Servant and Master: an Examination of a Scaramouch and Doctor Baliardo’s Relationship and its Historical and Textual Role in Emperor of the Moon

Emperor of the Moon has many themes as it uses an ensemble of characters and multiple storylines to create the hilarity and complexity of the show. However, one of the most central aspects of the play is the relationship between the wealthy family that is at the center of the show and their servants, specifically the one between Doctor Baliardo and Scaramouch. It is interesting to examine not only how this relationship between servant and master drives the show, but also how it compares to the historical context of such relationships.

In the 1700s servants were important symbols of social status, they were a way to showcase the abilities and assets a gentleman had (Steedman 2). A servant was more than a simple employee, they were a member of the household and often had a personal relationship with their employer. Although Doctor Baliardo certainly orders Scaramouch around as he is want to do, he also clearly values Scaramouch as a worker and a confidant. In Act 1 Scene 2 after the Doctor’s first encounter with a moon person he tells Scaramouch that “for all thy singular Wit and Honesty, I have always had a Tenderness for thee, above that of a Master to a Servant” (Behn 14). Declarations such as these can seem trivial, especially when the Doctor is responsible for Scaramouch’s income and has social and economic power over him, however, the Doctor’s characterization in the show is not that of the deceitful manipulator, but instead that of a wealthy and well-meaning (even if a little misinformed) old man.

Historically speaking, the sentiment that the Doctor expresses towards Scaramouch was not out of the ordinary as servant-master relationships are quite different than a normal employer/employee relationship: “Although servants are usually hired on a contractual basis, their relationships with their employer often extend far beyond the simple cash nexus. Masters and servants frequently share a home, and their contact continues beyond normal working hours. Servants often come to be considered part of the family, and their masters feel some obligation to mold their conduct and to care for them in old age” (Fairchilds 368). Although it is clear that there are extreme circumstances surrounding Scaramouch and the Doctor’s relationship, it would not have been uncommon for someone in the Doctor’s position to become attached to some in Scaramouch’s.

Another intriguing aspect of the relationship between Scaramouch and Doctor Baliardo is the role of Elaria and Bellemante. Large households with many members and servants had “a strict hierarchy” (Hill). Yet, even though Elaria and Bellemante have less power in the household than the Doctor, Scaramouch chooses to follow the girl’s orders instead of the Doctor’s. Scaramouch does not just take part in the moon scheme, he actively plans and orchestrates most of it while also juggling his courtship of Mopsophil, his rivalry with Harlequinn, all of the secret lover’s meetings, and his actual duties as a servant. Furthermore, Scaramouch must know that the Doctor will learn the truth about the scheme eventually and Scaramouch has no guarantee that the Doctor will be forgiving when he finds out he has been tricked. Scaramouch actually risks his safety for the scheme when he volunteers to stay behind and distract the Doctor as the party-goers sneak out, even when the Doctor has already beaten him repeatedly (Behn 42). Scaramouch is not only dedicated to the moon scheme for his own enjoyment but also because he wants to help the young lovers, even though he technically should value the Doctor’s wishes above all else. Doctor Baliardo might technically employ Scaramouch, but Scaramouch definitely has more influence over the Doctor’s life than the Doctor has on Scaramouch’s (even if the Doctor does not know it). The Doctor might have cultural and economic power, but Scaramouch discreetly holds power within their social group.

The trick that is being played on Doctor Baliardo and the secret meetings of the lovers would have been impossible without the gentry in the cast placing their complete trust in their servants. Although the Doctor and the lovers seem like the central aspect of the play, the machinations of the servants, whether they are serving their masters or interacting with each other, take up a huge portion of the run time and often have the funniest and most dynamic scenes. Scaramouch has more power over the Doctor than the Doctor does over him, even though Scaramouch is lower in the social hierarchy. This subversion of power highlights their relationship in the show and urges on action and interaction throughout the entire play, creating a central plotline amongst the rest of the chaos that is Emperor.

Works Cited: Behn, Aphra. Emperor of the Moon. Adapted by Molly Ward, 2020.; Fairchilds, Cissie. “Masters and Servants In Eighteenth Century Toulouse.” Journal of Social History, vol. 12, no. 3, Jan. 1979, pp. 368–393., doi:10.1353/jsh/12.3.368.; Hill, Bridget. Servants: English Domestics in the Eighteenth Century. Clarendon Press, 1996, https://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198206217.001.0001/acprof-9780198206217.; Steedman, Carolyn. “The Servants Labour: The Business of Life, England, 1760-1820.” Social History, vol. 29, no. 1, 2004, pp. 1–29., doi:10.1080/0307102032000163723.