8.1 Origins and development of medieval drama
3 min read•august 6, 2024
Medieval drama emerged from religious services, evolving into elaborate performances. Liturgical dramas on church steps gave way to vernacular plays, making stories accessible to wider audiences. This shift reflected growing literacy and cultural participation.
, organized by , covered biblical events on . These paved the way for more . and emerged, setting the stage for and Shakespeare's works.
Origins of Medieval Drama
Religious Roots of Medieval Drama
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- emerged from religious services in the medieval church
- Dramatizations of biblical stories and religious themes performed by clergy
- Intended to educate the largely illiterate population about Christian teachings
- Feast days, such as Easter and Christmas, became occasions for more elaborate liturgical dramas
- Clergy would reenact events like the Nativity or the Resurrection
- These performances gradually moved from inside the church to the church steps or churchyard to accommodate growing audiences
Development of Vernacular Drama
Rise of Vernacular Language in Drama
- developed as performances began to be written and performed in the common language of the people () rather than Latin
- Reflected the growing literacy and cultural participation of the laity
- Made the plays more accessible and engaging for wider audiences
Cycle Plays and Their Organization
- Cycle plays, also known as , were extensive series of biblical dramas
- Covered major events from the Creation to the Last Judgment
- Divided into individual episodes called , each depicting a specific story or scene
- Cycle plays were often organized and performed by craft guilds
- Each guild was responsible for a specific pageant that usually had some connection to their trade (e.g., the shipwrights' guild performing Noah's Ark)
- This sponsorship was a matter of civic pride and religious devotion for the guilds
Staging and Performance of Cycle Plays
- Pageant wagons, mobile stages on wheels, were used to transport the scenery and actors from one location to another
- Allowed the cycle plays to be performed at multiple locations throughout a city
- Each wagon would stop at a designated spot, perform its pageant, then move on to the next location while the following pageant took its place
- The cycle plays were major community events, often taking several days to complete the entire cycle
- Involved the participation of a large portion of the town's population as actors, stagehands, and audience members
Transition to Secular Drama
Secularization of Dramatic Themes and Forms
- Over time, medieval drama began to incorporate more secular themes and influences
- While still often religious in nature, plays started to include comic elements, social commentary, and contemporary references
- Morality plays emerged, which were allegorical dramas that personified abstract qualities such as virtues and vices (e.g., )
- The secularization of drama reflected broader social and cultural changes in the late medieval period
- Growing urban populations, increasing wealth and education among the middle classes
- Weakening of the Church's authority and the rise of humanist thought
- This shift towards secular themes and forms paved the way for the development of Renaissance drama in the 16th century
- Playwrights like Shakespeare would draw upon the dramatic traditions established in the medieval period while exploring a wider range of human experiences and emotions
Key Terms to Review (18)
Allegory: Allegory is a literary device where characters, events, and details symbolize deeper meanings, often conveying moral, spiritual, or political messages. It allows authors to express complex ideas through symbolic representation, making it a powerful tool in literature that can reflect historical and cultural contexts, major literary trends, and themes.
Community events: Community events are gatherings or activities organized for the purpose of bringing together members of a specific community to foster social interaction, cultural expression, and shared experiences. These events often played a significant role in medieval society, where they served as both entertainment and a means to reinforce social bonds among the population.
Craft guilds: Craft guilds were associations of artisans and craftsmen in the Middle Ages, formed to protect their mutual interests, regulate trade practices, and ensure quality standards in their respective crafts. These guilds played a crucial role in the economic and social fabric of medieval towns, influencing the production and performance aspects of drama through their organization and patronage.
Cycle plays: Cycle plays are a form of medieval drama that consist of a series of interconnected biblical stories, typically performed in sequence to depict the history of humanity from Creation to Judgment Day. These plays were often staged by local guilds and presented during religious festivals, making them accessible to a wide audience and emphasizing communal values. Cycle plays reflect the theological and moral teachings of the time, providing a dramatic representation of the Christian faith.
Everyman: Everyman is a significant allegorical figure in medieval literature, representing the common human experience and the universal journey towards death and salvation. This character is central to morality plays, which emerged during the late Middle Ages, highlighting moral lessons through the struggles between good and evil, as well as the importance of personal accountability in the face of mortality.
