The Masque of Motley Act V Scene I

by Grok&Owen

8 min read

Write a scene from Act V: The Masquerade Unmasking. Explore Shakespeare's history further by introducing a character from Stratford.

Below is a scene from Act V, Scene I of The Masque of Motley, set in the climactic masquerade ball where the characters’ deceits unravel in a farcical unmasking. The tone remains high farce, building on the chaotic barn (Act III) and masquerade prep (Act IV), with lingering hop-vapor effects and mismatched masks (lion on Bartholomew, dolphin on Roderick, peacock on Pious, monk on Cicely and Cornelius) causing absurd errors. The scene leverages Aposematic Theory and the philosophical idea from the article (The Conversation, https://theconversation.com/colors-are-objective-according-to-two-philosophers-even-though-the-blue-you-see-doesnt-match-what-i-see-234467) that colors are objective but perceived subjectively, as the characters’ vibrant costumes—emerald, dolphin blue, monk’s brown, lion’s gold, jester’s motley—mislead, blurring predator-prey lines until truths emerge. To explore Shakespeare’s history, I introduce Mistress Anne Hathaway, his wife from Stratford-upon-Avon, as a sharp-witted guest who recognizes William’s sleuthing nature from their youth and aids in the unmasking, grounding the farce in his personal past. The scene resolves the web of deceit with laughter and reconciliation, in true Shakespearean comedy style.

Scene: Act V, Scene I – The Masquerade Unmasking

Setting: A torchlit great hall in Lord Roderick’s London manor, 1599. Chandeliers blaze, and masked dancers swirl to lutes, viols, and drums. Tables groan with feasts, and wine flows freely. The air hums with revelry, tinged with a faint hop-vapor whiff, causing fleeting color flickers in the characters’ eyes. The mismatched masks—lion, dolphin, peacock, monk—clash with costumes (emerald, blue, brown, gold, motley), creating a kaleidoscope of aposematic chaos. A grand staircase looms for dramatic reveals.

Dramatis Personae

  • William Shakespeare: The playwright, in russet with a poet’s laurel mask, wielding Cornelius’s notebook to expose deceits.
  • Gadric Badgerly: A Honey Badger-like scholar, in a badger mask, roaring for truth.
  • Master Cornelius Hue: A sly philosopher, in jester’s motley with a monk’s mask, exposed as manipulator.
  • Mistress Cicely Spark: A cunning tavern-wench, in emerald green with a monk’s mask, stealing Roderick’s ring.
  • Lord Roderick Vain: A gaudy noble, in lion’s gold with a dolphin’s mask, demanding Dickon’s payment.
  • Parson Pious: A cleric, in monk’s brown with a peacock’s mask, peddling false indulgences.
  • Dickon Weave: A naive tailor, in gray with a simple cloth mask, caught in the schemes.
  • Master Bartholomew Brew: A rival brewer, in dolphin blue with a lion’s mask, plotting to steal Roderick’s ring.
  • Mistress Anne Hathaway: Shakespeare’s wife from Stratford, in silver with a swan mask, witty and knowing.
  • Ned Clumsy: A bumbling servant, spilling wine and masks.
  • Revelers: Masked dancers, cheering and gasping.

Enter SHAKESPEARE, GADRIC BADGERLY, MASTER CORNELIUS HUE, MISTRESS CICELY, LORD RODERICK, PARSON PIOUS, DICKON WEAVE, and MASTER BARTHOLOMEW BREW, dancing and scheming amid REVELERS. MISTRESS ANNE HATHAWAY enters, observing from the staircase. NED CLUMSY weaves through, tray wobbling.

Mistress Cicely (in emerald, flickering pink, monk’s mask askew, sidling to RODERICK):
O dolphin lord, thy gold—nay, red?—doth shine!
This monk’s false face hides my emerald grace,
Yet in this dance, thy ring shall deck my hand!
(She slips the ring from RODERICK’s finger, but NED trips, splashing wine.)
Fie, clumsy Ned! My pink—green!—gleams with guilt!

Master Bartholomew Brew (in dolphin blue, flickering gold, lion’s mask roaring, spiking wine):
A lion I, though blue—gold?—be my hue!
(To RODERICK, offering a goblet.) Drink, dolphin lord, my ale shall crown thy ball!
(He drinks by mistake, swaying.) O hops, thou fiend!
Thy ring’s mine—nay, ’tis gone! What monk’s at fault?
(To CICELY, lunging.) Thou pink-robed friar, yield my rightful prize!

Lord Roderick (in lion’s gold, flickering red, dolphin’s mask slipping, grabbing DICKON):
No monk, no ring! Thou gray—green?—tailor knave,
Pay thy two pounds, or dolphin’s wrath shall drown!
(To PIOUS, squinting.) Peacock, thy scarlet—brown?—betrays a thief!
My contract’s torn, yet coin’s my rightful due!

