Comus: Analysis of Setting
"Comus: Analysis of Setting" focuses on the rich and symbolic locations featured in John Milton's masque "Comus," written for the installation of the Earl of Bridgewater at Ludlow Castle in the 17th century. The setting includes Ludlow Castle, a Norman fortress on the Welsh border, which historically served as a royal residence and symbolized English power. The narrative begins in the Wild Wood, a perilous forest inhabited by the character Comus, who is associated with misrule and temptation. This forest represents a place of danger where the guardian spirit, sent by Jove, seeks to protect the nobleman’s children from Comus’s nefarious influence. The Severn River, the longest river in Wales, plays a crucial role as it is home to a river nymph named Sabrina, who ultimately aids in the children's rescue. The final scenes transition to the market town of Ludlow, where the themes of virtue and community are celebrated through dance and festive gatherings. This setting not only establishes a backdrop for the drama but also reflects broader themes of morality, protection, and the contrast between order and chaos within the narrative.
Comus: Analysis of Setting
First published: 1637
First produced: 1634
Type of work: Drama
Type of plot: Allegory
Time of work: Age of myth
Asterisk denotes entries on real places.
Places Discussed
*Ludlow Castle
*Ludlow Castle. Norman fortress built on the Welsh border to maintain English imperial power in the eleventh century. The castle served as the residence of the fifteenth century king Edward IV, who was the first prince of Wales. During John Milton’s youth, the castle was home to the lieutenant general (also known as president) of Wales. When the earl of Bridgewater was appointed to that office in 1634, Milton wrote “A Masque [to be] Presented at Ludlow Castle” at the time of his formal installation. Readers have given the masque the name of its most eloquent character, the handsome tempter Comus.
Wild Wood
Wild Wood. Forest that is home to Comus. As the drama begins, a guardian spirit descends into a forest where travelers are always in peril. He has been sent by Jove. (The mythology is classical, but the theology is Christian.) He explains that Jove takes special interest in Great Britain, and in the nobleman sent “to guide” the Welsh. The spirit has come to protect the nobleman’s children as they travel to their new home. He is especially watchful because the forest is home to Comus, the son of Circe. Just as Circe turned men into swine in Homer’s Odyssey (c. 800 b.c.e.; Eng. trans., 1616), Comus has gathered a “rout of monsters.”
There are three siblings, a lady and her two brothers. When they become separated, Comus moves in, disguised as a shepherd offering the lady food and shelter. But his home develops into a place of misrule, where he entices the lady to drink from his magic cup. She resists until the spirit leads her brothers to the rescue.
*Severn River
*Severn River. Longest river in Wales, flowing from England to the Atlantic. After the brothers chase off Comus, the spirit needs further assistance and summons a river nymph named Sabrina, whose home is the Severn (which is also known as the Sabrina River). Attended by water-nymphs, she rises and sings a song that releases the lady.
*Ludlow
*Ludlow. Market town in Herefordshire. The play’s final scene shows Ludlow and its castle, which the children approach. The country folk welcome them in dance, and the children greet their parents. After an evening of festivities, the spirit bids farewell, urging everyone to “love virtue.”
Bibliography
Diekhoff, John, ed. A Mask at Ludlow: Essays on Milton’s “Comus.” Cleveland: Case Western Reserve University Press, 1968. Diekhoff’s work assembles previously published essays by eminent Milton critics. The selections deal with all major critical issues concerning the masque.
Hanford, James Holly, and James G. Taaffe. A Milton Handbook. New York: Meredith, 1970. A mine of information about Milton’s life, works, and critical reputation, this book offers synopses of individual works and comprehensive critical assessments. An excellent beginning point for the general reader and student.
Hunter, William B., ed. Milton’s English Poetry. Lewisburg, Pa.: Bucknell University Press, 1986. Hunter’s book assembles entries on Milton’s poetry. The essay on Comus, listed under its original title, provides an introductory overview of the masque and a detailed survey of critical opinion.
Lovecock, Julian, ed. Milton: “Comus” and “Samson Agonistes.” New York: Macmillan, 1975. In his casebook, Lovecock reprints five of the most significant twentieth century studies of Milton’s masque. Five additional selections include significant criticism from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
McGuire, Maryann Cale. Milton’s Puritan Masque. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1983. In an extended analysis of the masque, McGuire places Comus within the Puritan tradition. In a genre that was usually Royalist, she finds Puritan values reflected in its style, ethical themes, and historical contexts.