Bruegel - The Peasant Dance
... musician from his four-handled beer mug, surely denoting gluttony. In front of the tavern, a fight brews over a beverage-laden table and a stupid-eyed couple, presumably drunk, kisses right in public, brazenly displaying their lust. The fact that this all takes place on a saint’s day right in front of religious symbols is indicative that Bruegel believes the common man has lost the meaning of religion. However, they may not be aware of this. It is worth mentioning that in the whole picture, not one of the revelers appears to be smiling. They are celebrating in the only way that they know how and feel that they obliged to celebrate this way. As far as the townsfolk know, they are being good Christians by honoring the saint with a big fiesta. Fabre-Vassas tells of another example of peasants completely missing the point of religion and wholly involving themselves in wayward practices. The preparation of blood sausages is made out to be ludicrously sanctimonious and meticulous. Men may not enter the room during preparation or the sausages could burst. The oldest woman must prepare the blind intestine and drop it into the water or the sausages could burst and become susceptible to the evil eye of witches. The suspicious routine is also heavily laden with religious significance with the necessary practice of “blood baptisms,” a spattering of the pig’s blood. This level of idolatry is ridiculous and the fact that it was so widespread is amazing. Cultures all over Europe had their own superstitions revolving around it concerning witches and demons. These people did not know how errant their beliefs were. Instead, they merely conformed to societal norms and teachings. This is also exactly what Segalen described in the courting rituals at the time. “In the Haute-Saone, when the couple returned to the house, the cook presented the husband with a wooden spoon containing an egg. He had to throw the egg over the house; if he threw it well he would dominate his wife. In the Macon tradition, it is a sign of feminine authority if the bridegroom, on the wedding night, has difficulty in removing his wife’s bridal crown.” This led to new wives fastening their bridal crowns down tight with pins so their husbands would have trouble removing them. It is very telling that cultural norms and suspicions took precedence over one’s new spouses in that a bride would actually live her life at the expense of her groom to get what she wanted through old superstitions. None of these are founded in fact or religion, and this may suggest that sixteenth century peasants had less of an individual consciousness and self-awareness and more of a group mentality. The clumsy, unsmiling dancers of “The Peasant Dance” exhibit this mentality. They are not dancing for themselves for fun, but rather because it’s what they think they ought to do. Hence, they go about it in a heavy way, devoid of gaiety and filled with a sense of duty, not r...