MARDIS GRAS PARADE REJECTS DARWIN
"One of the most documented and discussed of all parade and tableau themes was Comus’ infamous Missing Link of Darwin’s Origin of the Species of 1873. Perry Young describes:
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The Triumph of the Serpent dissolved from view and the other animals of creation formed the final group for the second tableau. This was the imposing coronation scene, wherein Gorilla was crowned king of all creation, Chacma as his queen…..But before the imposing throne, unawed and unabashed… stood Comus, impersonation without word or gesture a sovereignty before which the new-crowned master of the world offered impotent contrast.
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The Missing Link extravaganza was the origin of this tradition. Not only was this parade a dismissive commentary on Darwin’s theory, it was a stinging political satire."
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