A grandiose celebration where fun and abundance in food, drink, dancing and jokes rule. An opportunity to feel like someone you are not, to get away from the cares and burdens of life, to enjoy freedom and joyful emotions.
Carnaval is associated with theatricality, the desire to reincarnate, to put on a mask. During this festive event, a simple peasant could imagine himself as a lavish count or a brave knight, a merchant could reincarnate as an emperor, and a prosperous city dweller as an ancient goddess.
Amazing costumes, amazing scenery — it transported people for a while in a fairy tale world where carefree, play and ease of being reigned.
History
In different historical periods and in different peoples, carnival culture acquired its own forms. Such festivals were organized since antiquity and were associated with religious ideas centered in myths.
Thus, in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, the gods of Dionysius and Bacchus were important. They were mass public festivals in honor of the god of winemaking (Dionysus — at the Greeks, Bacchus — at the Romans), which were accompanied by mock masquerade processions with the participation of misfits, theatrical performances — comedy, tragedy and satire, competitions of poets and actors.
Carnivals of the ancient Greeks and Romans, they often ended with gluttony, abundant libations, fights, accomplishment of various obscenities.
The next turn in its development culture made in the Middle Ages. Despite the strict spiritual dictate of the church, the imposition of strict religious principles and ethical norms. The masses were allowed to organize carnivals before Lent. It was in this period people could really relax, have fun, eat enough. And then they were waiting for a rigid long fast, which was required to observe until Easter.
Carnival culture truly blossomed during the Renaissance. It is in this period there is a strengthening of secularism in society, and carnivals with their hedonism and life-affirming beginning become a particularly organic phenomenon for this time. They are widespread among the aristocratic class.
The Renaissance era is a stunning in its beauty and picturesque masquerade festivals. Here the riot of colors and enjoyment of aesthetics is brought to the limit! Each carnival participant is imbued with a competitive spirit, wanting to stand out from the crowd with their lavish costumes and fantasy masks. In the Renaissance era, the Roman and especially the Venetian Carnivals became very popular.
In subsequent historical periods, the love of masquerades and carnival festivals only grew more and more. They were held in noble houses throughout Europe. Masquerade festivities before Lent were also kept by the common people.
In Rus
In Russia, carnival traditions were represented by Christmas caroling with the performance of ritual songs, going to houses, begging for guests from the owners, dressing up in masquerade costumes and, of course, Pancake Day.
Maslenitsa in Russians, as well as in other eastern Slavs, acts as an analog of the festivities of Western Europe. It takes place on the threshold of the Great Lent and is actively accompanied by raucous fun with songs, dances, abundant treats in the form of eating pancakes, holding fist fights, various competitions, joking performances, burning an effigy of winter.
All these entertainment traditions in Russia came from pagan festivals of pre-Christian times. And, of course, the Orthodox Church did not really encourage them, just like the Catholic clergy of Europe. Religious figures saw in them something demonic, unpleasing to God. But, despite this, these festivals successfully preserved their traditions.
In Russia since the XVIII century also developed the culture of Western carnivals. It was brought by Peter the Great as part of his reforms. Both in the XVIII and XIX centuries, lavish masquerade festivities were actively organized at the court.
Nowadays
Pancake Day is actively celebrated in Russia. Every year in February, Venice hosts a grand masquerade extravaganza, where the whole world’s beau monde flies in. Its distinctive feature is magnificent masks, which are transformed into real works of art. Preparation for the Venetian Carnival is a whole industry, which provides those wishing to take part in the festivities with masks, costumes and other attributes, and the organizers help to organize everything to the highest standards and each time in a new way, with a unique character.
Modern traditions are represented by another famous event – the annual Brazilian Carnival, held in February-March in Rio de Janeiro and several other major Brazilian cities. This celebration has its origins in ancient African traditions. It, like the Venetian, has its own unique spirit. Its distinctive features are: bright, fantastic native costumes with plenty of feathers, cheerful Latin American rhythms, competitions of samba dancers.
Cultural historians, philosophers, sociologists apply the concept of carnival culture to the existence of various youth informal subcultures (hippies, rockers, metalheads, goths, emos, rappers, ravers, anime fans and many others). Young people always have an increased desire for freedom, creativity, the desire to reveal themselves from an unusual side, to declare themselves as an interesting personality.
Carnival is a craving of people for a game, a holiday, an emotional upsurge, a desire to rise above routine and everyday life. It has always been in society and manifested itself in different forms, and as long as humanity is alive, it will always exist.
Natalia Khadeeva