Parties in the 1600s
This picture shows a handcrafted mask made of wood.
During the 1600s, parties were mainly reserved for the wealthy. The most common type of party during the 1600s was a masquerade, or a masked party. These parties were thrown usually to celebrate an accomplishment of the upper class and were all very elaborate and elegant. In the play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo falls in love with Juliet when he sees her at a masquerade party and the dramatic tragedy begins from there. Knowing about these types of parties can help to really understand why Romeo and Juliet didn't realize they were from opposite families that hated each other. At these parties everyone wears masks to cover their faces and disguise themselves from looking as they usual do.
Masquerade parties were commonly thrown by the wealthier families during the 1600s. These parties were often thrown for marriages and other dynastic cycles of the royal court. Masquerades spread to Europe during the 17th and 18th century. The idea behind masquerade parties was to disguise yourself from others knowing who you were, creating this type of elegance throughout the party. Another common sight at these masquerade parties in the 1600s was fancy elegant dresses worn by most women. The more elegant the dress, it was see as a higher ranking in society. The idea behind masquerade parties comes from France during the middle ages, and the elegance was noted from the beginning. Commonly found at these parties were singers, actors, dancers and other forms of entertainment.
Knowing the ins and outs of masquerade balls helps to understand the miscommunication that happened when Romeo and Juliet met and did not know that they were from opposite families.The distractions of the performers and musicians, the masks and the elaborate costumes all were factors as to why this mix up happened.
Masquerade parties were commonly thrown by the wealthier families during the 1600s. These parties were often thrown for marriages and other dynastic cycles of the royal court. Masquerades spread to Europe during the 17th and 18th century. The idea behind masquerade parties was to disguise yourself from others knowing who you were, creating this type of elegance throughout the party. Another common sight at these masquerade parties in the 1600s was fancy elegant dresses worn by most women. The more elegant the dress, it was see as a higher ranking in society. The idea behind masquerade parties comes from France during the middle ages, and the elegance was noted from the beginning. Commonly found at these parties were singers, actors, dancers and other forms of entertainment.
Knowing the ins and outs of masquerade balls helps to understand the miscommunication that happened when Romeo and Juliet met and did not know that they were from opposite families.The distractions of the performers and musicians, the masks and the elaborate costumes all were factors as to why this mix up happened.
The pictures below show artists renditions of masquerade balls during the 1600-1700s from all over Europe. Click the first picture to link to another website.