I

1b1 1 C1L111LL1 L1 11^ C

L111b1 111L1L
is oIdcr than cuIturc, Ior cuIturc, howcvcr inadcquatcIy
dchncd, aIways prcsupposcs human socicty, and animaIs havc not
waitcd Ior man to tcach thcm thcir pIaying. Wc can saIcIy asscrt,
cvcn, that human civiIization has addcd no csscntiaI Icaturc to
thc gcncraI idca oI pIay. AnimaIs pIay just Iikc mcn. Wc havc
onIy to watch young dogs to scc that aII thc csscntiaIs oI human
pIay arc prcscnt in thcir mcrry gamboIs. Thcy invitc onc anothcr
to pIay by a ccrtain ccrcmoniousncss oI attitudc and gcsturc. Thcy
kccp to thc ruIc that you shaII not bitc, or not bitc hard, your
brothcr' s car. Thcy prctcnd to gct tcrribIy angry. Andwhat is
most importantin aII thcsc doings thcy pIainIy cxpcricncc
trcmcndous Iun and cnjoymcnt. Such rompings oI young dogs arc
onIy onc oI thc simpIcr Iorms oI animaI pIay. Thcrc arc othcr,
much morc highIy dcvcIopcd Iorms . rcguIar contcsts and bcautiIuI
pcrIormanccs bcIorc an admiring pubIic.
Hcrc wc havc at oncc a vcry important point. cvcn in its
simpIcst Iorms on thc animaI IcvcI, pIay is morc than a mcrc
physioIogicaI phcnomcnon or a psychoIogicaI rccx. I t gocs
bcyond thc conhncs oI purcIy physicaI or purcIy bioIogicaI
activity. It is a siaqcaat Iunctionthat is to say, thcrc is somc
scnsc to it. In pIay thcrc is somcthing 'at pIay' which transccnds
thc immcdiatc nccds oI IiIc and imparts mcaning to thc action.
AII pIay mcans somcthing. II wc caII thc activc principIc that
makcs up thc csscncc oI pIay, 'instinct', wc cxpIain nothing, iI
wc caII it 'mind' or 'wiII' wc say too much. Howcvcr wc may
rcgard it, thc vcry Iact that pIay has a mcaning impIics a non-
matcriaIistic quaIity in thc naturc oI thc thing itscIf.
IsychoIogy and physioIogy dcaI with thc obscrvation, dcscrip-
tion and cxpIanation oI thc pIay oI animaIs, chiIdrcn, and
grown-ups. Thcy try to dctcrminc thc naturc and signihcancc
oI pIay and to assign it its pIacc in thc schcmc oI IiIc. Thc high
importancc oI this pIacc and thc ncccssity, or at Icast thc utiIity,
HOMO LUDEN8
oI pIay as a Iunction arc gcncraIIy takcn Ior grantcd and Iorm thc
starting-point oI aII such scicntiFc rcscarchcs. Thc numcrous
attcmpts to dchnc thc bioIogicaI Iunction oI pIay show a striking
variation. By somc thc origin and IundamcntaIs oI pIay havc bccn
dcscribcd as a dischargc oI supcrabundant vitaI cncrgy, by othcrs
as thc satisIaction oI somc 'imitativc instinct', or again as simpIy
a 'nccd' Ior rcIaxation. According to onc thcory pIay constitutcs
a training oI thc young crcaturc Ior thc scrious work that IiIc wiII
dcmand Iatcr on. According to anothcr it scrvcs as an cxcrcisc in
rcstraint nccdIuI to thc individuaI. Somc hnd thc principIc oI
pIay in an innatc urgc to cxcrcisc a ccrtain IacuIty, or in thc dcsirc
to dominatc or compctc. Yct othcrs rcgard it as an'abrcaction'
an outIct Ior harmIuI impuIscs, as thc ncccssary rcstorcr oI cncrgy
wastcd by onc-sidcd activity, as 'wish-IuIhImcnt', as a hction
dcsigncd to kccp up thc IccIing oI pcrsonaI vaIuc, ctc.
AII thcsc hypothcscs havc onc thing in common: thcy aII start
Irom thc assumption that pIay must scrvc somcthing which is aet
pIay, that it must havc somc kind oI bioIogicaI purposc. Thcy aII
cnquirc into thc why and thc whcrcIorc oI pIay. Thc various
answcrs thcy givc tcnd rathcr to ovcrIap than to cxcIudc onc
anothcr. It wouId bc pcrIcctIy possibIc to acccpt ncarIy aII thc
cxpIanations without gctting into any rcaI conIusion ol thought-
and without coming much ncarcr to a rcaI undcrstanding oI thc
pIay-conccpt. Thcy arc aII onIy partiaI soIutions oI thc probIcm.
II any oI thcm wcrc rcaIIy dccisivc it ought cithcr to cxcIudc aII
thc othcrs or comprchcnd thcm in a highcr unity. Most oI thcm
onIy dcaI incidcntaIIy with thc qucstion oI what pIay is ia i/stg
and what it mcans Ior thc pIaycr. Thcy attack pIay dircct with
thc quantitativc mcthods oI cxpcrimcntaI scicncc without hrst
paying attcntion to its proIoundIy acsthctic quaIity. As a rulc thcy
Icavc thc primary quaIity oI pIay as such, virtualIy untouchcd.
To cach and cvcry onc oI thc abovc 'cxpIanations' it might wcII
bc objcctcd. 'So Iar so good, but what actuaIIy is thc aa oI pIay-
ing! Why docs thc baby crow with pIcasurc! Why docs thc
gambIcr Iosc himscII in his passion! Why is a hugc crowd rouscd
to Ircnzy by a IootbaII match!' This intcnsity oI, and absorption
in, pIay hnds no cxpIanation in bioIogicaI anaIysis. Yct in this
intcnsity, this absorption, this powcr oI maddcning, Iics thc vcry
Ior tbcsc tbcorcs scc Zondcrvan, c/ 5]cl bq Lcrcn, indcrcn cn lolua::cn
Acn:rhcn [Amstcrdam, tgo8), and I. _. ]. uytcndijk, cl ]cl tan Acn:rh cn Iicl als
ccn/crin tan /ctcn:drg/cn [Amstcrdam, tgo).
NATURE AND 3IONIFICANCE OF PLAY

csscncc, thc primordiaI quaIity oI play. Naturc, so our rcasoning
mind tcIIs us, couId just as casiIy havc givcn hcr chiIdrcn aII thosc
uscIuI Iunctions oI discharging supcrabundant cncrgy, oI rcIaxing
acr cxcrtion, oI training Ior thc dcmands oI IiIc, oI compcnsating
Ior unIuIhIIcd Iongings, ctc. , in thc Iorm oI purcIy mcchanicaI
cxcrciscs and rcactions. But no, shc gavc us pIay, with its tcnsion,
its mirth, and its Iun.
Now this Iast-namcd cIcmcnt, thc oI pIaying, rcsists aII
anaIysis, aII IogicaI intcrprctation. As a conccpt, it cannot bc
rcduccd to any othcr mcntaI catcgory. No othcr modcrn Ianguagc
known to mc has thc cxact cquivaIcnt oI thc LngIish 'Iun'. Thc
utch 'aardigkcit' pcrhaps comcs ncarcst to it dcrivcd Irom
'aard' which mcans thc samc as 'Art' and 'Wcscn' in Ocrman,
and thus cvidcncc, pcrhaps, that thc mattcr cannot bc rcduccd
Iurthcr) . Wc may notc in passing that 'Iun' in its currcnt usagc
is oI rathcr rcccnt origin. Ircnch, oddIy cnough, has no cor-
rcsponding tcrm at aII , Ocrman haII makcs up Ior it by 'Spass'
and 'Witz' togcthcr. NcvcrthcIcss it is prcciscIy this Iun-cIcmcnt
that charactcrizcs thc csscncc oI pIay. Hcrc wc havc to do with
an absoIutcIy primary catcgory oI IiIc, IamiIiar to cvcrybody at a
gIancc right down to thc animaI IcvcI. Wc may wcII caII pIay a
'totaIity' in thc modcrn scnsc oI thc word, and it is as a totaIity
that wc must try to undcrstand and cvaIuatc it.
Sincc thc rcaIity oI pIay cxtcnds bcyond thc sphcrc oI human IiIc
it cannot havc its Ioundations in any rationaI ncxus, bccausc this
wouId Iimit it to mankind. Thc incidcncc oI pIay is not associatcd
with any particuIar stagc oI civiIization or vicw oI thc univcrsc.
Any thinking pcrson can scc at a gIancc that pIay is a thing on
its own, cvcn iIhis Ianguagc posscsscs no gcncraI conccpt to cxprcss
it. IIay cannot bc dcnicd. You can dcny, iI you Iikc, ncarIy aII
abstractions: justicc, bcauty, truth, goodncss, mind, Ood. You
can dcny scriousncss, but not pIay.
But in acknowIcdging pIay you acknowIcdgc mind, Ior whatcvcr
cIsc pIay is, it is not mattcr. Lvcn in thc animaI worId it bursts
thc bounds oI thc physicaIIy cxistcnt. Irom thc point oI vicw oI a
worId whoIIy dctcrmincd by thc opcration oI bIind Iorccs, pIay
wouId bc aItogcthcr supcruous. IIay onIy bccomcs possibIc,
thinkabIc and undcrstandabIc whcn an inux oI brcaks down
thc absoIutc dctcrminism oI thc cosmos. Thc vcry cxistcncc oI
pIay continuaIIy conhrms thc supra-IogicaI naturc oI thc human
a:urc, knd, bcng, csscncc, c:c. Jrans.

