Burlesque and American Culture, Essay Example

Burlesque performances are characteristic of the Victorian era and are meant to create a humorous performance based on serious themes. The word “burlesque” it itself derived from the Italian word for “mocking”. This art form is significant to theater, which is evident because it has survived since the times of Chaucer and Shakespeare. Elements of burlesque have been contained in modern popular culture and is well-known for its use in film adaptations of musicals such as Cabaretand All that Jazz. While many individuals appreciate burlesque performance today, this word began to appear as early as the 16^th century, although it is likely that this art form was implemented prior to the appearance of the word (Allen 27).

While the first burlesque performance, entitled Opere burlesche was written and enacted in the 16^th century, the 17^thcentury adaptations of this work contributed to our understanding of burlesque as it is known today. In 17^th century England, the word burlesque was used to specifically refer to “grotesque imitation of the dignified or pathetic”. Key examples of this can be seen in A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, a play by William Shakespeare. The play was meant to be a comedic commentary on society and therefore used elements of burlesque to make fun on certain aspects of the Elizabethan era.

Burlesque began to be incorporated with music as early as the classical era. This form of art was effective because classical music is generally considered to produce a serious effect, while burlesque is comedic. The collision of these two art forms made for humorous performances that provided a light mood in contrast to the music that accommodated it (Frye 34). Many operas were written in accordance to this new style to achieve a maximally entertaining performance.

In the modern era, we most commonly associate burlesque with parody and the two can be used interchangeably. However modern burlesque is typically set to a song or song(s) and the actor or actress has a certain theme in this performance. Often, it involves taking off a portion of one’s clothes to create dramatic effect. While many individuals compare burlesque to stripping, this is not the case. Burlesque is done for humor and entertainment (Briggerman 78). The primary difference between these two activities is that burlesque is often making fun of stripping as they come close to doing so.

While burlesque isn’t tied in closely to political concerns, it is an interesting form of art because it could be made to common on culture, history, and politics. The choice to do so depends upon the actor or choreographer. Ultimately, burlesque is successful because it is a versatile art form that is entertaining and can be used to convey a variety of messages to the audience to create a simultaneously dramatic and comedic effect.

Works Cited

Allen, Robert Clyde. Horrible Prettiness: Burlesque and American Culture. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1991.

Briggeman, Jane. Burlesque: A Living History. BearManor Media, 2009.

Frye, Northrop. Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essays. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1957.