Elements of “Evil” at The King Richard’s Faire
Elements of “Evil” at The King Richard’s Faire
My experience at the King Richard’s Faire was very interesting and exciting—my partners and I had the opportunity to attend some shows and events, see live music, and indulge in some “medieval” pretzels and pickles. We also had the opportunity to talk with some “medieval-enthusiasts” and take pictures with them in costume. The costumes were personally my favorite part of the experience; not only did we get to see some knights in armor and traditional medieval dress, but we also saw some fairies, witches, and people in satanic devil costumes with pentagram jewelry. From what I saw, there was a surprising amount of “satanic” representation at the Faire which was very interesting to me. I decided to conduct some further research using concepts and ideas from class to understand why the role of evil and satanic practices were incorporated so heavily into the Faire itself. In class, we read Tennyson’s “The Kraken” poem, which is a short poem about a gigantic, mythical sea beast. Within the poem, there is a reference to Revelation—it reads, “Battening upon huge sea worms in his sleep, Until the latter fire shall heat the deep; Then once by man and angels to be seen, In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die” (12-15). The reference to Revelation comes in the context of the fire, the fire that would finally consume the world (Revelation 16.8-9). Immediately I thought of the relationship between the symbol of fire and its demonic (“satanic”) association. Many medieval Christians generated an understanding of Satan, not solely in a religious context, but also in medieval dramatic representations. The works of Dante and Milton provide us with some context of Satan—they characterize Satan through a Biblical lens as symbolizing a betrayer and a meaningless beast. There is also a high representation of “satanic” figures and elements in medieval drama, art, and culture. Satan is often portrayed in apocalyptic scenes, in religious art in cathedral walls, and in folklore and urban legends. The Catholic Church was essentially the forefront of medieval Europe—religious practice and gospel interpretation dominated the majority of the population and ultimately influenced the rise of the Roman Catholic Church. Within the Church’s authority and power comes speculation surrounding death and destruction—these are often associated with active evil in the context of Satan.
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Throughout the Middle Ages, Satan has evolved into an evil force, with a sole intention of tormenting sinful human souls. At the Faire itself, there was an acrobatic show with a performer on a large standing pole dressed as what appears to be jester on a toy horse. The background of the performance was a giant demon in fire with a title “The Mouth of Hell.” The performer juggled fire while cycling and balancing on the giant pole. These symbols of fire, death, and destruction are a testament to the elements of Lucifer that have evolved throughout the Middle Ages and early Renaissance periods.