HOMO LUDEN8
situation. AniinaIs pIay, so thcy must bc morc than mcrcIy
mcchanicaI things. Wc pIay and know that wc pIay, so wc mus:
bc morc than mcrcIy rationaI bcings, Ior pIay is irrationaI.
In tackIing thc probIcm oI pIay as a Iunction oI cuIturc propcr
and not as it appcars in thc IiIc oI thc animaI or thc chiId, wc bcgin
whcrc bioIogy and psychoIo

y Icavc o. In cuIturc wc hnd pIay

as a givcn magnitudc cxisting bcIorc cuIturc itscII cxistcd, accom-
panying it and pcrvading it Irom thc carIicst bcginnings right up
to thc phasc oI civiIization wc arc now Iiving in. Wc hnd pIay
prcscnt cvcrywhcrc as a wcII-dchncd quaIity oI action which is
dicrcnt Irom 'ordinary' IiIc. Wc can disrcgard thc qucstion of
how Iar scicncc has succccdcd in rcducing this quaIity to quantita-
tivc Iactors. In our opinion it has not. At aII cvcnts it is prcciscIy
this quaIity, itscIIso charactcristic oI thc Iorm oI IiIc wc caII 'pIay',
which mattcrs. IIay as a spcciaI Iorm oI activity, as a 'signihcant
torm', as a sociaI Iunctionthat is our subjcct. Wc shaII not Iook
Ior thc naturaI impuIscs and habits conditioning pIay in gencraI,
but shaII considcr pIay in its maniIoId concrctc Iorms as itscII a
sociaI construction. Wc shaII try to takc pIay as thc pIaycr himscII
takcs it . in its primary signihcancc. II wc hnd that pIay is bascd
on thc manipuIation oI ccrtain imagcs, on a ccrtain 'imagination'
oI rcaIity i. c. its convcrsion into imagcs) , thcn our main conccrn
wiII bc to grasp thc vaIuc and signihcancc oI thcsc imagcs and
thcir 'imagination' . Wc shaII obscrvc thcir action in pIay itscII
and thus try to undcrstand pIay as a cuIturaI Iactor in IiIc.
Thc grcat archctypaI activitics oI human socicty arc aII pcr-
mcatcd with pIay Irom thc start. Takc Ianguagc, Ior instancc
that hrst and suprcmc instrumcnt which man shapcs in ordcr to
communicatc, to tcach, to command. Languagc aIIows him to
distinguish, to cstabIish, to statc things, in short, to namc thcm
and by naming thcm to raisc thcm into thc domain oI thc spirit.
In thc making oI spccch and Ianguagc thc spirit is continuaIIy
'sparking' bctwccn mattcr and mind, as it wcrc, pIaying with
this wondrous nominativc IacuIty. Bchind cvcry abstract cx-
prcssion thcrc Iic thc boIdcst oI mctaphors, and cvcry mctaphor is
a pIay upon words. Thus in giving cxprcssion to IiIc man crcatcs
a sccond, poctic worId aIongsidc thc worId oI naturc.
r takc myth. This, too, is a transIormation or an 'imagIna-
tion' oI thc outcr worId, onIy hcrc thc proccss is morc cIaboratc
and ornatc than is thc casc with individuaI words. n myth,
NATURE AND 8IGNIFICANCE OF PLAY

prirnitivc mau sccks to account Ior thc worId oI phcnomcna by
grounding it in thc ivinc. In aII thc wiId imaginings oI mythoI-
ogy a IancifuI spirit is pIaying on thc bordcr-Iinc bctwccn jcst and
carncst. r hnaIIy, Ict us takc rituaI. Irimitivc socicty pcrIorms
its sacrcd ritcs, its sacrihccs, consccrations and mystcrics, aII ot
which scrvc to guarantcc thc wcII-bcing oI thc worId, in a spirit
oI purc pIay truIy undcrstood.
ow in myth and rituaI thc grcat nstinctive Iorccs oF civiIizcd
Iifc havc thcir origin. Iaw and ordcr, commcrcc and proht, crah
and art, poctry, wisdom and scicncc. AII arc rootcd in thc
primacvaI soiI oI pIay.
Thc objcct of thc prcscnt cssay is to dcmonstratc that it is morc
than a rhctoricaI comparison to vicw cuIturc sa/ stcit /aJi. Thc
thought is not at aII ncw. Thcrc was a timc whcn it was gcncraIIy
acccptcd, though in a Iimitcd scnsc quitc dicrcnt Irom thc onc
intcndcd hcrc. in thc th ccntury, thc agc oI worId thcatrc.
rama, in a gIittcring succcssion oI hgurcs ranging Irom Shakc-
spcarc and CaIdcron to Kacinc, thcn dominatcd thc Iitcraturc oI
thc Wcst. It was thc Iashion to Iikcn thc worId to a stagc on which
cvcry man pIays his part. ocs this mcan that thc pIay-cIcmcnt in
civiIization was opcnIy acknowIcdgcd! ot at aII. n cIoscr
cxamination this IashionabIc comparison oI IiIc to a stagc provcs
to bc IittIc morc than an ccho oI thc co-pIatonism that was thcn
in voguc, with a markcdIy moraIistic acccnt. It was a variation
on thc ancicnt thcmc oI thc vanity oI aII things. Thc Iact that pIay
and cuIturc arc actuaIIy intcrwovcn with onc anothcr was ncithcr
obscrvcd nor cxprcsscd, whcrcas Ior us thc whoIc point is to show
that gcnuinc, purc pIay is onc oI thc main bascs oI civiIisation.
To our way oI thinking, pIay is thc dircct oppositc oI scriousncss.
At hrst sight this opposition sccms as irrcducibIc to othcr catcgori
_
s

as thc pIay-conccpt itscIf Lxamincd morc cIoscIy, howcvcr, thc
contrast bctwccn pIay and scriousncss provcs to bc ncithcr con-
cIusivc nor hxcd. Wc can say. pIay is
J
on-scriousncss. But apart
Irom thc Iact that this proposition tcIIs us nothing about thc
positivc quaIitics oI pIay, it is cxtraordinariIy casy to rcIutc. As
soon as vc procccd Irom 'pIay non-scriousncss' to 'pIay is not
scrious', thc contrast Icavcs us in thc IurchIor somc pIay
c vcry scrious indccd. Morcovcr wc can immcdiatcIy namc
scvcraI othcr IundamcntaI catcgorics that Iikcwisc comc undcr thc
hcading 'non-scriousncss' yct havc no corrcspondcncc whatcvcr

HOMO LUDEN8
with 'pIay'. Laughtcr, Ior instancc, is in a scnsc thc opositc of
scriousncss without bcing absoIutcIy bound up with pIay.
ChiIdrcn's gamcs, IootbaII, and chcss arc pIaycd in proIound
scriousncss , thc pIaycrs havc not thc sIightcst incIination to Iaugh.
It is worth noting that thc purcIy physioIogicaI act oI Iaughing is
cxcIusivc to man, whiIst thc signihcant Iunction oI pIay is common
to both mcn and animaIs. Thc AristotcIian aoima/ riJtos charac-
tcrizcs man as distinct Irom thc animaI aImost morc absoIutcIy
than /eme sapitos.
What is truc oI Iaughtcr is truc aIso oI thc comic. Thc comic
comcs undcr thc catcgory oI non-scriousncss and has ccrtain
amnitics with Iaughtcrit provokcs to Iaughtcr. But its rcIation
to pIay is subsidiary. In itscII pIay is not comicaI cithcr Ior pIaycr
or pubIic. Thc pIay oI young animaIs or sinaII chiIdrcn may somc-
timcs bc Iudicrous, but thc sight oI grown dogs chasing onc anothcr
hardIy movcs us to Iaughtcr. Whcn wc caII a Iarcc or a comcdy
'comic', it is not so much on account oI thc pIay-acting as such
as on account oI thc situation or thc thoughts cxprcsscd. Thc
mimic and Iaughtcr-provoking art oI thc cIown is comic as wcII as
Iudicrous, but it can scarccIy bc tcrmcd gcnuinc pIay.
Thc catcgory oI thc comic is cIoscIy conncctcd with e/g in thc
highcst and Iowcst scnsc oI that word. IIay, howcvcr, is not
IooIish. It Iics outsidc thc antithcsis oI wisdom and IoIIy. Thc Iatcr
MiddIc Agcs tcndcd to cxprcss thc two cardinaI moods oI IiIc-
pIay and scriousncsssomcwhat impcrIcctIy by opposing e/it to
stast, untiI Lrasmus in his Laas Sta/titiat showcd thc inadcquacy oI
thc contrast.
AII thc tcrms in this IooscIy conncctcd group oI idcaspIay,
Iaughtcr, IoIIy, wit, jcst, jokc, thc comic, ctc.sharc thc charac-
tcristic which wc had to attributc to pIay, namcIy, that oI rcsisting
any attcmpt to rcducc it to othcr tcrms. Thcir rationaIc and
thcir mutuaI rcIationships must Iic in a vcry dccp Iaycr oI our
mcntaI bcing.
Thc morc wc try to mark o thc Iorm wc caII 'pIay' Irom othcr
Iorms apparcntIy rcIatcd to it, thc morc thc absoIutc indcpcndcncc
oI thc pIay-conccpt stands out. And thc scgrcgation oI pIay Irom
thc domain oI thc grcat catcgoricaI antithcscs docs not stop thcrc.
IIay Iics outsidc thc antithcsis oI wisdom and IoIIy, and cquaIIy
outsidc thosc oI truth and IaIschood, good and cviI. AIthough it is
non-matcriaI activity it has no moraI Iunction. Thc vaIuations
oI vicc and virtuc do not appIy hcrc.
NATURE AND 8IONIFICANCE OF PLAY

II, thcrcIorc, pIay cannot bc dircctIy rcIcrrcd to thc catcgorics
oI truth or goodncss, can it bc incIudcd pcrhaps in thc rcaIm oI thc
acsthctic! Hcrc our judgcmcnt wavcrs. Ior aIthough thc
attributc oI bcauty docs not attach to pIay as such, pIay ncvcrthc-
Icss tcnds to assumc markcd cIcmcnts oI bcauty. Mirth and gracc
adhcrc at thc outsct to thc morc primitivc Iorms oI pIay. In pIay
thc bcauty oI thc human body in motion rcachcs its zcnith. In its
morc dcvcIopcd Iorms it is saturatcd with rhythm and harmony,
thc nobIcst gis oI acsthctic pcrccption known to man. Many and
cIosc arc thc Iinks that conncct pIay with bcauty. AII thc samc,
wc cannot say that bcauty is inhcrcnt in pIay as such, so wc must
Icavc it at that . pIay is a Iunction oI thc Iiving, but is not susccpt-
ibIc oI cxact dchnition cithcr IogicaIIy, bioIogicaIIy, or sthcticaIIy.
Thc pIay-conccpt must aIways rcmain distinct Irom aII thc othcr
Iorms oI thought in which wc cxprcss thc structurc oI mcntaI and
sociaI IiIc. Hcncc wc shaII havc to conhnc ourscIvcs to dcscribing
thc main charactcristics oI pIay.
Sincc our thcmc is thc rcIation oI pIay to cuturc wc nccd not
cntcr into aII thc possibIc Iorms oI pIay but can rcstrict ourscIvcs to
its sociaI maniIcstations. Thcsc wc might caII thc highcr Iorms oI
pIay. Thcy arc gcncraIIy much casicr to dcscribc than thc morc
priitivc pIay oI inIants and young animaIs, bccausc thcy arc
morc distinct and articuIatc in Iorm and thcir Icaturcs morc
various and conspicuous, whcrcas in intcrprcting primitivc pIay wc
immcdiatcIy comc up against that irrcducibIc quaIity oI purc
pIayIuIncss which is not, in our opinion, amcabIc to Iurthcr
anaIysis. Wc shaII havc to spcak oI contcsts and raccs, oI pcr-
Iormanccs and cxhibitions, oI dancing and music, pagcants,
masqucradcs and tournamcnts. Somc oI thc charactcristics wc
shaII cnumcratc arc propcr to pIay in gcncraI, othcrs to sociaI pIay
in particuIar.
Iirst and Iorcmost, thcn, aII pIay is a voIuntary activity. PIay
to ordcr is no Iongcr pIay. it couId at bcst bc but a IorcibIc imita-
tion oI it. By this quaIity oI Irccdom aIonc, pIay marks itscII o
Irom thc coursc oI thc naturaI proccss. It is somcthing addcd thcrc-
to and sprcad out ovcr it Iikc a owcring, an ornamcnt, a garmcnt.
bviousIy, Irccdom must bc undcrstood hcrc in thc widcr scnsc
that Icavcs untouchcd thc phiIosophicaI probIcm oI dctcrminism.
may bc objcctcd that this Irccdom docs not cxist Ior thc animaI
and thc chiId, thcy pIay bccausc thcir instinct drivcs thcm to
8 HOMO LUDEN8
it and bccausc it scrvcs to dcvcIop thcir bodiIy IacuItics and thcir
powcrs oI scIcction. Thc tcrm 'instinct', howcvcr, introduccs an
unknown quantity, and to prcsupposc thc utiIity oI pIay Irom thc
start is to bc guiIty oI a pt/i/ie prioctpii. ChiId and animaI pIay
bccausc thcy cnjoy pIaying, and thcrcin prcciscIy Iics thcir
Irccdom.
Bc that as it may, Ior thc aduIt and rcsponsibIc human bcing
pIay is a Iunction which hc couId cquaIIy wcII Icavc aIonc. IIay is
supcruous. Thc nccd Ior it is onIy urgcnt to thc cxtcnt that thc
cnjoymcnt oI it makcs it a nccd. IIay can bc dcIcrrcd or sus-
pcndcd at any timc. It is ncvcr imposcd by physicaI n

