Carnival in Venice, Italy is an
overwhelming and visually stimulating event. As soon as I started
researching the topic of Carnival around the world, I was immediately drawn to
the elaborate and lavish display that is the Venetian Carnival. The Carnival of Venice occurs annually –
starting approximately two weeks before Ash Wednesday. Most Carnivals revolve
around the celebration of Lent. This means that, historically, the Carnival of
Venice’s aim is to fulfill the carnal desires, such as rich foods and
entertainment, before the religious must sacrifice decadence for 40 days of
Lent. As The World of Theater text
states, Carnival literally means, 'farewell meat'” (Filner and Orenstein 136).
According to the official website of the
Venice Carnival, it first took place during the 11th century and was originally
two months long (Venice Events). The Carnival of Venice originated as “a series
of balls in St. Mark’s Square” (Venice Events). It became obsolete during
the 18th century, but came back to life in 1979 (Venice Events). Today,
it is considered to be one of the events of the year. In fact, there are even companies,
such as Venice Events, who offer costume rentals for tourists during the
Carnival of Venice.
Wearing masks is a large part of the Venetians Carnival’s tradition. As ItalyGuides.it asserts, “Venetians were famous for being libertines and for transgression - they didn't just use masks during the official Carnival. Putting on a mask in Venice meant taking forbidden liberties: you could jibe at the powerful, gamble without being caught, take risks over love or business deals and even enter convents without being seen” (ItalyGuides.it). In my opinion, the masks add a sense of mystery and allure which increases the feeling that, during this festival, people take on a unique identity.
The article at
ItalyGuides.it says that the most commonly seen mask during the 11th
through 18th centuries was called the “bauta” (ItalyGuides.it).
These were extremely expensive and had, “an ample full-cut black mantle which
dropped over the shoulders down to the waist” (ItalyGuides.it). As The World of Theater text describes,
Carnival is a time when people can, "transcend normally acceptable
behavior" (Filner and Orenstein 136). This means that costumes can
be crazy, yet socially acceptable during this celebration. Despite the
economic status of the people attending during the 11th through 18th
centuries, according to the official website of the Venice Carnival, everyone
wore costumes. These costumes were influenced by the Commedie del'Arte,
Harlequin, Columbine, and the Plague Doctor (Venice Events). 
Today, the large celebration of decadence and
food attracts people outside the tradition of Lent and religion. The Carnival
of Venice is a celebration of great splendor and exuberance which will carry on
for many years to come. In my opinion, the colors and the masquerade all go
into making it one of the most visually stimulating events in the world. 
Citations:
crkota. Photograph. Holiday4U, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
Filner, Mira, and
Orenstein, Claudia. The World of Theater.
Boston: Pearson, 2006. Print.
“History
of Carnival.” Carnival of Venice.
Venice Events. n.d. Web. 19 Fed. 2013.
Lopez, Guillem. “Person wearing mask
at the Carnival of Venice, Italy.” Photograph. Guillem
Lopez Photography, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
Lopez, Guillem. “Person wearing mask
at the Carnival of Venice, Italy.” Photograph. Guillem
Lopez Photography, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
MasterTwiX. “Venice Carnival.1.”
Photograph. Deviant Art. 5 May 2008.
Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
Nielsen, Stefan. “Venice Carnival
2010.” Photograph. Behance. Stefan
Nielsen’s Photography,
19 Feb.
2010. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
Photograph. Carnival of Venice. Venice Events, 2013. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
“Venice
Carnival.” Venice: The Carnival:
Re-living the 18th Century Venice. ItalyGuides.it. n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
