Self-Love and Admiration
During its original performances, Cynthia's Revels was given an alternate title by its playwright, Ben Jonson: The Fountain of Self-Love. One can see the theme of self-admiration manifest in the play primarily through the figure of Narcissus – a mythical man who, upon seeing his reflection in a stream, immediately fell helplessly in love with himself to his own detriment. But the play is also a satirical take on the notion of self-love at court: through the various courtiers, the play suggests that those at court are so caught up in self-admiration and advancement that they remain out of touch with the rest of the world.
Queen Elizabeth I and Political Power
The premise of Cynthia's Revels is built around the orders of Cynthia (also called Diana), who declares that there should be "solemn revels" in Greece. Cynthia's orders are heeded by all those around her, and courtiers vie for her attention throughout the play. Given the play's allegorical representation of court, it is immediately clear that Cynthia herself is an allegorical figure for Queen Elizabeth I, who sat on the English throne at the time the play was performed. The play therefore emphasizes both Elizabeth's power and her holiness, as it is Cynthia who unmasks the vices at the end of the play.
Political Criticism
At the same time the play offers its praises of Queen Elizabeth I and its support of the monarchy, it is not without its classic Jonsonian jabs at the ruling classes. Of course, Jonson pokes fun at the courtiers who surround Cynthia, but he also includes some light criticism of Cynthia herself. When the boys of the Prologue speak the play's plot in advance, however, they inform the audience that these types of criticisms will not go past a certain point and that the play does, indeed, remain loyal to the monarchy. Thus, Jonson toes a line in Cynthia's Revels that can often be seen in his other satirical work: critiquing royals without committing treason.
The Poetomachia
Cynthia's Revels has long been considered a product of the Poetomachia, better known as the War of the Theatres. This controversy took place between 1599 and 1602, just before James I succeeded Elizabeth I on the throne. During these years, the playwrights Ben Jonson, John Marston, and Thomas Dekker used their plays to criticize and insult one another, with Jonson on one side and Marston and Dekker on the other. In Cynthia's Revels, the unsavory characters of Hedon and Anaides are said to represent Marston and Dekker, respectively.
Greek Mythology
Cynthia's Revels features a combination of human characters and gods and goddesses from Greek mythology. This is an uncommon feature for Jonson's plays, which tended to depict "everyman" characters from London and its surrounding community. Jonson is credited with the invention of the genre of city comedy, which focused on common people, low-stakes conflicts, and irony. However, in Cynthia's Revels, Jonson relies heavily on Greek mythology to craft his plot. This mythological structure is likely evidence of two major elements in Jonson's career: first, many see Cynthia's Revels as a novice contribution to Jonson's more complex oeuvre, and argue that he dispels with mythological influence later in his career. Second, the mythological narrative helps Jonson remain the realm of allegory, so that any criticisms of the court could be veiled by the play's reliance on mythology rather than reality.
Appearance versus Reality
While the play is generally lighthearted and features little serious conflict (an elements that critics have long cited as a reason for the play's unpopularity), the end does nod toward the common early modern theme of the difference between appearance and reality. At the end of the play, Cynthia unmasks the dancers to reveal that vices have been masquerading as virtues. This revelation is significant for two reasons: first, it reiterates Cynthia's power to uncover the "truth" (thereby lauding Queen Elizabeth I), and second, it suggests that the royal court is rife with masqueraders itself. In this way, Jonson critiques the court for its many guises that help hide courtiers' true interest in self-advancement.
Jonson's Career
Cynthia's Revels was not necessarily a popular play during its own time, and it remains a relatively obscure text in Jonson's otherwise famed dramatic repertoire. As such, critics have generally taken two approaches to studying the play: some maintain that the play is simply a failure altogether, evidence of a novice playwright who could not craft a nuanced satire. Others argue that Cynthia's Revels features a number of Jonsonian conventions that he would perfect in his other early comedies like The Alchemist and Volpone, two plays often considered masterpieces in the genre of comedy. Despite its lack of a compelling plot and and underdeveloped characters, then, one can interpret Cynthia's Revels as a learning exercise for Jonson's more sophisticated satires to come.