ccssity or
moraI duty. It is ncvcr a task. It is donc at Icisurc, during 'Ircc
timc'. nIy whcn pIay is a rccognizcd cuIturaI Iunction-a ritc,
a ccrcmonyis it bound up with notions oI obIigation and duty.
Hcrc, thcn, wc havc thc hrst main charactcristic oI pIay. that it
is Ircc, is in Iact Irccdom. A sccond charactcristic is cIoscIy con-
ncctcd with this, namcIy, that pIay is not 'ordinary' or 'rcaI'
IiIc. It is rathcr a stcpping out oI 'rcaI' IiIc into a tcmporary
sphcrc oI activity with a disposition aII oI its own. Lvcry chiId
knows pcrIcctIy wcII that hc is 'onIy prctcnding', or that it was
'onIy Ior Iun'. How dccp-scatcd this awarcncss is in thc chiId's
souI is strikingIy iIIustratcd by thc IoIIowing story, toId to mc by
thc Iathcr oI thc boy in qucstion. Hc Iound his Iour-ycar-oId son
sitting at thc Iront oI a row oI chairs, pIaying 'trains'. As hc
huggcd him thc boy said. 'on't kiss thc cnginc, addy, or thc
carriagcs won't think it' s rcaI'. This 'onIy prctcnding' quaIity
oI pIay bctrays a consciousncss oI thc inIcriority oI pIay comparcd
with 'scriousncss', a IccIing that sccms to bc somcthing as primary
as pIay itscII. cvcrthcIcss, as wc havc aIrcady pointcd out, thc
consciousncss oI pIay bcing 'onIy a prctcnd' docs not by any mcans
prcvcnt it Irom procccding with thc utmost scriousncss, with an
absorption, a dcvotion that passcs into rapturc and, tcmporariIy
at Icast, compIctcIy aboIishcs that troubIcsomc 'onIy' IccIing.
Any gamc can at any timc whoIIy run away with thc pIaycrs. Thc
contrast bctwccn pIay and scriousncss is aIways uid. Thc in-
Icriority oI pIay is continuaIIy bcing osct by thc corrcsponding
supcriority oI its scriousncss. IIay turns to scriousncss and scrious-
ncss to pIay. IIay may risc to hcights oI bcauty and subIimity that
Icavc scriousncss Iar bcncath. Tricky qucstions such as thcsc wiII
comc up Ior discussion whcn wc start cxamining thc rcIationship
bctwccn pIay and rituaI.
NATURE AND 8IONIFICANCE OF PLAY

As rcgards its IormaI charactcristics, alI studcnts Iay strcss on
thc JisiattrtsttJatss oI pIay. Not bcing 'ordinary' IiIc it stands
outsidc thc immcdiatc satisIaction oI wants and appctitcs, indccd
it intcrrupts thc appctitivc proccss. It intcrpoIatcs itscII as a
tcmporary act

vity satisIying in itscII and cnding thcrc. Such at

Icast is thc way in which pIay prcscnts itscII to us in thc hrst
instancc. as an intcrmczzo, an iattr/aJt in our da
|
Iy Iivcs. As a
rcguIarIy rccurring rcIaxation, howcvcr, it bccomcs thc accom-
panimcnt, thc compIcmcnt, in Iact an intcgraI part oI IiIc in
gcncraI. It adorns IiIc, ampIihcs it and is to that cxtcnt a ncccssity
both Ior thc individuaIas a IiIc Iunctionand Ior socicty by
rcason oI thc mcaning it contains, its signihcancc, its cxprcssivc
vaIuc, its spirituaI and sociaI associations, in short, as a cuIturc
Iunction. Thc cxprcssion oI it satishcs aII kinds oI communaI
idcaIs. It thus has its pIacc in a sphcrc supcrior to thc strictIy
bioIogicaI proccsscs oI nutrition, rcproduction and scII-prcscrva-
tion. This asscrtion is apparcntIy contradictcd by thc Iact that
pIay, or rathcr scxuaI dispIay, is prcdominant in animaI IiIc
prcciscIy at thc inating-scason. But wouId it bc too absurd to
assign a pIacc eatsiJt thc purcIy physioIogicaI, to thc singing, cooing
and strutting oI birds just as wc do to human pIay! In aII its
highcr Iorms thc Iattcr at any ratc aIways bcIongs to thc sphcrc oF
IcstivaI and rituaIthc sacrcd sphcrc.
ow, docs thc Iact that pIay is a ncccssity, that it subscrvcs
cuIturc, or indccd that it actuaIIy bccomcs cuIturc, dctract Irom
its disintcrcstcd charactcr! o, Ior thc purposcs it scrvcs arc
cxtcrnaI to immcdiatc matcriaI intcrcsts or thc individuaI satis-
Iaction oI bioIogicaI nccds. As a sacrcd activity pIay naturaIIy
contributcs to thc wcII-bcing oI thc group, but in quitc anothcr
way and by othcr mcans than thc acquisition oI thc ncccssitics
oI IiIc.
IIay is distinct Irom 'ordinary' IiIc both as to IocaIity and
duration. This is thc third main charactcristic oI pIay. its sccIudcd-
ncss, its Iimitcdncss. It is 'pIaycd out' within ccrtain Iimits ol
timc and pIacc. It contains its own coursc and mcaning.
IIay bcgins, and thcn at a ccrtain momcnt it is 'ovcr'. It pIays
itsclI to an cnd. WhiIc it is in progrcss aII is movcmcnt, changc,
aItcrnation, succcssion, association, scparation. But immcdiatcIy
conncctcd with its Iimitation as to timc thcrc is a Iurthcr curious
Icaturc oI pIay. it at oncc assumcs hxcd Iorm as a cuIturaI phcno-
mcnon. Cncc pIaycd, it cndurcs as a ncw-Iound crcation oI thc
HOHO LUDEN8
mind, a trcasurc to bc rctaincd by thc mcmory. It is transmittcd,
it bccomcs tradition. It can bc rcpcatcd at any timc, whcthcr it
bc 'chiId`s pIay' or a gamc oI chcss, or at hxcd intcrvaIs Iikc a
mystcry. In this IacuIty oI rcpctition Iics onc oI thc most csscntiaI
quaIitics oI pIay. It hoIds good not onIy oI pIay as a whoIc but
aIso oI its inncr structurc. In ncarIy aII thc highcr Iorms oI pIay
thc cIcmcnts of rcpctition and aItcrnation as in thc rraio) , arc
Iikc thc warp and wooI oI a Iabric.
Morc striking cvcn than thc Iimitation as to timc is thc Iimita-
tion as to spacc. AII pIay movcs and has its bcing within a pIay-
ground markcd o bcIorchand cithcr matcriaIIy or idcaIIy,
dcIibcratcIy or as a mattcr oI coursc. ]ust as thcrc is no IormaI
dicrcncc bctwccn pIay and rituaI, so thc 'consccratcd spot' can-
not bc IormaIIy distinguishcd Irom thc pIay-ground. Thc arcna,
thc card-tabIc, thc magic circIc, thc tcmpIc, thc stagc, thc scrccn,
thc tcnnis court, thc court oI justicc, ctc. , arc aII in Iorm and
Iunction pIay-grounds, i. c. Iorbiddcn spots, isoIatcd, hcdgcd
round, haIIowcd, within which spcciaI ruIcs obtain. AII arc tcm-
porary worIds within thc ordinary worId, dcdicatcd to thc
pcrIormancc oI an act apart.
Insidc thc pIay-ground an absoIutc and pccuIiar ordcr rcigns.
Hcrc wc comc across anothcr, vcry positivc Icaturc oI pIay. it
crcatcs ordcr, is ordcr. Into an impcrIcct worId and into thc con-
Iusion oI IiIc it brings a tcmporary, a Iimitcd pcrIcction. IIay
dcmands ordcr absoIutc and suprcmc. Thc Icast dcviation Irom
it 'spoiIs thc gamc', robs it oI its charactcr and makcs it worth-
Icss. Thc proIound amnity bctwccn pIay and ordcr is pcrhaps thc
rcason why pIay, as wc notcd in passing, sccms to Iic to such a
Iargc cxtcnt in thc hcId of acs|hctics. IIay has a tcndcncy to bc
bcautiIuI. It may bc that this acsthctic Iactor is idcnticaI with thc
impuIsc to crcatc ordcrIy Iorm, which animatcs pIay in aII its
aspccts. Thc words wc usc to dcnotc thc cIcmcnts oI pIay bcIong
Ior thc most part to acsthctics, tcrms with which wc try to dcscribc
thc cccts oI bcauty. tcnsion, poisc, baIancc, contrast, variation,
soIution, rcsoIution, ctc. IIay casts a spcII ovcr us , it is 'cnchant-
ing', 'captivating'. It is invcstcd with thc nobIcst quaIitics wc
arc capabIc oI pcrcciving in things: rhythm and harmony.
Thc cIcmcnt oI tcnsion in pIay to which wc havc just rcIcrrcd
pIays a particuIarIy important part. Tcnsion mcans unccrtainty,
chancincss , a striving to dccidc thc issuc and so cnd it. Thc pIaycr
wants somcthing to 'go', to 'comc o`, hc wants to 'succccd'
NATURE AND 8IONIFICANCE I
by his own cxcrtions. Baby rcaching Ior a toy, pussy patting a
bobbin, a IittIc girI pIaying baII-aII want to achicvc somcthing
dimcuIt, to succccd, to cnd a tension. IIay is 'tcnsc', as wc say.
It is this cIcmcnt oI tcnsion and soIution that govcrns aII soIitary
gamcs oI skiII and appIication such as puzzIcs, jig-saws, mosaic-
making, paticncc, targct-shooting, and thc morc pIay bcars thc
charactcr oI compctition thc morc Icrvcnt it wiII bc. In gambIing
and athIctics it is at its hcight. Though pIay as such is outsidc thc
rangc oI good and bad, thc cIcmcnt oI tcnsion imparts to it a
ccrtain cthicaI vaIuc in so Iar as it mcans a tcsting oI thc pIaycr's
prowcss . his couragc, tcnacity, rcsourccs and, Iast but not Icast,
his spirituaI powcrs~his 'Iairncss', bccausc, dcspitc his ardcnt
dcsirc to win, hc must stiII stick to thc ruIcs of thc gamc.
Thcsc ruIcs in thcir trn arc a vcry important Iactor in thc
pIay-conccpt. AII pIay has its ruIcs. Thcy dctcrminc what 'hoIds'
in thc tcmporary worId circumscribcd by pIay. Thc ruIcs oI a
gamc arc absoIutcIy binding and aIIow no doubt. IauI VaIry
oncc in passing gavc cxprcssion to a vcry cogcnt thought whcn hc
said. ' o sccpticism is possibIc whcrc thc ruIcs oI a gamc arc
conccrncd, Ior thc principIc undcrIying thcm is an unshakabIc
truth.. . .' Indccd, as soon as thc ruIcs arc transgrcsscd thc
whoIc pIay-worId coIIapscs. Thc gamc is ovcr. Thc umpirc's
whistIc brcaks thc spcII and scts 'rcaI' IiIc going again.
Thc pIaycr who trcspasscs against thc ruIcs or ignorcs thcm is a
'spoiI-sport'. Thc spoiI-sport is not thc samc as thc IaIsc pIaycr,
thc chcat, Ior thc Iattcr prctcnds to bc pIaying thc gamc and, on
thc Iacc oI it, stiII acknowIcdgcs thc magic circIc. It is curious
to notc how much morc Icnicnt socicty is to thc chcat than to thc
spoiI-sport. This is bccausc thc spoiI-sport shattcrs thc pIay-worId
itscII By withdrawing Irom thc gamc hc rcvcaIs thc rcIativity
and IragiIity ot thc pIay-worId in which hc had tcmporariIy shut
himscII with othcrs. Hc robs pIay oI its i//usieoa prcgnant word
which mcans IitcraIIy 'in-pIay' Irom io/asie, i//aJtrc or io/aJtrt) .
ThcrcIorc hc must bc cast out, Ior hc thrcatcns thc cxistcncc oI thc
pIay-community. Thc hgurc oI thc spoiI-sport is most apparcnt
in boys' gamcs. Thc IittIc community docs not cnquirc whcthcr
thc spoiI-sport is guiIty oI dcIcction bccausc hc darcs not cntcr
into thc gamc or bccausc hc is not aIIowcd to. Kathcr, it docs
not rccognizc 'not bcing aIIowcd' and caIIs it 'not daring'. Ior
it, thc probIcm oI obcdicncc and conscicncc is no morc than Icar
oI

