Already Masked!

442

August 24, 2020

Published in Le Devoir
(Canada) on 15 August 2020
by Yvan Giguère (link to original link to original)

Translated from by Peyton Reynolds. Edited by Elizabeth Cosgriff.

I remember my good old college days. I was studying for a multidisciplinary degree in arts and literature, with a minor in theater. This gave me the freedom to learn about the art of Commedia dell’Arte and its masked characters.

Today, when I see a politician like Donald Trump, I can’t help but associate him with the most famous character of Commedia dell’Arte, Pulcinella. Based on the appearance of his mask, it is said that he was a liar, at times cruel, and kept the most scabrous secrets to himself underneath the mask. A sly bastard, one might say!

If it took ages before Trump finally boasted about the benefits of wearing a mask and actually wore one in public, after thousands of deaths caused by COVID-19 under his management, could this actually be because his face was already masked?

Je me souviens de mes belles années d’études à l’université. Je suivais un baccalauréat multidisciplinaire en arts et littérature, dont une mineure consacrée au théâtre. J’ai eu alors le loisir de m’initier à l’art de la commedia dell’arte, avec ses différents personnages masqués.

Aujourd’hui, quand je vois un politicien tel que Trump, je ne peux m’empêcher de l’associer au plus célèbre des personnages de la commedia dell’arte qu’est Polichinelle. On dit de lui qu’il est menteur et parfois même cruel sous l’allure de son masque, en plus de garder pour lui des secrets des plus scabreux. Un vrai snoreau, pourrait-on dire !

S’il a fallu un temps fou avant que Donald Trump ne vante finalement les mérites du port du masque de protection et en enfile un en public, après des milliers de morts de la COVID-19 sur son territoire, ne serait-ce pas justement parce que son visage est déjà masqué ?

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