CHESMAYNE

Midi: Saluamor-1 - “That’s Entertainment”

Drama

 

 01 Greek tragedy evolved from ritual.    Drama enacts the tension and crisis of man’s predicament, which ultimately resolved into the cosmic sacrifice.   Drama, and in particular Greek tragedy, evolved directly out of the myth and ritual surrounding the death and replacement of the old KI.   Through identification with the figures in the drama, the psyche hopes to resolve its conflicts vicariously and thereby avoid much of the personal tension.   Dionysus (God of tragedy). 

Mask: theatre masks refer to the ‘drama of life’ and a symbol of the ego hiding beneath an artificial face. 

“Happiness is but the occasional episode in a general drama of pain”. 

02 Shakespeare’s drama and writings are considered the greatest single achievement in the English language and are regarded as the yardstick against which all others have been compared.   He wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnets and poems and his quotations occupy 10% of the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.  Like Homer and Vyasa, nothing is known for sure about who Shakespeare really was. 

03 The use of drama is universal and dates back to Palaeolithic times and may have originated from mimetic ritual. 

04 Satyrs: wild men of the woods, imagined as human in form with horses tails who form the retinue of Dionysus.   They featured in festivals in which animal mummery was a feature (these festivals later developed into drama). 

05 Alfred Hitchcock: “Drama is life with the dull bits cut out”. 

06 Aeschylus (525-456 BC): father of Greek tragic drama. 

 

Black House
against
White House

 

A Game at Chess
di Thomas Middleton


Article by Carmelo Coco

Middleton Thomas (1580-1627) English dramatist.   He completed his studies at Oxford.   He started writing lines The Ghost of Lucrece but his fame is due to his comedies and tragedies.   A Game at Chess was written in 1624.  This comedy is structured like a game at chess between two opposed formations called Black House (Spanish Royal House) and White House (English Royal House). 

     The pieces into play are the following:

    There are two characters, unidentifiable with chess pieces, but assigned directly to the two formations; Black Duke and White Duke.  Today the most accredited identification of the most important historical characters is the following:

    White King: King James I (1566-1625) of Stuart dynasty.   He is Anglican.  Historically he is considered as absolutist and puritans persecutor.

    White Queen: The Church of England.

    White Knight: Prince Charles, King James’ son.

    White Duke: the Duke of Buchingham, G.Villiers (1592-1628). King James’ minister.

    White King’s Pawn: the Duke of Middlesex. King James’ treasurer.

    White Bishop: The Archbishop of Canterbury.

    Black King: The Spanish King Philip IV (1605-1665).

    Black Queen: The Church of Rome.

    Black Knight: The Duke of Gondomar, Spanish ambassador at London.

    Black Duke: The Earl of Olivares, first Spanish minister.

    Black Bishop: The General Father of Jesuits (hierarchically he represents the highest grade of the Company of Jesus). 

    It is possible to recognize in the first act’s scenes a sequence of moves suggested by the entry on stage of the characters (BQP, WQP, BBP, WBP), similar to the Queen’s Gambit declined (by Black’s initial move, not at all irregular , in games of 1600).  

    There is just one piece, out of two formations, that is wandering between two churches: the Fat Bishop (inexistent name as for the classification of chess pieces, but we have to remember that Bishop means Vescovo in English), he is the most important figure of the comedy. 

    This character has been identified with Marco Antonio De Dominis (1560-1624), Jesuit and archbishop of Spalato.  Enemy of the Church of Rome and of Pope Paolo V found hospitality by King James’ court.   In England He published three volumes “De Repubblica Ecclesiastica”.  He was extremely ambitious and greedy and claimed the office of archbishop of Canterbury to King James I, without any attainment (this office had never been given to any foreigner, anyway). 

     After Paolo V’s death in 1621, Alessandro Ludovisi, Gregorio XV was elected to the papal throne and De Dominis was bound by old friendship to him.   As he was thinking to receive the honours being due to him by right, left England half-clandestinely trying to bring his accumulated fortunes.  His decision made him loathed by King James and his court.  On coming back to Italy, he didn’t receive all the expected honours.   His friend Pope died in the course of the same year (1623) and De Dominis fell into disgrace.  After his death he was declared heretic and his corpse was exhumed and burnt with his books.  