unishmcnt. Thc spoiI-sport brcaks thc ma

z
ic worId, thcrcIrc

hc is a coward and must bc cjcctcd. In thc worId oI high scrious-
ncss, too, thc chcat and thc hypocritc havc aIways had an casicr
timc oI it than thc spoiI-sports, hcrc caIIcd apostatcs, hcrctics,
innovators, prophcts, conscicntious objcctors, ctc. It somctimcs
happcns, howcvcr, that thc spoiI-sports in thcir turn makc a ncw
community with ruIcs oI its own. Jhc outIaw, thc rcvoIutionary,
thc cabbaIist or mcmbcr oI a sccrct socicty, indccd hcrctics oI aII
kinds arc oI a highIy associativc iI not sociabIc disposition, and a
ccrtain cIcmcnt oI pIay is promincnt in aII thcir doings.
A pIay-community gcncraIIy tcnds to bccomc pcrmancnt cvcn
aItcr thc gamc is ovcr. I coursc, not cvcry gamc oI marbIcs or
cvcry bridgc-party Icads to thc Iounding oI a cIub. But thc IccIing
oI bcing 'apart togcthcr' in an cxccptionaI situation, oI sharing
somcthing important, oI mutuaIIy withdrawing Irom thc rcst oI
thc worId and rcjccting thc usuaI norms, rctains its magic bcyond
thc duration oI thc individuaI gamc. Jhc cIub pcrtains to pIay
as thc hat to thc hcad. It wouId bc rash to cxpIain aII thc associa-
tions which thc anthropoIogist caIIs 'phratria' c. g. cIans,
brothcrhoods, ctc.simpIy as pIay-communitics , ncvcrthcIcss it
has bccn shown again and again how dimcuIt it is to draw the
Iinc bctwccn, on thc onc hand, pcrmancnt sociaI groupings-
particuIarIy in archaic cuIturcs with thcir cxtrcmcIy important,
soIcmn, indccd sacrcd customsand thc sphcrc oI pIay on thc
othcr.
Thc cxccptionaI and spcciaI position oI pIay is most tcIIingIy
iIIustratcd by thc Iact that it Iovcs to surround itscII with an air
oI sccrccy. Lvcn in carIy chiIdhood thc charm oI pIay is cnhanccd
by making a 'sccrct' out oI it. This is Ior not Ior thc 'othcrs'.
What thc 'othcrs' do 'outsidc' i s no conccrn oI ours at thc
momcnt. Insidc thc circIc oI thc gamc thc Iaws and customs oI
ordinary IiIc no Iongcr count. Wc arc dicrcnt and do things
dicrcntIy. Jhis tcmporary aboIition oI thc ordinary worId is IuIIy
acknowIcdgcd in chiId-IiIc, but it is no Icss cvidcnt in thc grcat
ccrcmoniaI gamcs oI savagc socictics. uring thc grcat Icast oI
initiation whcn thc youths arc acccptcd into thc maIc community,
it is not thc ncophytcs onIy that arc cxcmpt Irom thc ordinary
Iaws and rcguIations . thcrc is a trucc to aII Icuds in thc tribc. AII
rctaIiatory acts and vcndcttas arc suspcndcd. Jhis tcmporary
suspcnsion oI normaI sociaI IiIc on account oI thc sacrcd pIay-
scason has numcrous traccs in thc morc advanccd civiIizations as
wcII. Lvcrything that pcrtains to saturnaIia and carnivaI customs
^1VI ^L b1L1b1L^LI LI VL^

bcIongs to it. Lvcn with us a bygonc agc oI robustcr privatc
habits than ours, morc markcd cIass-priviIcgcs and a morc com-
pIaisant poIicc rccognizcd thc orgics oI young mcn oI rank undcr
thc namc oI a 'rag'. Thc saturnaIian Iiccncc oI young mcn stiII
survivcs, in Iact, in thc ragging at LngIish univcrsitics, which thc
0xorJ Ea/isk Dic/ioaa dchncs as 'an cxtcnsivc dispIay oI noisy
and disordcrIy conduct carricd out in dchancc oI authority and
discipIinc' .
Thc 'dicrcntncss' and sccrccy oI pIay arc most vividIy cx-
prcsscd in 'drcssing up'. Hcrc thc 'cxtra-ordinary' naturc oI
pIay rcachcs pcrIcction. Thc disguiscd or maskcd individuaI
'pIays' anothcr part, anothcr bcing. Hc is anothcr bcing. Thc
tcrrors oI chiIdhood, opcn-hcartcd gaicty, mystic Iantasy and
sacrcd awc arc aII incxtricabIy cntangIcd in this strangc busincss
oI masks and disguiscs.
Summing up thc IormaI charactcristics oI pIay wc might caII it
a Ircc activity standing quitc consciousIy outsidc 'ordinary' IiIc
as bcing 'not scrious', but at thc samc timc absorbing thc pIaycr
intcnscIy and uttcrIy. )t is an activity conncctcd with no matcriaI
intcrcst, and no proht can bc gaincd by it. It procccds within its
own propcr boundarics oI timc and spacc according to hxcd ruIcs
and in an ordcrIy manncr. It prom

tcs thc Iormation oI sociaI

groupings which tcnd to surround thcmscIvcs with sccrccy and to
strcss thcir dicrcncc Irom thc common worId by disguisc or othcr
mcans.
Thc Iunction oI pIay in thc highcr Iorms which conccrn us hcrc
can IargcIy bc dcrivcd Irom thc wo basic aspccts undcr which wc
mcct it. as a contcst or somcthing or a rcprcscntation o somc-
thing. Thcsc two Iunctions can unitc in such a way that thc gamc
'rcprcscnts' a contcst, or cIsc bccomcs a contcst Ior thc bcst
rcprcscntation oI somcthing.
Kcprcscntation mcans dispIay, and this may simpIy consist in
thc cxhibition oI somcthing naturaIIy givcn, bcIorc an audicncc.
Jhc pcacock and thc turkcy mcrcIy dispIay thcir gorgcous
pIumagc to thc IcmaIcs, but thc csscntiaI Icaturc oI it Iics in thc
parading oI somcthing out oI thc ordinary and caIcuIatcd to
arousc admiration. II thc bird accompanics this cxhibition with
dancc-stcps wc havc a pcrIormancc, a s/tppia oa/ o common
rcaIity into a highcr ordcr. Wc arc ignorant oI thc bird's scnsa-
tions whiIc so cngagcd. Wc know, howcvcr, that in chiId-IiIc
pcrIormanccs oI this kind arc IuII oI imagination. Thc chiId is