Feast of Corpus Christi: The Feast of Corpus Christi is a Christian festival that celebrates the belief in the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, typically observed on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. This celebration reflects a significant theological emphasis on the presence of Christ in the sacrament and often includes processions, communal worship, and various forms of religious drama that engage the congregation.
Liturgical drama: Liturgical drama refers to the theatrical presentations that originated within the context of Christian worship during the medieval period, particularly as a means of illustrating biblical stories and religious themes. These performances were initially part of the church services and served to engage the congregation in understanding the scriptures through dramatic reenactments. Over time, liturgical drama evolved into more elaborate performances that laid the groundwork for the development of medieval drama.
Middle English: Middle English refers to the stage of the English language that was spoken and written in England from the late 11th century until the late 15th century. This period marked a significant evolution in the English language, heavily influenced by Norman French after the Norman Conquest, which led to changes in vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. The literary works produced during this time reflect the transition of society and culture, showcasing a rich tapestry of themes that include morality, religion, and social hierarchy.
Morality plays: Morality plays are a genre of medieval drama that were designed to teach moral lessons, often personifying virtues and vices in their characters. These plays typically featured allegorical figures and focused on the struggle between good and evil, aiming to instruct the audience on how to live a virtuous life. They evolved as part of the broader development of medieval drama and incorporated religious themes, linking closely to the structure and themes found in Mystery Plays, while also influencing the staging and performance practices of the time.
Mystery plays: Mystery plays are a form of medieval drama that depict biblical stories and religious themes, often performed by local guilds in public spaces. These plays emerged during the 10th century and became popular in England by the late Middle Ages, reflecting the cultural and historical context of the time, including the rise of towns and the growing importance of community identity.
Pageant wagons: Pageant wagons were mobile staging platforms used during the medieval period to perform plays, especially in the context of religious dramas. These wagons allowed for the presentation of mystery plays and other theatrical events in public spaces, making performances accessible to a wide audience. The use of pageant wagons was instrumental in the evolution of medieval drama as they provided both a physical space for performance and a means to transport plays to various locations.
Pageants: Pageants are elaborate public performances or displays that often depict biblical stories, moral lessons, or significant events in history, typically staged as part of medieval drama. These performances were often held in conjunction with religious festivals and featured a variety of theatrical elements such as costumes, music, and props. Pageants played a vital role in the development of medieval drama by combining storytelling with visual spectacle, making the narratives accessible to a wider audience.
Renaissance drama: Renaissance drama refers to the body of theatrical works produced during the Renaissance period, particularly from the late 15th century to the early 17th century in Europe. This era saw a revival of interest in classical literature and the emergence of new forms of playwriting that emphasized humanism, individualism, and complex characters. Renaissance drama laid the groundwork for modern theater, integrating themes of love, power, and morality into richly developed plots.
Secular themes: Secular themes refer to subjects and motifs that are non-religious in nature, focusing instead on human experiences, social issues, and worldly concerns. In the context of medieval drama, these themes emerged as playwrights sought to explore the complexities of life beyond religious narratives, reflecting the growing interest in individualism, morality, and societal roles during this period.
Social commentary: Social commentary is a way of expressing opinions or critiques about societal issues and human behavior, often aiming to provoke thought and discussion. In medieval drama, social commentary became a crucial tool for reflecting the values, beliefs, and conflicts of the time, highlighting social injustices, moral dilemmas, and the dynamics between different classes.
The Wakefield Master: The Wakefield Master is an anonymous playwright known for a collection of medieval mystery plays, particularly associated with the Wakefield Cycle. His works stand out due to their vibrant characters, complex themes, and innovative use of humor and drama, reflecting the broader evolution of medieval drama and the moral undertones prevalent in morality plays.
Vernacular drama: Vernacular drama refers to theatrical works that are written and performed in the native language of a specific region or community, rather than in Latin or other scholarly languages. This form of drama emerged during the medieval period as a way to make theatrical performances more accessible to the general populace, allowing them to engage with religious and moral themes in a language they understood. The rise of vernacular drama played a crucial role in the development of medieval theater, contributing to the evolution of performance styles and themes that resonated with local audiences.
William Langland: William Langland was a 14th-century English poet best known for his allegorical poem 'Piers Plowman', which explores social and spiritual themes through a series of dream visions. His work captures the historical and cultural changes of the time, reflecting the tensions between social classes and the moral concerns of medieval society.