    The comedy, divided into five acts, has two overlapping plots: the first one is developed into the White House and is a medium for Middleton to attack the Jesuits directly and satirically (not by chance, the comedy starts with a Prologue through which Ignazio di Loyola - founder of the Order -debates on some religious matters with Error, the mistake); the second plot is developed into the Black House and tells the story about the failed attempt of negotiation between Spain and England for the marriage between Prince Charles and the Infanta Anna.   Middleton considered this marriage (this is an opinion shared by the most aristocrats and above all by the common people, whose “emotions” and “reactions” Middleton was particularly careful not only from the dramatic point of view), an act of obedience to the Spanish plan, partly an express plan in order to establish an Universal Monarchy. 

    The comedy had a clamorous success even though some of its aspects (the comedy’s approval by the master of the Revels, the trial against the author and actors, the closing of the theatre where the play was represented - the famous Globe - the direct intervention of James I) have just been investigated till today and are considered a little historical case.   A game at Chess’ work was certainly commissioned to Middleton and was prepared in a very short time considering that Prince Charles and the Duke of Buckingham came back from their Spanish mission only on the 5^th of October 1623 and the comedy was approved in order to be represented on 12^th of June 1624. 

    Probably Middleton had already the idea of a satire against the Jesuits and in his mind the Fat Bishop’s idea.   The insertion of a topical event (the marriage of Prince Charles that didn’t take place, had only a minimum space into the comedy) was neither difficult nor disagreeable for the author to be represented.   This comedy was commissioned by a man whose identity is still considered a mystery today (there are some plausible and faint traces that in the next reviews will be followed and studied in depth by us especially because they are connected to the Game at Chess too).  The idea of Middleton to develop the plot like a Game at Chess seemed to be happy and surprisingly theatrical, even if a genial device: chessboard is seen as stage, the pieces are thought as characters, the events are both real and imaginary, the ideas are expressed through the pieces moves. 

    In Italy, the comedy was staged by Luca Ronconi, director in the seventies.   If some little company would like to represent it, I am willing to give my free contribution, chess indications, and some of my ideas as for the staging too.   I can guarantee from this moment, the best information and spread about this event that could be extraordinary from the point of the chess view.   I am willing to introduce a long filmed contribution on the site, too.  Who won the game?   Naturally the White House and by checkmate.  White Knight: There you lie then.  And the game’s ours - we give thee checkmate by Discovery, King, the noblest mate of all.

    Middleton created as device a chess structure for his comedies, many times. Another example that will be dealt with in a next article is Woman beware Woman set in the Medicean Florence of 1579 (in the course of the same year the marriage between Francesco Maria I and the Venetian Bianca Capello was celebrated). 

    One of the most detailed analysis of these comedies, the moves’ examination (connected to the religious and political conflicts between two Nations, Spain and England) the various captures or the attempted murders, the different plots (attack and counterattack), will be analyzed spreedily in the CD will be ready by the end of March.   The CD entitled “Kaissa, the faceless goddess”, will introduce researches, reviews, tragedies, comedies and poems dedicated to the game at Chess.   The CD is enriched with graphic works, illustrations and tales written on purpose. 

San Gregorio, 28/09/2000

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Giovanni Sercambi

Short biography

Born in Lucca 1348 - Died in Lucca 1424.   Giovanni was born in the year of the Black Death, from a modest family, his grandfather was a notary who came to Lucca around 1300.   While still young Giovanni was considered politically useful by the powerful family of the Guinigi who governed Lucca. Elected Gonfaloniere of Justice in 1397 and again in 1400, Giovanni received many favours from the Guinigi family, during these periods of political activity.   One of these favours being that he was appointed the sole supplier of paper and other materials to the Public Offices. 

We shall take into considerationthe following references to chess

Il Novelliere

Exemplo CIIII, De Invidia

Exemplo CIIII

This novel gives an interesting insight into games played in the 13^th and 14^th centuries by the people of Tuscany.   Local Civilian Authorities often forbade gambling or at least limited or regulated games involving gambling.   In Lucca, a local tax was imposed upon the gambling casino (baratteria) to which every player (barattiere) paid a fee to participate in such games.   The dissipation of fortunes at the gambling game of “zara” was proverbial.   This game was played with three dice, if the sum of the numbers on the three dice was below four or above seven the wager was lost. 

De Invidia (Envie)

Free translation

The knight, Bioccolo of Boccadivacca, to escape a wronged woman in Lucca, went to the country of Lord Mastino (1).