MLmL L1Lb
makiag aa imagt O sOmC\hIng OICrCn\ sOmC\hIng mOrC Dcau\I!u!
Or mOrC suD!mC, Or mOrC OangCrOus \han wha\ hC usua!!y is. LnC
Is a rInCC Or OnC Is 1aOOy Or a wICkCO wI\Ch Or a \Igcr. hC
ChI!O Is QuI\C !I\Cray `DCsIOC hImsC!! wI\h OC!Igh\ \ransQOr\CO
DCyOnO hImsC \O suCD an CX\Cn\ \ha\ hC a!mOs\ DcICVCs hC
aC\ua!!y Is suCh anO suCh a \hIngwI\hOu\ hOwCVCr whO!!y !OsIng
COnsCIOusnCss O `OrOInary rCa!I\y. 1Is rCQrCsCn\a\IOn Is nO\ sO
muCh a sham-rca!I\y as a rCa!IZa\IOn In aQQCaranCC. `ImagIna-
\IOn In \hC OrIgIna! sCnsC O \hC wOrO.
assIng nOw rOm ChI!OrCns gamCs \O \hC saCrcO QC:!OrmanCCs
In arChaIC Cu!\urC wC hnO \ha\ \hCrC Is mOrC O a mCn\a! C!cmCn\
`a\ Q!ay In \hC !a\\Cr \hOugh I\ Is CXCCssIVC!y OIHCu!\ \O OChnC.
hc saCrCO QCr
{
OrmanCC Is mOrC \han an aC\ua!IZa\IOn In aQQCar-
anCC On!y a sDam rCa!I\y I\ Is a!sO mOrC \han a symDO!ICa!
aC\ua!IZa\IOn-I\ Is a mys\ICa! OnC. 1n I\ sOmC\hIng InVIsID!C anO
In aC\ua! \akCs DCau\I!u! aC\ua! hO!y !Orm. hC Qar\ICIQan\s In
\hC rI\C arC COnVInCCO \ha\ \hC aC\IOn aC\ua!IZCs anO CHcC\s a
OChnI\C DCa\IhCa\IOn DrIngs aDOu\ an OrOCr O \hIngs hIghcr \han
\Da\ Iu wDICD \hCy Cus\OmarI!y !IVC. PI! \DC samC \hIs `aC\ua!IZa-
\IOn Dy rCQrCsCn\a\IOn s\I!! rC\aIns \hC !Orm8! CharaC\CrIs\ICs O
Q!ay In CVCry rCsQcC\. 1\ Is Q!ayCO Or QCr!OrmCO w:\hIn a Q!ay-
grOunO \ha\ Is !I\Cra!!y `s\akCO Ou\ anO Q!ayCO mOrCOVcr as a
Cas\ I. C. In mIr\h anO !rCCOOm. P saCrCO sQaCC a \CmQOrarI!y
rCa! wOr!O O I\s Own Das DCcn CXQrcss!y hcOgCO OH !Or I\. u\
wI\h \hC CnO O \hC Q!ay I\s CHcC\ Is nO\ !Os\ , ra\hCr I\ COn\InuCs \O
shCO I\s raOIanCC On \hC OrOInary wOr!O Ou\sIOC a whO!CsOmC
InDuCnCC wOrkIng sCCurI\y OrOCr anO QrOsQCrI\y Or \hC whO!C
COmmunI\y un\I! \hC saCrCO Q!ay-sCasOn COmcs rOunO agaIn.
LXamQ!Cs Can DC \akCn rOm a!! OVCr \hc wOr!O. PCCOrOIng \O
anCICn\ LhInCsC !OrC !hC QurQOsC O musIC anO \hC OanCC Is \O
KCCQ \hC wOr!O In I\s rIgh\ COursC anO \O !OrCC a\urC In\O DCnC-
VO!CnCC \OwarOs man. hC yCars QrOsQCrI\y wI!! OcQcnO On \hC
rIgh\ QCrOrmanCC O! saCrCO COn\Cs\s a\ \hc scasOna! !cas\s. 1! \hcsC
ga\hCrIngs OO nO\ \akC Q!aCC \hC CrOQs wI!! nO\ rIQCn.
hC rI\C Is a Jremtaea, whICh mcans `sOmC\hIng aC\CO an aC\
aC\IOn. ha\ whICh Is CnaC\cO Or \hC s\uH O! \hC aC\IOn Is a
drama, whICD agaIn mcans aC\ aC\IOn rCQrCsCn\cO On a s\agC.
buCh aC\IOn may OCCur as a QCr!OrmanCC Or a COn\Cs\. hC rI\c Or
`rI\ua! aC\ rCQrCsCn\s a COsmIC haQQCnIng an CVcn\ In \hC na\ura!
Granct, e:lta/: ond 5on: Hnrcnl Chna, Lanre: ond cgcud ojHurcnl Chna
hne:e Ltl{alon [Rout|cdgc.
^1VI ^L b1L111L^LI L1

proccss. Thc word 'rcprcscnts', howcvcr, docs not covcr thc
cxact mcaning oI thc act, at Icast not in its Iooscr, modcrn con-
notation, Ior hcrc 'rcprcscntation' is rcaIIy iJto/qca/ioa, thc
mystic rcpctition or rt-prtsto/a/ioo oI thc cvcnt. Thc ritc produccs
thc ccct which is thcn not so much s/oo ]ara/ict[ as ac/aa/[
rtproJactJ in thc action. Thc Iunction oI thc ritc, thcrcIorc, is Iar
Irom bcing mcrcIy imitativc, it causcs thc worshippcrs to par-
ticipatc in thc sacrcd happcning itscII. As thc Orccks wouId say,
'it is mt//tc/ic rathcr than mimt/ic'. It is 'a hcIping-out oI thc
action'.
AnthropoIogy is not primariIy intcrcstcd in how psychoIogy
wiII asscss thc mcntaI attitudc dispIaycd in thcsc phcnomcna.
Jhc psychoIogist may scck to scttIc thc mattcr by caIIing such
pcrIormanccs an iJto/qca/ioa comptosa!rict, a kind oI substitutc,
'a rcprcscntativc act undcrtakcn in vicw oI thc impossibiIity oI
staging rcaI, purposivc action'. ' Arc thc pcrIormcrs mocking, or
arc thcy mockcd! Jhc busincss oI thc anthropoIogist is to undcr-
stand thc sign

hcancc oI thcsc 'imaginations' in thc mind ol thc

pcopIcs who practisc and bcIicvc in thcm.
Wc touch hcrc on thc vcry corc oI comparativc rcIigion. thc
naturc and csscncc oI rituaI and mystcry. Thc whoIc oI thc
ancicnt Vcdic sacrihciaI ritcs rcsts on thc idca that thc ccrcmony~
bc it sacrihcc, contcst or pcrIormanccby rcprcscnting a ccrtain
dcsircd cosmic cvcnt, compcIs thc gods to ccct that cvcnt in
rcaIity. Wc couId wcII say, by 'pIaying' it. Lcaving thc rcIigious
issucs asidc wc shaII onIy conccrn ourscIvcs hcrc with thc pIay-
cIcmcnt in archaic rituaI.
KituaI is thus in thc main a mattcr oI shows, rcprescntations,
dramatic pcrIormanccs, imaginativc actuaIizations oI a vicarious
naturc. At thc grcat scasonaI IcstivaIs thc community ccIcbratcs
thc grand happcnings in thc IiIc oI naturc by staging sacrcd pcr-
Iormanccs, which rcprcscnt thc changc oI scasons, thc rising and
sctting oI thc constcIIations, thc growth and ripcning oI crops,
birth, IiIc and dcath in man and bcast. As Lco Irobcnius puts it,
archaic man p/ys thc ordcr oI naturc as imprintcd on his con-
sciousncss. In thc rcmotc past, so Irobcnius thinks, man hrst
]anc Harrison, 1hcmi:: lug lhc orial Uriin: oj Urcck Hcliion [Cambridgc,
t gt z) , p. izj.
V. V. Marctt, 1hc 1hrc:hold oj Hcliion, t gt z, p. q8.
Buytcndijk, cI )cl tan Acn:ch cn Lm al: o)cnarin tan lctcn:drjcn [Amstcrdam,
t gjz), pp. ot.
ullurc:chichlc Z/ika:, rolcomcna ;u cincr h:tori:rhcn Uc:lalllchrc hick:al:kundt m
ianc dc: ul!arucrdcn: [LeipzIg, t gjz).

assimiIatcd thc phcnomcna oI vcgctation and animaI IiIc and thcn
conccivcd an idca oI timc and spacc, oI months and scasons, oI
thc coursc oI thc sun and moon. And now hc pIays this grcat
proccssionaI ordcr oI cxistcncc in a sacrcd pIay, in and through
which hc actuaIizcs ancw, or 'rccrcatcs', thc cvcnts rcprcscntcd
and thus hcIps to maintain thc cosmic ordcr. Irobcnius draws
cvcn morc Iar-rcaching concIusions Irom this 'pIaying at naturc' .
Hc dccms it thc starting-point oI aII sociaI ordcr and sociaI
institutions, too. Through this rituaI pIay, savagc socicty acquircs
its rudc Iorms oI govcrnmcnt. Thc king is thc sun, his kingship
thc imagc oI thc sun's coursc. AII his IiIc thc king pIays 'sun' and
in thc cnd hc sucrs thc Iatc oI thc sun. hc must bc kiIIcd in rituaI
Iorms by his own pcopIc.
Wc can Icavc asidc thc qucstion oI how Iar this cxpIanation oI
rituaI rcgicidc and thc whoIc undcrIying conccption can bc takcn
as 'provcd'. Thc qucstion that intcrcsts us hcrc is . what arc wc
to think oI this concrctc projcction oI primitivc naturc-
consciousncss! What arc wc to makc oI a mcntaI proccss that
bcgins with an uncxprcsscd cxpcricncc oI cosmic phcnomcna and
cnds in an imaginativc rcndcring oI thcm in pIay!
Irobcnius is right to discard thc IaciIc hypothcsis which con-
tcnts itscII with hypothccating an innatc 'pIay instinct'. Thc
tcrm 'instinct', hc says, is

makcshi, an admission oI hcIpIcss-

ncss bcIorc thc probIcm oI rcaIity' LquaIIy cxpIicitIy and Ior
cvcn bcttcr rcasons hc rcjccts as a vcstigc oI obsoIctc thinking thc
tcndcncy to cxpIain cvcry advancc in cuIturc in tcrms oI a
'spcciaI purposc', a 'why' and a 'whcrcIorc' thrust down thc
throat oI thc cuIturc-crcating community. 'Tyranny oI causaIity
at its worst,' 'antiquatcd utiIitarianism' hc caIIs such a point oI
vicw.
Thc conccption Irobcnius has oI thc mcntaI proccss in qucstion
is roughIy as IoIIows. In archaic man thc cxpcricncc oI IiIc and
naturc, stiII uncxprcsscd, takcs thc Iorm oI a 'scizurc' bcing
scizcd on, thriIIcd, cnrapturcd. 'Thc crcativc IacuIty in a pcopIc
as in thc chiId or cvcry crcativc pcrson, springs Irom this statc oI
bcing scizcd. ' 'Man is scizcd by thc rcvcIation oI Iatc. ' 'Thc
rcaIity oI thc naturaI rhythm oI gcncsis and cxtinction has scizcd
hoId oI his consciousncss, and this, incvitabIy and by rccx action,
Icads him to rcprcscnt his cmotion in an act.' So that according
altarc:chichlc, pp. z, r zz.
!|id. p. z1.
IP1VL PIL b1LI1I1LPIlL

