Milton’s mask A Mask Presented at Ludlow Castle, more popularly known today as Comus, was written by Milton along with Henry Lawes for the Earl of Bridgewater’s appointment to the Lord Presidency of Wales. Knowing that the Earl’s children would play the lead roles in the mask, Milton created characters that are strong in conviction and uphold the values of the society for which they were created. The mask’s central character of the Lady was played by the Earl’s daughter Alice, who was of marriageable age, so it is appropriate that Milton would give the character the particular virtue of chastity. Many critics have viewed the Lady through a feminist lens and have applauded Milton for his ability to create such a strong female character. However, the purpose of my essay is to question the idea of the Lady, and Comus as a whole, as feminist, specifically through the representation of femininity and masculinity in the mask and the final scene of the Lady’s rescue.