When Marco Visconti of Milan (2) secured Lucca with the help of German mercenaries, many of the citizens fled their town. Among these refugees there was a knight named Bioccolo of Boccadivacca who went to Verona, which was at the time under the rule of Lord Mastino della Scala.   He bought a house in that town so that he could live sparingly on his restricted resources. Some time after his arrival an acquaintance of Bioccolo spoke to Lord Mastino suggesting he gave Bioccolo the job of Podestà in one of the town halls in his territories.  Mastino granted the request of his good friend, and appointed Bioccolo Podestà in Marciano castle near Verona, a position that came with a good salary.   Bioccolo, who was in need of money, accepted willingly and promised to do a good job.  When he started his appointment Bioccolo, as a good citizen of Lucca, decided to forbid gambling with dice in and around the town.   He sent out an ordinance, which the gentry (gentilotti) and other men who used to play at dice were at pains to observe.   They then decided to play ‘tavolae’ (i.e. backgammon), because the ordinance did not specifically forbid this game.  The Podestà, observing this, ruled that “tavolae” was also forbidden.  Then the gentry (gentilotti) and the other men who were accustomed when playing to enjoy wagering money were reduced to playing chess and smeriglieri (3) with dice, at which they enjoyed gambling a great deal of money.  Bioccolo, who did not enjoy any sort of game himself, had previously forbidden other games.  Now people had found another way of gambling and playing, he ordered that chess and smeriglieri played with dice be banned. The gentilotti murmured, “This Podestà must be one of the Lucchizenna( 4) who does not know how to enjoy himself and does not wish other to enjoy themselves either”.   Having already received so many ordinances, they decided to play chess and smeriglieri without dice.   They said “Bioccolo will now let us live in peace”.  The Podestà’s appalling envy prevented him realising that others got pleasure from playing games for money, so he forbade wagering on the result of games of chess and smeriglieri. The gentry were rather annoyed by this rigid behaviour and they regarded the Podestà as an empty-headed pumpkin, but they obeyed the numerous ordinances.   They then began to play at peanuts, marbles, ball, spinning tops and knucklebones as boys do, but still gaining great pleasure from betting large amounts of money on the outcome.   The Podestà, who was eaten up with malice, seeing others enjoying themselves in one way or another, resolved to forbid all these games as well.   The gentry said, “At this point we are only fit to spin as women do, because of this Marina ram.  The Podestà has taken away all the pleasures normally indulged in by men.”   One of them however said: “The Podestà has so far taken away from us all the games we play, but I know one which could not be forbidden.   Whoever wants to play come with me and I shall show you how we can play.”   As soon as the gentry heard this invitation, more than a hundred followed him outside the town where he went to a heap of straw nearby and said: “Everyone bet what he wishes”.   It was agreed that they bet four large ones (grossi).   The gentleman said, “Now, whoever pulls out the longest straw from the heap with his two fingers shall win the lot”.   Everybody enjoyed the game, which became very popular in the country.  The Podestà, observing a large number of people going to the countryside and not understanding why, sent his men to discover what was going on.   The men returned and informed him that the people were playing ‘straws’ and were getting great pleasure out of the game.  The Podestà on hearing this ordered that no game involving hands or feet should be played.   The gentry (gentilotti) who felt all was lost said “Now we might as well be buried alive because any kind of pleasure has been denied us”.  One gentleman, still seeking pleasure, said “We shall play without touching anything and so incur no punishment.   The new game is between two players: the first player shall say “The first go is mine for one florin” and the second player shall say, “It is all right by me”.   The first player then bets that he can correctly state the name of the first person that will come towards them along the street.   If he guesses correctly he wins, if not he will loose his florin.   The second player by the same process shall bet one florin or more on the second person who comes along...”. Immediately the game became very popular and everybody played it happily.   Bioccolo on hearing much laughter in the streets wished to know why, and soon considered forbidding that pleasure also.   The gentilotti, at the end of their tether, went to Lord Mastino and complained about all the ordinances that had been issued.   As a result, Lord Mastino removed Bioccolo from his appointment as Podestà and gave the gentry permission to play again, suggesting however that they show discretion and moderation in the games they played”. 

Notes

(1) Mastino II della Scala family was Lord of Verona from 1329 to 1351 and of Lucca from 1335 to 1340.

(2) Marco Visconti in 1329 was the captain of a small mercenary army of German soldiers that occupied Lucca for one year, and then sold it to Gherardino Spinola from Genoa. 

(3) Smeriglieri: boards for backgammon or similar games. 

(4) Lucchizenna: a house (Santa Zita of Lucca) for old stupid people, an insane asylum.

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Arthur Hughes (1832-1915)

Ophelia and He Will Not Come Again