hini wc arc dcaIing with a ncccssury mcntaI pioccss oI trans-
lormation. Thc thrilI, thc 'bcing scizcd` by thc phcnomcna oI
liIc and naturc is condcnscd by rccx action, as it wcrc, to poctic
cxprcssion and art. It is dimcuIt to dcscribc thc proccss oI crcativc
imagination in words that arc morc to thc point, though thcy can
hardIy bc caIIcd a truc 'cxpIanation'. Thc mcntaI road from
acsthctic or mysticaI, or at any ratc mca-IogicaI, pcrccption oI
cosmic ordcr to rituaI pIay rcmains as dark as bcIorc.
WhiIc rcpcatcdIy using thc tcrm 'pIay' Ior thesc pcrIornianccs
thc grcat anthropoIogist omits, howcvcr, to statc what cxactIy hc
undcrstands by it. Hc wouId cvcn sccm to havc surrcptitiousIy
rc-admittcd thc vcry thing hc so strongIy dcprccatcs and which
docs not aItogcthcr ht in with thc csscntiaI quaIity oI pIay. thc
conccpt oI purposc. Ior, in Irobcnius' dcscription oI it, pIay
quitc cxpIicitIy scr:cs to rcprcscnt a cosmic cvcnt and thus bring
it about. A quasi-rationaIistic cIcmcnt irrcsistibIy crccps in. Ior
!robcnius, pIay and rcprcscntation havc thcir raisea J' /rt acr
all, in thc cxprcssion oI somcthing cIsc, namcIy, thc 'bcing scizcd'
by a cosmic cvcnt. But thc vcry Iact that thc dramatization is
|c
)
cJ is, apparcntIy, oI sccondary importancc Ior him. Thcorctic-
ally at Icast, thc cmotion couId havc bccn communicatcd in somc
othcr way. In our vicw, on thc contrary, thc whoIc point is thc
/ia. Such rituaI pIay is csscntiaIIy no dicrcnt Irom onc oI thc
highcr Iorms oI common chiId-pIay or indccd animaI-pIay. ow
in thc casc oI thcsc two Iattcr Iorms onc couId hardIy supposc thcir
origin to Iic in somc cosmic cmotion struggIing Ior cxprcssion.
Child-pIay posscsscs thc play-Io:m in its vcricst csscncc, and most
urcIy.
Wc might, pcrbaps, dcscribc thc proccss Icading Irom 'scizurc'
by naturc to rituaI pcrIormancc, in tcrms that wouId avoid thc
abovc-mcntioncd inadcquacy without, howcvcr, cIaiming to Iay
barc thc inscrutabIc. Archaic socicty, wc vouId say, pIays as thc
chiId or animaI pIays. Such pIaying contains at thc outsct aII thc
cIcmcnts propcr to pIay. ordcr, tcnsion, movcmcnt, changc,
solcmnity, rhythm, rapturc. nIy in a Iatcr phasc oI socicty is
pIay associatcd with thc idca oI somcthing to bc cxprcsscd in and
by lt, namcIy, what wc wouId caII 'IiIc' or 'naturc'. Thcn, what
was wordIcss pIay assumcs poctic Iorm. In thc Iorm and Iunction
oI pIay, itscII an indcpcndcnt cntity which is scnscIcss and
irrationaI, man's consciousncss that hc is cmbcddcd in a sacrcd
ordcr oI things hnds its hrst, highcst, and holicst cxprcssion.
HOHO LUDEN8
OraduaIIy thc signihcancc oI a sacrcd act pcrmcatcs thc pIaying.
KituaI graIts itscII upon it, but thc primary thing is and rcmains
pIay.
Wc arc hovcring ovcr sphcrcs oI thought barcIy acccssibIc cithcr
to psychoIogy or to phiIosophy. Such qucstions as thcse pIumb thc
dcpths oI our consciousncss. KituaI is scriousncss at its highcst
and hoIicst. Can it ncvcrthcIcss bc pIay! Wc bcgan by saying that
aII pIay, both oI chiIdrcn and oI grown-ups, can bc pcrIormcd in
thc most pcrIcct scriousncss. ocs this go so Iar as to impIy that
pIay is stiII bound up with thc sacrcd cmotion oI thc sacramcntaI
act! ur concIusions arc to somc cxtcnt impcdcd by thc rigidity
oI our acccptcd idcas. Wc arc accustomcd to think oI pIay and
scriousncss as an absoIutc antithcsis. It wouId sccm, howcvcr, that
this docs not go to thc hcart oI thc mattcr.
Lct us considcr Ior a momcnt thc IoIIowing argumcnt. Jhc
chiId pIays in compIctcwc can wcII say, in sacrcd-carncst. But
it pIays and knows that it pIays. Thc sportsman, too, pIays with
aII thc Icrvour oI a man cnrapturcd, but hc stiII knows that hc is
pIaying. Thc actor on thc stagc is whoIIy absorbcd in his pIaying,
but is aII thc timc conscious oI 'thc pIay'. Jhc samc hoIds good
oI thc vioIinist, though hc may soar to rcaIms bcyond this worId.
Thc pIay-charactcr, thcrcIorc, may attach to thc subIimcst Iorms
oI action. Can wc now cxtcnd thc Iinc to rituaI and say that thc
pricst pcrIorming thc ritcs oI sacrihcc is onIy pIaying! At hrst
sight it sccms prcpostcrous, Ior iI you grant it Ior onc rcIigion you
must grant it Ior aII. Hcncc our idcas oI rituaI, magic, Iiturgy,
sacramcnt and mystcry wouId aII IaII within thc pIay-conccpt. In
dcaIing with abstractions wc must aIways guard against ovcr-
straining thcir signihcancc. Wc wouId mcrcIy bc pIaying with
words wcrc wc to strctch thc pIay-conccpt unduIy. But, aII things
considcrcd, I do not think wc arc IaIIing into that crror whcn wc
charactcrizc rituaI as pIay. Jhc rituaI act has aII thc IormaI and
csscntiaI charactcristics oI pIay which wc cnumcratcd abovc,
particuIarIy in so Iar as it transports thc participants to anothcr
worId. This idcntity oI rituaI and pIay was unrcscrvcdIy rccog-
nizcd by IIato as a givcn Iact. Hc had no hcsitation in comprising
thc sacra in thc catcgory oI pIay. 'I say that a man must bc
scrious with thc scrious,' hc says [Las, vii, 8o
}
) . 'Ood aIonc is
worthy oI suprcmc scriousncss, but man is madc Ood's pIaything,
and that is thc bcst part oI hin. JhcrcIorc cvcry man and woman
NATURE AND 8IONIFICANCE OF PLAY
shouId Iivc IiIc accordingIy, and pIay thc nobIcst gamcs and bc oI
anothcr mind Irom what thcy arc at prcscnt. . . . Ior thcy dccm
war a scrious thing, though in war thcrc is ncithcr pIay nor
cuIturc worthy thc namc ~.. e:' a ~a.na ) ,
which arc thc things dccm most scrious. Hcncc aII must Iivc
in pcacc as wcII as thcy possibIy can. What, thcn, is thc right
way oI Iiving! LiIc must bc Iivcd as pIay, pIaying ccrtain gamcs,
making sacrihccs, singing and dancing, and thcn a man wiIl bc
abIc to propitiatc thc gods, and dcIcnd himscII against his cncmics,
and win in thc contcst.'
Thc cIosc conncctions bctwccn mystcry and pIay havc bccn
touchcd on most tcIIingIy by Komano Ouardini in his book Tht
Spirit e tht Litary LccIcsia rans I Irciburg, i gzz) , particuIarIy
thc chaptcr cntitIcd 'ic Liturgic aIs SpicI'. Hc docs not actuaIIy
citc IIato, but comcs as ncar thc abovc quotation as may bc. Hc
ascribcs to Iiturgy morc than onc oI thc Icaturcs wc hcId to bc
charactcristic oI pIay, amongst othcrs thc lact that, in its highcst
cxampIcs, Iiturgy is 'zwcckIos abcr doch sinnvoII' 'pointIcss
but signihcant'.
Thc IIatonic idcntihcation oI pIay and hoIincss docs not dchIc
thc Iattcr by caIIing it pIay, rathcr it cxaIts thc conccpt oI pIay
to thc highcst rcgions oI thc spirit. Wc said at thc bcginning that
pIay was antcrior to cuIturc, in a ccrtain scnsc it is aIso supcrior to
it or at Icast dctachcd Irom it. In pIay wc may movc bcIow thc
IcvcI oI thc scrious, as thc chiId docs , but wc can aIso movc abovc
itin thc rcaIm oI thc bcautiIuI and thc sacrcd.
Irom this point oI vicw wc can now dchnc thc rcIationship
bctwccn rituaI and pIay morc cIoscIy. Wc arc no Iongcr astonishcd
at thc substantiaI simiIarity oI thc two Iorms, and thc qucstion as
to how Iar cvcry rituaI act IaIIs within thc catcgory oI pIay
continucs to hoId our attcntion.
Wc Iound that onc oI thc most important charactcristics oI pIay
was its spatiaI scparation Irom ordinary IiIc. A cIoscd spacc is
markcd out Ior it, cithcr matcriaIIy or idcaIIy, hcdgcd oIrom thc
cvcryday surroundings. Insidc this spacc thc pIay procccds, insidc
it thc ruIcs obtain. ow, thc marking out oI somc sacrcd spot is
aIso thc primary charactcristic oI cvcry sacrcd act. This rcquirc-
mcnt oI isoIation Ior rituaI, incIuding magic and Iaw, is much
vi, )gG, whcrc Plato spcaks o thc sacrcd danccs thc Kourctcs of
Crctc, calling thcm irvk.a
20 HOHO LUDEN8
morc than mcrcIy spatiaI and tcmporaI. carIy aII ritcs oI
consccration and initiation cntaiI a ccrtain artihciaI sccIusion Ior
thc pcrIormcrs and thosc to bc initiatcd. Whcncvcr it is a qucstion
oI taking a vow or bcing rcccivcd into an rdcr or conIratcrnity,
or oI oaths and sccrct socictics, in onc way or anothcr thcrc is
aIways such a dcIimitation oI room Ior pIay. Thc magician, thc
augur, thc sacrihccr bcgins his work by circumscribing his
sacrcd spacc. Sacramcnt and mystcry prcsupposc a haIIowcd spot.
IormaIIy spcaking, thcrc is no distinction whatcvcr bctwccn
marking out a spacc Ior a sacrcd purposc and marking it out Ior
purposcs oI shccr pIay. Thc turI, thc tcnnis-court, thc chcss-
board and pavcmcnt-hopscotch cannot IormaIIy bc distinguishcd
Irom thc tcmpIc or thc magic circIc. Thc striking simiIarity
bctwccn sacrihciaI ritcs aII ovcr thc carth shows that such customs
must bc rootcd in a vcry IundamcntaI, an aboriginaI Iaycr oI thc
human mind. As a ruIc pcopIc rcducc this ovcr-aII congruity oI
cuIturaI Iorms to somc 'rcasonabIc', 'IogicaI' causc by cxpIain-
ing thc nccd Ior isoIation and sccIusion as an anxicty to protcct thc
consccratcd individuaI Irom noxious inucnccsbccausc, in his
consccratcd statc, hc is particuIarIy cxposcd to thc maIign work-
ings oI ghosts, bcsidcs bcing himscII a dangcr to his surroundings.
Such an cxpIanation puts intcIIcction and utiIitarian purposc at
thc bcginning oI thc cuIturaI proccss . thc vcry thing Irobcnius
warncd against. Lvcn iI wc do not IaII back hcrc on thc antiquatcd
notion oI a pricstcraIt invcnting rcIigion, wc arc stiII introducing
a rationaIistic cIcmcnt bcttcr avoidcd. II, on thc othcr hand, wc
acccpt thc csscntiaI and originaI idcntity oI pIay and rituaI wc
simpIy rccognizc thc haIIowcd spot as a pIay-ground, and thc
misIcading qucstion oI thc ' why and thc whcrcIorc' docs not arisc
at aII.
II rituaI provcs to bc IormaIIy indistinguishabIc Irom pIay thc
qucstion rcmains whcthcr this rcscmbIancc gocs Iurthcr than thc
purcIy IormaI. It is surprising that anthropoIogy and comparativc
rcIigion havc paid so IittIc attcntion to thc probIcm oI how Iar such
sacrcd activitics as procccd within thc Iorms oI pIay aIso procccd in
thc attitudc and mood oI pIay. Lvcn Irobcnius has not, to my
knowIcdgc, askcd this qucstion.
ccdIcss to say, thc mcntaI attitudc in which a community
pcrIorms and cxpcricnccs its sacrcd ritcs is onc oI high and hoIy
carncst. But Ict it bc cmphasizcd again that gcnuinc and spon-
tancous pIay can aIso bc proIoundIy scrious. Thc pIaycr can
NATURE AND 8IONIFIOANOE OF PLAY
abandon himscII body and souI to thc gamc, and thc consciousncss
oI its bcing 'mcrcIy' a gamc can bc thrust into thc background.
Jhc joy incxtricabIy bound up with pIaying can turn not onIy
into tcnsion, but into cIation. IrivoIity and ccstasy arc thc twin
poIcs bctwccn which pIay movcs.
Jhc pIay-mood is in its vcry naturc. At any momcnt
'ordinary IiIc' may rcasscrt its rights cithcr by an impact Irom
without, which intcrrupts thc gamc, or by an ocncc against thc
ruIcs, or cIsc Irom within, by a coIIapsc oI thc pIay spirit, a
sobcring, a discnchantmcnt.
What, thcn, is thc attitudc and mood prcvaiIing at hoIy
IcstivaIs! Jhc sacrcd act is 'ccIcbratcd' on a 'hoIiday' -i. c. it
Iorms part oI a gcncraI Icast on thc occasion oI a hoIy day. Whcn
thc pcopIc Iorcgathcr at thc sanctuary thcy gathcr togcthcr Ior
coIIcctivc rcjoicing. Consccrations, sacrihccs, sacrcd danccs and
contcsts, pcrIormanccs, mystcricsaII arc comprchcndcd within
thc act oI ccIcbrating a IcstivaI. Jhc ritcs may bc bIoody, thc
probations oI thc young mcn awaiting initiation may bc crucI, thc
masks may bc tcrriIying, but thc whoIc thing has a IcstaI naturc.
rdinary IiIc is at a standstiII. Banqucts, junkctings and aII kinds
oI wanton rcvcIs arc going on aII thc timc thc Icast Iasts. Whcthcr
wc think oI thc Ancicnt Crcck Icstivitics or oI thc Arican rcIigions
to-day wc can hardIy draw any sharp Iinc bctwccn thc IcstivaI
mood in gcncraI and thc hoIy Ircnzy surrounding thc ccntraI
mystcry.
AImost simuItancousIy wiIh thc appcarancc oI thc utch
cdition oI this book thc Hungarian schoIar KarI Kcrnyi pub-
Iishcd a trcatisc on thc naturc oI thc IcstivaI which has thc cIoscst
tics with our thcmc. According to Kcrnyi, thc IcstivaI too has
that charactcr oI primacy and absoIutc indcpcndcncc which wc
prcdicatcd oI pIay. 'Among thc psychic rcaIitics,' hc says, 'thc
Icast is a thing in itscII, not to bc conIuscd with anything cIsc in
thc worId. ' ]ust as wc thought thc pIay-conccpt somcwhat
ncgIigcntIy trcatcd by thc anthropoIogist, so in his vicw is thc
Icast. 'Jhc phcnomcnon oI thc Icast appcars to havc bccn com-
pIctcIy passcd ovcr by thc cthnoIogist.' 'Ior aII scicncc is con-
ccrncd it might not cxist at aII.' cithcr might pIay, wc wouId
Iikc to add.
In thc vcry naturc oI things thc rcIationship bctwccn Icast and
lom Hcscn dc: c:lcs, Faidcuma, Mittcilungcn zur Kulturkundc HcIt z [Dcz. ,