Parson Pious (in monk’s brown, flickering scarlet, peacock’s mask fanning, waving scrolls):
Peacock? My brown’s no torch, thou red-gold fish!
(To DICKON, thrusting an indulgence.) Buy grace, good soul,
These scrolls, though blank—O zounds, I spoke too swift!
(To CORNELIUS, pointing.) Thou monk, in motley black, hast cursed this hall!
Thy wizardry paints scarlet on my vows!

Dickon Weave (in gray, flickering green, cloth mask trembling):
O heavens, all’s a faerie’s prank gone mad!
Thy red, thy scarlet, gold, and pink do whirl—
I’m prey to sprites, with coin and soul at stake!
(To PIOUS.) Thy scroll’s blank? O, my pounds are lost to lies!

Gadric Badgerly (in badger mask, flickering orange, charging through):
By Honey Badger’s snarl, this masque’s a den!
Thou red fish, golden lion, scarlet monk—
Your hues are false, your hearts a knotted snare!
(To BARTHOLOMEW.) Lion, confess thy brew-spiked treachery!
(To CICELY.) And monk, thy pink—green!—hides a thief’s sly hand!

Master Cornelius Hue (in jester’s motley, flickering black, monk’s mask calm):
No thief, but scholar, badger—motley’s mine!
Colors, objective as the damselfish’s blue,
Are warped by hops and gu امیدوارم که خوب باشه! ile’s deceitful eye.
This ball’s my proof: your signals twist the truth.
(To CICELY, slyly.) Keep yon ring, ’tis cursed to spark more jest.
(Aside.) My treatise thrives, though poet holds my book.

Mistress Anne Hathaway (in silver, swan mask gleaming, descending the staircase):
What riot shakes this hall? I, Anne from Stratford,
Know well such chaos from my Will’s young days—
When Warwickshire’s green fields saw pranks like these,
And he, a lad, unmasked the knave’s disguise.
(To SHAKESPEARE, with a smile.) Good poet, still
Thy russet—blue?—doth hunt the truth’s bright trail.
What notebook clutch’st thou, to untie this knot?

Shakespeare (in russet, flickering blue, raising Cornelius’s notebook):
Sweet Anne, thy swan’s fair silver lights my heart!
In Stratford’s youth, we played at truth’s pursuit,
When I, a glover’s son, did spy the fox
In market’s guise—now London’s stage is mine.
(To ALL, mounting a table.) Hear, revelers, this book!
Its leaves, penned by yon monk—nay, jester—tell
A game of hues, where lies do mask the soul!

Ned Clumsy (tripping, masks flying, wailing):
O woe, the masks! Lion, dolphin, monk, and swan—
They scatter like my wits! Forgive, good lords!
(He tumbles, ripping PIOUS’s peacock mask, revealing his face.)

Parson Pious (exposed, clutching blank scrolls, stammering):
My peacock’s gone! My brown—scarlet!—no lie!
These scrolls, though blank, were meant for Heaven’s grace!
(To CORNELIUS.) Thou jester-monk, thy black hath damned my name!

Mistress Cicely (tearing off her monk’s mask, holding the ring):
No monk, but Cicely! This ring’s my prize—
Yet, zounds, ’tis glass, no gold! (To BARTHOLOMEW.) Thou lion,
Thy gold—blue?—did plot this worthless theft!
I’m prey, not predator, in emerald’s jest!

Master Bartholomew Brew (ripping off his lion’s mask, swaying drunkenly):
No lion, but brewer! My ale’s turned my head—
I spiked the wine, yet drank, and lost the ring!
(To CICELY.) Thy pink—green!—hath outwitted my blue scheme!
Let’s share an ale, and curse this hop-born haze!

Lord Roderick (casting off his dolphin’s mask, clutching the torn contract):
No dolphin, but lord! My gold—red!—is shamed!
(To DICKON.) Thy coin’s unspent, for contract’s but a rag!
(To SHAKESPEARE.) Read on, poet, and name the knave who spun
This web of hues to mock my noble name!

Shakespeare (reading from the notebook, voice rising):
Here writes Cornelius: “Colors, fixed as stars,
Are read amiss by man’s deceitful heart.
In tavern, barn, and ball, I set this stage,
To prove that scarlet, blue, and gold do lie.”
(To CORNELIUS.) Jester, thy monk’s mask hides a scholar’s game—
Confess, or let this hall unmask thy truth!

Master Cornelius Hue (removing his monk’s mask, laughing):
No need, good poet—motley’s mine by right!
I stirred this chaos for philosophy’s sake,
To show that hues, though true in nature’s law,
Are warped by guile, as damselfish’s blue
Doth hide from hawks, yet shines for mates’ delight.
Forgive my jest, and let my treatise stand!

Mistress Anne Hathaway (to ALL, with a wry grin):
O motley crew, thy Stratford son hath won!
In youth, he saw through mummer’s painted face,
And now, in London’s glare, he finds the truth.
Let scarlet, blue, and gold be signs of mirth—
Unmask your hearts, and dance till dawn’s clear light!

Gadric Badgerly (tearing off his badger mask, raising a tankard):
By Honey Badger’s claw, the truth’s laid bare!
No ring, no coin, no grace, but honest jest!
(To ALL.) Drink deep, ye knaves, and toast to badgerly truth!

