Everyman/Medieval Drama

farce

a type of broad exaggerated comedy
could be used for social commentary as well

when was everyman written

late 1400s

farce

a type of broad exaggerated comedy
could be used for social commentary as well

when was everyman written

late 1400s

best known as

the best mideval play

reminds audience of the tempaorainess of life/ only siritual matters

momemto mori

life is death

reveals how no one is ever quite ready for death

drama has survived for how many years

1000 years

drama was revived by catholic church when

tenth century (900s AD)

3 majot genres of mideval drama (3m)

morality, mystery, and miracles

most mideval play written between?

1300s-1400s

plays were aimed at the common man (t/f)

True (thats why they were written in english)

miracle plays :

portrayed siants lives, concern virgin mary or st nicholas (4th century bishop), most of these were destroyed

mystery plays:

cycles of short plays depicting biblical stories, mystery refers to their production (not the play itself), guilds sponsered and helped produce plays, and simultaneous advertised their wares. demanded community involvement (each play was done on a pageant wagon)

morality plays:

told an allegorical (place,character,situtation represents a broader concept) story representing a spiritual theme/truth, characters were stock representations of man/ideas, ex: everyman encounters Vice, Death, Good deeds, justice, and even God in the story! Their interactions explored a common human problem and presented a clear moral lesson for the audience.

dramas preformed

on important church holidays

where did plays take place?

outside

who contirbuted to plays

volunteers, entertainers, and the community pitched in (play were attended by the whole community)

pageant wagon

a movable stage where actors would preform different sections of a play at different parts of the city.

3 drama cycles:

New York, Chester, and Wakefield

Wakefield Second Shepherds' Play

a play with a hilarious mixture of farce with a serious retelling of the shepherds visit to the newborn Jesus