used today. These Doctor) with its hooked mask was for included the Bauta (a man’s beak of a nose made to women and was a mask in white with a resemble the masks half mask worn only traditionally large nose and doctors wore when over the eyes, nose no mouth). The mask wearer treating plague victims. and upper cheeks. on the left wears a bauta It was often highly mask here. decorated. Your Own Mask

If you were designing a mask to wear what would it look like? What type of character would it portray? Design your own mask on paper. Think about the colours you are using, think about the style of the mask. Some masks show pretend tears or false smiling faces. What will yours have? Your Own Mask

Now that you have designed your own mask, imagine the story that might go along with wearing it. Are you disguising yourself so that you can get into a party you don’t belong in like Romeo in Romeo and Juliet? Are you disguising yourself so that you can flirt with someone you normally pretend to hate like Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing? Character Sketch

Now write a character sketch for the person who wears your mask. What is their story? Why are they wearing the mask at all? Read your character sketch to a partner. What do they think? Do they think that your ideas are believable? Do they imagine the same things as you about the person who would wear your mask?