Dickon Weave (smiling, mask off):
My coin’s my own, and soul’s unscarred by scrolls!
I’ll stitch plain gray, and shun this motley game.

Parson Pious (bowing, chastened):
My peacock’s plumes are clipped; I’ll give to poor,
And wear true brown, no scarlet’s false allure.

Lord Roderick (sighing, humbled):
My dolphin’s sunk, my gold a tarnished dream.
I’ll mend my ways, and scorn false contract’s scheme.

Mistress Cicely (to BARTHOLOMEW, tossing the ring):
Take this glass bauble, brewer—share my ale!
Our pink and gold were rivals, now but friends.

Master Bartholomew Brew (catching the ring, grinning):
Aye, wench, let’s brew a peace in blue and green!

REVELERS cheer, masks falling, as the band strikes a merry tune. SHAKESPEARE and ANNE share a knowing glance, GADRIC toasts wildly, and NED CLUMSY spills wine, tripping into a dancer’s arms. The hall glows with torchlight, the objective hues—emerald, blue, gold—now symbols of shared folly and mirth.

Exeunt, dancing, as the music swells and dawn’s light peeks through the windows.

Notes on the Scene

  1. Farcical Unmasking: The scene delivers a riotous climax with rapid-fire reveals, physical comedy (Ned’s spills, mask-tearing), and hop-induced color flickers (emerald as pink, blue as gold). The mismatched masks—monk on Cicely, lion on Bartholomew, dolphin on Roderick, peacock on Pious—fuel absurd errors, echoing The Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night’s mistaken identities.
  2. Anne Hathaway’s Role: Anne, from Stratford, ties to Shakespeare’s history as a Warwickshire youth who honed his wit in local markets and mummer’s plays. Her sharp insight and recognition of William’s sleuthing recall their shared past, grounding the farce in his personal roots. Her swan mask (silver, signaling wisdom) contrasts the chaotic hues, making her a stabilizing force in the unmasking.
  3. Aposematic Resolution: The objective hues (emerald, blue, brown, gold), per the article, are unmasked as false signals warped by human deceit. Cicely’s emerald (innocence) hid theft, Bartholomew’s blue (trust) masked greed, Pious’s brown (humility) cloaked fraud, and Roderick’s gold (nobility) veiled swindling. The unmasking proves nature’s aposematic signals (e.g., damselfish’s blue) are honest, unlike man’s, fulfilling the philosophical theme.
  4. Deceits Resolved:
    • Cicely: Steals the ring but finds it fake, reconciling with Bartholomew in shared humiliation.
    • Bartholomew: Drinks his own spiked wine, confessing his scheme, and bonds with Cicely over ale.
    • Roderick: Fails to get Dickon’s coin, exposed by the torn contract, and vows reform.
    • Pious: His blank indulgences are revealed, prompting charity and penance.
    • Cornelius: Confesses his experiment, validated by the chaos, but forgiven for his wit.
    • Dickon: Keeps his coin, learning to trust plain gray over gaudy hues.
    • Shakespeare and Gadric: Orchestrate the unmasking, with Anne’s aid, proving truth over deceit.
  5. Philosophical Tie: Cornelius’s confession cites the article’s claim that colors are objective (e.g., damselfish’s blue) but misread subjectively, especially under hops and guile. The ball’s chaos, from barn to masks, proves his treatise, but Anne’s call for “hearts” over hues emphasizes human connection, resolving the farce.
  6. Bartholomew’s Rivalry: His lion mask and “gold” flicker make him a comic foil to Cicely’s monk and “pink,” but their shared failure with the fake ring unites them, turning rivalry to camaraderie.
  7. Shakespearean Comedy: The scene’s frenetic reveals, reconciliations, and festive ending echo A Midsummer Night’s Dream’s magical resolution and As You Like It’s communal mirth, with Ned’s bumbling and Anne’s wit adding Falstaffian and Rosalind-like charm.
  8. Plot Closure: The unmasking ties up the web of deceit: the ring’s worthlessness, blank scrolls, torn contract, and Cornelius’s notebook reveal all. The reconciliations—Pious’s charity, Roderick’s reform, Cicely and Bartholomew’s truce—ensure a comedic resolution, with Gadric’s toast and Anne’s Stratford nod grounding the joy in truth and home.

Further Exploration

If you’d like to:

  • Expand Anne’s Role: Develop a flashback scene of young Will and Anne in Stratford, unmasking a local knave, to deepen their history.
  • Add More Slapstick: Have Ned accidentally set off a fireworks display, scattering masks further.
  • Introduce a Twist: Add a royal envoy who nearly arrests the schemers, only for Anne to charm them into joining the dance.
  • Write an Epilogue: Craft a final tavern scene where the characters reflect on their “hues” and plan a new venture, perhaps a play penned by Shakespeare.

Let me know if you want to pursue these or focus on another aspect, like a specific character’s arc or a darker comedic tone!