pp.

HOHO LUDEN8
pIay is vcry cIosc. Both procIaim a standstiII to ordinary IiIc. In
both mirth and joy dominatc, though not ncccssariIyIor thc
Icast too can bc scrious , both arc Iimitcd as to timc and pIacc, both
combinc strict ruIcs with gcnuinc Irccdom. In short, Icast and
pIay havc thcir main charactcristics in common. Thc two sccm
most intimatcIy rcIatcd in dancing. According to Kcrnyi, thc
Cora Indians inhabiting thc Iacihc coast oI Mcxico caII thcir
sacrcd Icast oI thc young corn-cobs and thc corn-roasting thc
'pIay' oI thcir highcst god.
Kcrnyi' s idcas about thc Icast as an autonomous cuIturc-
conccpt ampIiIy and corroboratc thosc on which this book is buiIt.
Ior aII that, howcvcr, thc cstabIishmcnt oI a cIosc conncction
bctwccn thc spirit oI pIay and rituaI docs not cxpIain cvcrything.
Ocnuinc pIay posscsscs bcsidcs its IormaI charactcristics and its
joyIuI mood, at Icast onc Iurthcr vcry csscntiaI Icaturc, namcIy,
thc consciousncss, howcvcr Iatcnt, oI 'onIy prctcnding'. Thc
qucstion rcmains how Iar such a consciousncss is compatibIc with
thc rituaI act pcrIormcd in dcvotion.
wc conhnc ourscIvcs to thc sacrcd ritcs in archaic cuIturc it
is not impossibIc to adumbratc thc dcgrcc oI scriousncss with
which thcy arc pcrIormcd. As Iar as I know, cthnoIogists and
anthropoIogists concur in thc opinion that thc mcntaI attitudc in
which thc grcat rcIigious Icasts oI savagcs arc ccIcbratcd and wit-
ncsscd is not onc oI compIctc iIIusion. Thcrc is an undcrIying
consciousncss oI things 'not bcing rcaI'. A vivid picturc oI this
attitudc is givcn by Ad. L. ]cnscn in his book on thc circumcision
and pubcrty ccrcmonics in savagc socicty. Thc mcn sccm to havc
no Icar oI thc ghosts that arc hovcring about cvcrywhcrc during
thc Icast and appcar to cvcryonc at its hcight. This is smaII
wondcr, sccing that thcsc samc mcn havc had thc staging oI thc
whoIc ccrcmony. thcy havc carcd and dccoratcd thc masks, wcar
thcm thcmscIvcs and acr usc conccaI thcm Irom thc womcn.
Thcy makc thc noiscs hcraIding thc appcarancc oI thc ghosts, thcy
tracc thcir Iootprints in thc sand, thcy bIow thc utcs that rcprc-
scnt thc voiccs oI thc anccstors, and brandish thc buII-roarcrs. In
short, says ]cnscn, 'thcir position is much Iikc that oI parcnts
pIaying Santa CIaus Ior thcir chiIdrcn. thcy know oI thc mask, but
hidc it Irom thcm'. Thc mcn tcII thc womcn grucsomc taIcs
about thc goings-on in thc sacrcd bush. Thc attitudc oI thc
ncophytcs aItcrnatcs bctwccn ccstasy, Icigncd madncss, csh-
Bc:rhncidang and Heg{crcmonicn bct Wa/art6lkcm [Stuttart,
NATURE AND 8IONIFICANCE OF PLAY

crccping and boyish swaggcr. Nor, in thc Iast rcsort, arc thc
womcn whoIIy dupcd. Jhcy know pcrIcctIy wcII who is hiding
bchind this mask or that. AII thc samc thcy gct IcarIuIIy cxcitcd
whcn a mask comcs up to thcm with minatory gcsturcs, and y
shricking in aII dircctions. Jhcsc cxprcssions oI tcrror, says]cnscn,
arc in part quitc gcnuinc and spontancous, and in part onIy acting
up to a part imposcd by tradition. It is 'thc donc thing'. Jhc
womcn arc, as it wcrc, thc chorus to thc pIay and thcy know that
thcy must not bc 'spoiI-sports'.
In aII this it is impossibIc to hx accuratcIy thc Iowcr Iimit whcrc
hoIy carncst rcduccs itscII to mcrc 'Iun'. With us, a Iathcr oI
somcwhat chiIdish disposition might gct scriousIy angry iI his
chiIdrcn caught him in thc act oI prcparing Christmas prcscnts.
A KwakiutI Iathcr in British CoIumbia kiIIcd his daughtcr who
surpriscd him whiIst carving things Ior a tribaI ccrcmony. Jhc
unstabIc naturc oI rcIigious IccIing among thc Ioango ncgrocs is
dcscribcd by IcchucI-Iocschc in tcrms simiIar to thosc uscd by
]cnscn. Jhcir bcIicI in thc sanctitics is a sort oI haII-bcIicI, and
gocs with scong and prctcndcd indicrcncc. Jhc rcaIIy im-
portant thing is thc meeJ, hc concIudcs by saying. K. K. Marctt,
in his chaptcr on 'Irimitivc CrcduIity' in Thc Thrcshe/J e
Rc/iieo, dcvcIops thc idca that a ccrtain cIcmcnt oI 'makc-
bcIicvc' is opcrativc in aII primitivc rcIigions. Whcthcr onc is
sorccrcr or sorccrizcd onc is aIways knowcr and dupc at oncc. But
onc chooscs to bc thc dupc. 'Jhc savagc is a good actor who can
bc quitc absorbcd in his roIc, Iikc a chiId at pIay, and, aIso Iikc a
chiId, a good spcctator who can bc Irightcncd to dcath by thc
roaring oI somcthing hc knows pcrIcctIy wcII to bc no 'rcaI' Iion.'
Jhc nativc, says MaIinowski, IccIs and Icars his bcIicI rathcr than
IormuIatcs it cIcarIy to himscII. ' Hc uscs ccrtain tcrms and cx-
prcssions, and thcsc wc must coIIcct as documcnts oI bcIicI just as
thcy arc, without working thcm up into a consistcnt thcory. Jhc
bchaviour oI thosc to whom thc savagc community attributcs
'supcrnaturaI' powcrs can oItcn bc bcst cxprcsscd by 'acting up
to thc part' .
cspitc this partiaI consciousncss oI things 'not bcing rcaI' in
magic and supcrnaturaI phcnomcna gcncraIIy, thcsc authoritics
oas, 1hc ocial Urant:alion and lhc ccrcl ocicli: o lh uaktall !ndan:,
Wasbington, t 8g;, p. q.
lolk:kandc ton !oano, Stuttgart, t gc;, p. qj.
1hc Aronaa/: oj /hc Hcs/crn acqc, Iondon, gez, p. g

