What exactly are masques and bergamasques in Verlaine's "Claire de Lune"?

Question

In Verlaines's ["Claire de Lune"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clair_de_Lune_(poem)) he speaks of: > Que vont charmant masques et bergamasques They play musical instruments, so one assumes them to be musical artists, but what exactly are masques and bergamasques?

Answer 1

A masque is a party, or masquerade. A bergamasque is a type of dance. In Shakespeare it is considered a "lusty dance" (Midsommer's Night Dream), but historically is courtship dance involving two circles, one of men, one of women.