Post by MH Admin on Nov 24, 2006 17:30:43 GMT -5
The year is 1806 and England and France are at war. Or rather, Napoleon is at war with every country he can conquer. England has yet to succumb to Corsican’s power, rather the people of the country are resisting. The army is growing by the day thanks to the enlisting of the young men who believe they can change the outcome of the war. But while an army is a gathering to defend its country, politics come into play. Brute force alone cannot stop Napoleon Bonaparte and that is where spies come in. The government has steadily been sending spies to France and nobody would know any better thanks to the fact that Napoleon is rather self-absorbed and believes that not all Englishmen loath him for brutally sending hundreds of French nobles to Madame Guillotine. Occasionally, a spy is discovered by the French and either killed or sent back to England. But while these men, and perhaps one or two women, are risking their lives in France, leading duel lives, acting as spy and a visiting Englishman, life in England continues as it has for the past years. But there are also spies in England from France, doing the same job as their English counterpart. Their jobs exactly? Why… Learning information about the country they are in by masking their searching with foolish questions and acting the ignorant fop.
While impending war is in the air, the Season is still taking place in London. Of course, at balls and dinners the discussions often are about the war, the spies, or the army, but they still start and end with gossip. The Ton thrives on gossip and this is the way it has been for years. Even with a war, why change a lifestyle? At least, that is the English mindset. Balls, Dinners, Business Affairs, Operas, Plays, Scandals… All of this is still very active in London and the war is hardly affecting the social politics. Yes, of course, the war is brought up in almost every conversation, but while it is brought up it is not the main topic in many of the Ton’s minds.
Most of the women of the Ton hardly think of anything but the latest fashions, always trying to be better than their friends when dealing with fashion. They hardly think anything of the war and the King's madness and his sons impending regency, or if they do, they don’t care. What difference is there between one ruler and another? Or of men dying as long as they are not their relatives? As long as nothing puts a stop to their frivolities, nothing matters to them. Nothing, that is, save their numerous lovers. They are the women who mask their infidelity by acting the sweet, innocent, loving wife in public.
But there is more than one sort of women in England. There are others who are thinkers and women who believe in the teachings of Mary Wollstonecraft, women who believe in women’s rights. Some countrywomen who share these beliefs are frowned upon while a large group of Society women support that late philosopher’s works. There are gatherings hosted by women for other women, and any man who is courageous enough to announce he supports women’s rights as well, to discuss such matters. There are many gatherings like these, many not only dealing with women’s rights; some of these gatherings are not only about philosophy but also music and literature. Most people who attend these events are the intellectuals of Society. These are the people who talk about the important matters of the realm and… A few less important matters of the realm such as scandal’s and the indulgent spending of the Regent. But more often than not, some of these intellects are extremists and must mask their true selves with people who only discuss these things to spare themselves from boredom.
There are also men in English Society, of course, and many of these have been greatly affected by war. There are men who discuss the war and there are men who take part in the war; sometimes, it is the former who lose the most in a time of war. These men lose friends and family while being unable to do anything as most of these men are titled or heirs and know they cannot risk dying in war. These are the men who sit at home, discussing the war and politics in their clubs or in the House of Lords or House of Commons. These are the men who dread to hear the news of their dead friends and brother’s. These are the men who are only viewers of the war; they are the men who mask their longing by acting as if they are happy with the hand they have been dealt.
As one can tell, nearly every person in England, perhaps Scotland and Wales as well, lives behind a mask of some sort. Those who don’t are lucky but they are few. As one can see, many of the people of our history went through their lives covered by masks.
Masque History
While impending war is in the air, the Season is still taking place in London. Of course, at balls and dinners the discussions often are about the war, the spies, or the army, but they still start and end with gossip. The Ton thrives on gossip and this is the way it has been for years. Even with a war, why change a lifestyle? At least, that is the English mindset. Balls, Dinners, Business Affairs, Operas, Plays, Scandals… All of this is still very active in London and the war is hardly affecting the social politics. Yes, of course, the war is brought up in almost every conversation, but while it is brought up it is not the main topic in many of the Ton’s minds.
Most of the women of the Ton hardly think of anything but the latest fashions, always trying to be better than their friends when dealing with fashion. They hardly think anything of the war and the King's madness and his sons impending regency, or if they do, they don’t care. What difference is there between one ruler and another? Or of men dying as long as they are not their relatives? As long as nothing puts a stop to their frivolities, nothing matters to them. Nothing, that is, save their numerous lovers. They are the women who mask their infidelity by acting the sweet, innocent, loving wife in public.
But there is more than one sort of women in England. There are others who are thinkers and women who believe in the teachings of Mary Wollstonecraft, women who believe in women’s rights. Some countrywomen who share these beliefs are frowned upon while a large group of Society women support that late philosopher’s works. There are gatherings hosted by women for other women, and any man who is courageous enough to announce he supports women’s rights as well, to discuss such matters. There are many gatherings like these, many not only dealing with women’s rights; some of these gatherings are not only about philosophy but also music and literature. Most people who attend these events are the intellectuals of Society. These are the people who talk about the important matters of the realm and… A few less important matters of the realm such as scandal’s and the indulgent spending of the Regent. But more often than not, some of these intellects are extremists and must mask their true selves with people who only discuss these things to spare themselves from boredom.
There are also men in English Society, of course, and many of these have been greatly affected by war. There are men who discuss the war and there are men who take part in the war; sometimes, it is the former who lose the most in a time of war. These men lose friends and family while being unable to do anything as most of these men are titled or heirs and know they cannot risk dying in war. These are the men who sit at home, discussing the war and politics in their clubs or in the House of Lords or House of Commons. These are the men who dread to hear the news of their dead friends and brother’s. These are the men who are only viewers of the war; they are the men who mask their longing by acting as if they are happy with the hand they have been dealt.
As one can tell, nearly every person in England, perhaps Scotland and Wales as well, lives behind a mask of some sort. Those who don’t are lucky but they are few. As one can see, many of the people of our history went through their lives covered by masks.
Masque History
