4. Medieval English Drama PDF

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Literatura Inglesa FILOLOGÍA Ana Álvarez QuintasMedieval English DramaLiturgical Drama The church promoted the rebirth of European theatre in the 1 0 th-12th century The church used drama to teach illiterate parishioners, ex: by incorporating theatrical elements into the gospel lessons of the mass T...

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Literatura Inglesa

FILOLOGÍA

Ana Álvarez Quintas

Medieval English Drama

Liturgical Drama The church promoted the rebirth of European theatre in the 10th-12th century The church used drama to teach illiterate parishioners, ex: by incorporating theatrical elements into the gospel lessons of the mass The first short plays were called tropes 

Written in Latin

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Performed by the clergy during the mass

Ex: Quem Quaeritis Trope (“Whom do you seek?”) 

Easter gospel lesson: the 3 Marys come to the tomb of Christ seeking to anoint his body and are greeted by an angel

Religious Vernacular Drama To reach the commoners, the clergy began to translate the liturgical plays into vernacular languages As the plays became more elaborate, they were moved from the altar of the church to the church yard As more roles were added, commoners were used as amateur actors The 3 M’s: *Mystery plays: biblical stories 

Based on scenes and stories from Te Bible

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Often performed together in a series called a cycle

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Meaning of “mystery” 1. “religious truth” 2. The French mystère means “secret” 3. Related to the trade guilds who performed the plays -> craftspeople were called misterium

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Four intact cycles remain from the eera: Wakefield, York, Chester, and N-town

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The cycles were usually performed at the religious festival of Corpus Chisti – in the spring or early summer

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Written by the clergy and overseen by the Church , but produced and performed by the town (such as bakers, blacksmiths, carpenters, and plasterers)

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Often assigned to guilds associated with the subject matter of the play and became a kind of “advertisement” >The Flood, Noah’s Ark: Shipbuilders or Barrelmakers >The Nativity: Shepherds

>The Magi: Goldsmiths 

Modern productions: Chester Mystery Plays, York Mystery Plays, The Lichfield Mysteries

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Dramatic Techniques  High seriousness (the Biblical stories of Old Testament and Jesus’ life and mission) is combined with low comedy (slapstick sketches of contemporary daily life)  Contemporary settings and recognizable contemporary characters  the divine truths revealed in the Bible are still true “today”

*Miracle plays: saint’s lives 

Dramatized the lives of Roman Catholic saints

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The most popular subjects were the Virgin Mary (plays usually written in Latin), St. George (dragons slayer and patron saint of England) and St. Nicholas (associated with Christmas festivities)

*Morality plays: allegories 

Focused neither on the Bible nor the saints but on the common man

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Main character represents all humanity:

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Everyman, Mankind

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Theme: the struggle for salvation  What can man do to be a Christian and save his soul? The universal battle good versus evil, vice versus virtue

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First major use of professional acting companies

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Ex: The Castle of Perseverance (c. 1440)  the first and most complete Morality Play Everyman (late 15th c.)  the best known

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Allegory= a story told on 2 levels: the literal and the symbolic  A message or meaning is expressed through symbolic representation: ideas and values, vices and virtues become personified; ex: the character of Knowledge in Everyman, The Seven Deadly Sins in The Castle of Perseverance

Processional Staging: Pageant Wagons -

They would travel a set route and perform at several locations (like a parade) or

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They would be set up around a town square and the audience would travel from one wagon to the next to see the performances

Stationary Staging: mansions -

Mansions= a series of stages set up around the town square

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Anchored at either end by Heaven and Hell...