HOMO LUDEN8
stiII warn against drawing thc inIcrcncc that thc whoIc systcm o
bcIicIs and practiccs is onIy a Iraud invcntcd by a group oI
'unbcIicvcrs' with a vicw to dominating thc crcduIous. It is truc
that such an intcrprctation is givcn not onIy by many travcIIcrs
but somctimcs cvcn by thc traditions oI thc nativcs thcmscIvcs.
Yct it cannot bc thc right onc. ' Thc origin oI any sacrcd act can
onIy Iic in thc crcduIity oI aII, and thc spurious maintaining oI it in
thc intcrcsts oI a spcciaI group can onIy bc thc hnaI phasc oI a Iong
Iinc oI dcvcIopmcnt. ' As I scc it, psychoanaIysis tcnds to IaII
back on this antiquatcd intcrprctation oI circumcision and pubcrty
practiccs, so rightIy rcjcctcd by ]cnscn.
Irom thc Iorcgoing it is quitc cIcar, to my mind at Icast, that
whcrc savagc rituaI is conccrncd wc ncvcr Iosc sight oI thc pIay-
conccpt Ior a singIc momcnt. Jo dcscribc thc phcnomcna wc
havc to usc thc tcrm 'pIay' ovcr and ovcr again. What is morc,
thc unity and indivisibiIity oI bcIicI and unbcIicI, thc indissoIubIc
conncction bctwccn sacrcd carncst and 'makc-bcIicvc' or 'Iun',
arc bcst undcrstood in thc conccpt oI pIay itscIf ]cnscn, though
admitting thc simiIarity oI thc chiId's worId to that oI thc savagc,
stiII trics to distinguish in principIc bctwccn thc mcntaIity oI thc
two. The chiId, hc says, whcn conIrontcd with thc hgurc oI
Santa CIaus, has to do with a 'rcady-madc conccpt', in which hc
'hnds his way' with a Iucidity and cndowmcnt oI his own. But
'thc crcativc attitudc oI thc savagc with rcgard to thc ccrcmonics
hcrc in qucstion is quitc anothcr thing. Hc has to do not with
rcady-madc conccpts but with his naturaI surroundings, which
thcmscIvcs dcmand intcrprctation, hc grasps thcir mystcrious
dacmonism and trics to givc it in rcprcscntativc Iorm'. Hcrc wc
rccognizc thc vicws oI Irobcnius, who was ]cnscn's tcachcr. StiII,
two objcctions occur. IirstIy, whcn caIIing thc proccss in thc
savagc mind 'quitc anothcr thing' Irom that in thc chiId-mind,
hc is spcaking oI thc eriioa/ers oI thc rituaI on thc onc hand and
oI thc chiId oI /e-Ja on thc othcr. But wc know nothing oI thcsc
originators. AII wc can study is a rituaIistic community which
rcccivcs its rcIigious imagcry as traditionaI matcriaI just as 'rcady-
madc' as thc chiId docs, and rcsponds to it simiIarIy. SccondIy,
cvcn iI wc ignorc this, thc proccss oI 'intcrprcting' thc naturaI
surroundings, oI 'grasping' thcm and 'rcprcscnting' thcm in a
rituaI imagc rcmains aItogcthcr inacccssibIc to our obscrvation.
It is cnIy by IanciIuI mctaphors that Irobcnius and ]cnscn Iorcc
p. r gz. p. r qg
NATURE AND 8IONIFICANCE OF PLAY
an approach to it. Jhc most wc can say oIthc Iunction that is
opcrativc in thc proccss oIimagc-making or imagination is that
it is a pocticIunction, and wcdchncitbcst oIaII by caIIingit a
Im ctionoIpIaythc /aJic Iunction, in Iact.
SothatthcapparcntIyquitcsimpIcqucstionoIwhatpIayrcaIIy
is, Icads us dccp into thc probIcm oI thc naturc and origin oI
rcIigiousconccpts. AswcaIIknow,oncoIthcmostimportantbasic
idcas with which cvcry studcnt oI comparativc rcIigion has to
acquainthimscIIisthcIoIIowing. Whcn accrtainIormoIrcIigion
acccpts a sacrcd idcntitybctwccntwo things oIadicrcntordcr,
say a human bcing and an animaI, this rcIationship is not
adcquatcIycxprcsscdbycaIIingita'symboIicaIcorrcspondcncc'
ast conccivcthis. Jhcidcntity,thccsscntiaIoncncssoIthctwo
gocsIardccpcrthan thccorrcspondcnccbctwccnasubstanccand
its symboIic imagc. It is a mystic unity. Jhc onc has /tcemt thc
othcr. Inhis magic dancc thc savagc is a kangaroo. Wc must
aIwaysbconourguard againstthcdchcicncicsanddicrcnccsoI
our mcans oIcxprcssion. In ordcr toIorm any idca at aII oIthc
mcntaI habits oIthc savagc wc arc Iorccd to givc thcm in our
tcrminoIogy. Whcthcr wc wiII or not wcarc aIways transposing
thc savagc's idcasoIrcIigioninto thcstrictIyIogicaImodcsoIour
own thought. Wccxprcss thcrcIationshipbctwccnhim and thc
animaI hc 'idcntihcs' himscIIwith, as a 'bcing' Ior him but a
'pIaying'Iorus. Hc has takcn onthc 'csscncc'oIthckangaroo,
says thcsavagc, hcispIayingthckangaroo, saywc. Jhc savagc,
howcvcr, knows nothing oIthc concptuaI distinctions bctwccn
'bcing' and'pIaying', hcknowsnothingoI'idcntity'_ 'imagc'
or'symboI'. Hcnccitrcmainsanopcnqucstion
_
hcthcrwcdo
notcomcncarcstto thcmcntaIattitudcoIthcsavagcpcrIorming
arituaIact,byadhcringtothisprimary,univcrsaIIyundcrstand-
abIctcrm'pIay'. InpIay aswcconccivcitthcdistinctionbctwccn
bcIicIandmakc-bcIicvcbrcaksdown. JhcconccptoIpIaymcrgcs
quitcnaturaIIywith that oIhoIincss. Any IrcIudc oIBach, any
Iinc oItragcdyprovcsit. By considcring thc whoIc sphcrc oIso-
caIIcd primitivc cuIturc as a pIay-sphcrc wc pavc thc way to a
morc dircct and morc gcncraI undcrstanding oIits pccuIiaritics
than any mcticuIous psychoIogicaI or socioIogicaIanaIysiswouId
aIIow.
Irimitivc, orIctussay, archaicrituaIisthussacrcdpIay, indis-
pcnsabIc Ior thc wcII-bcing oIthc community, Iccund oIcosmic
insightandsociaIdcvcIopmcntbutaIwayspIayinthcscnscIIato
HOHO LUDEN8
gavc to itan action accompIishing itscII outsidc and abovc thc
ncccssitics and scriousncss oI cvcryday IiIc. In this sphcrc oI sacrcd
pIay thc chiId and thc poct arc at homc with thc savagc. His
acsthctic scnsibiIi( has brought thc modcrn man cIoscr to this
sphcrc than thc 'cnIightcncd' man oI thc i 8th ccntury cvcr was.
Jhink oI thc pccuIiar charm that thc mask as an e/tt J'ar/ has Ior
thc modcrn mind. IcopIc nowadays try to IccI thc csscncc oI
savagc IiIc. Jhis kind oI cxoticism may somctimcs bc a IittIc
acctcd, but it gocs a good dcaI dccpcr than thc r 8th ccntury
tageatmtat Ior Turks, 'Chinamcn' and Indians. Modcrn man is
vcry scnsitivc to thc Iar-o and thc strangc. Nothing hcIps him so
much in his undcrstanding oI savagc socicty as his IccIing Ior
masks and disguisc. WhiIc cthnoIogy has dcmonstratcd thcir
cnormous sociaI importancc, thcy arousc in thc cducatcd Iayman
and art-Iovcr an immcdiatc ocsthctic cmotion compoundcd oI
bcauty, Iright, and mystcry. Lvcn Ior thc cuIturcd aduIt oI to-day
thc mask stiII rctains somcthing oI its tcrriIying powcr, aIthough
no rcIigious cmotions arc attachcd to it. Thc sight oI thc maskcd
hgurc, as a purcIy acsthctic cxpcricncc, carrics us bcyond
'ordinary IiIc' into a worId whcrc somcthing othcr than dayIight
rcigns, it carrics us back to thc worId oI thc savagc, thc chiId and
thc poct, which is thc worId oI pIay.
Lvcn iI wc can IcgitimatcIy rcducc our idcas on thc signihcancc
oI primitivc rituaI to an irrcducibIc pIay-conccpt, onc cxtrcmcIy
troubIcsomc qucstion stiII rcmains. What iI wc now asccnd Irom
thc Iowcr rcIigions to thc highcr! !rom thc rudc and outIandish
rituaI oI thc Ahican, Amcrican or AustraIian aborigincs our vision
shis to Vcdic sacrihciaI Iorc, aIrcady, in thc hymns oI thc Rig-
ItJa, prcgnant with thc wisdom oI thc Ipanishads, or to thc
proIoundIy mysticaI idcntihcations oI god, man, and bcast in
Lgyptian rcIigion, or to thc rphic and LIcusinian mystcrics. In
Iorm and practicc aII thcsc arc cIoscIy aIIicd to the so-caIIcd
primitivc rcIigions cvcn to bizarrc and bIoody particuIars. But
thc high dcgrcc oI wisdom and truth wc disccrn, or think wc can
disccrn in thcm, Iorbids us to spcak oI thcm with that air oI
supcriority which, as a mattcr oI Iact, is cquaIIy out oI pIacc in
'primitivc' cuIturcs. Wc must ask whcthcr this IormaI simiIarity
cntitIcs us to cxtcnd thc quaIihcation 'pIay' to thc consciousncss
oI thc hoIy, thc faith cmbodicd in thcsc highcr crccds. IIwc acccpt
thc IIatonic dchnition oI pIay thcrc is nothing prcpostcrou or
NATURE AND 8IONIFICANCE PLAY
irrcvcrcnt in doing so. IIay consccratcd to thc city, thc highcst
goaI oI man's cndcavoursuch was IIato' s conccption oI rcIigion.
In IoIIowing him wc in no way abandon thc hoIy mystcry, or ccasc
to ratc it as thc highcst attainabIc cxprcssion oI that which cscapcs
IogicaI undcrstanding. Jhc rituaI act, or an important part oI it,
wiII aIways rcman within thc pIay catcgory, but in this sccming
subordination thc rccognition oI its hoIincss is not Iost.