Playing King

Abstract

The Swedish King Gustav III ruled from 1771 to 1792. His departure to the Russian war in1788 was staged as a grandiose spectacle. The King, who was also a playwright, made the dayof his departure coincide with the symbolic date of June 23. This was the date that Gustav IIAdolph (ruled 1611-32) went off to the Thirty Years' War in 1628. The parallel betweenGustav III and the great Swedish warrior King was further emphasized by his costume made inthe style of Gustav Adolph. In this article, the author analyzes Gustav III's departure to war as atheatrical event and explores the borders of theatrical events in the late eighteenth century.Gustav III's ceremonial departure is placed in the framework of Nikolai Evreinov's and YuriLotman's theories of theatricality which show how the King applied theatrical means toeveryday life in order to theatricalize it, i.e. to make it spectacular and symbolic. Bythe atricalizing life Gustav III idealized his role of king and thus performed his power.Theatricalization of political life not only adorned life but it also significantly changed reality;the theatrical playing of the King entailed real consequences - Gustav III enacted his role of amonarch in a memorabl eway and achieved his political goals. The interaction between politicsand theater is the main focus of the article. The author also explores the poetics of theatricalplaying in politics. Obviously, the relation between the King-performer and hissubjects-spectators was different from the usual actor-spectator relation in the traditionaltheater. During the communication of the King-performer and his subjects-spectators thepolitical context was of significant importance; the main purpose of such communication waspolitical propaganda. As a result of his ceremonial departure and, eventually, thetheatricalization of war, the King succeded in becoming a national hero among the simplepeople, which proves the efficacy of theatrical means.