Download - Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 1/60
Introduction to TheaterDarla Jones, Instructor
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 2/60
The Middle Ages
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 3/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 4/60
Middle Ages
• Theater of the Middle Ages – profoundly religious
• Parallels with Greek theater
• Began as a springtie religious o!ser"ance – #aster
• $ituali%ed resurrection of Jesus
• Pu!lic and counal – attracted ass audience
• &ele!rated, illustrated stories of the Bi!le
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 5/60
Middle Ages
• Medie"al Ties fro '() AD till the *+th century
• ecular theatre died in -estern #urope with the fal
• .o culture, no ad"anceents
• Tie period is known as /Dark Ages0
• .ot well docuented due to lack of sur"i"ing recor
te1ts
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 6/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 7/60
Middle Ages
• At the !eginning of the Middle Ages, the $oan &athol!anned theatrical perforances as !ar!aric and pagan
• There were any church edicts against secular perfor
instrels, 4ugglers, acro!ats, !ards, ies, puppeteer
/uers0
• all groups of tra"eling perforers went fro town t
entertaining
• The only entertainent for the tie
• Precursors of &oedia dell5Arte in 6rance and Italy a5
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 8/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 9/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 10/60
Middle Ages
•Much political turoil – no relia!le political structure
•The &atholic church was the only sta!le leadership8go
•The church e1erted increasing influence
•In the 'th &entury, the Bishop of $oe, claied to !e successor to t7 Peter, the original Pope
•#sta!lished supreacy in church atters and secular •
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 11/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 12/60
Draa in the *9th century
• &atholic &hurch who shut down classical theatre also to
the re!irth of the theatre in the *9th century
• :ad little choice; &ouldn<t stop the pagan rites – too po
• Many aspects of pagan rites found their way into &hrist
cereonies7
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 13/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 14/60
:rots"itha of Gandershei
• #arliest3known woan poet in Gerany• cholars consider her the first draatist, o
playwright, since ancient ties
• pellings of her nae include :roswitha,:ros"it, :roswitha, $oswitha, and :rots"it
• -rote stories a!out &hristianity and its
saints7
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 15/60
:rots"itha of Gandershei
!7 =>+ – d7 *999
?ower a1ony – Gandershei
Gerany
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 16/60
:rots"itha of Gandershei
• Di"ided her own works into three anuscri• Book of Legends• Book of Drama
• Epics • The legends and plays still e1ist, !ut the tw
included in Epics are lost7
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 17/60
:rots"itha of Gandershei
• ery few details are known a!out :ros"itha• Assued that :ros"itha was of no!le a1on• he was a nun, or canoness
• Benedictine onastery of Gandershei in odern3day GeranyC7
• Gandershei was founded in +E as a ona
the no!ility
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 18/60
:rots"itha of Gandershei
• Most of :ros"itha<s writings recounted the
artyrs• Praised those who led ascetic li"es3 forgoin
suptuous eals, aterial possessions, anpleasure in the pursuit of spiritual goals7
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 19/60
:rots"itha of Gandershei
• :er si1 plays are considered the first know
&hristian draas@• Three portray artyrdos under $oan e
• Two, the reha!ilitation of harlots !y asceti• Fne, the repentance and con"ersion of a yo
$oan an in lo"e with a arried &hristia
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 20/60
Types of Medie"al Draa
• ?iturgical tropes@ gospel draati%ations
• Mystery plays@ Bi!lical plays
• Miracle plays@ saints5 li"es
• Morality plays@ allegories
• Interludes and farces@ secular plays
• 6olk plays@ pagan and folklore eleents
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 21/60
?iturgical Draa
• =E+3=(+ AD
• The content was fro the church liturgy and it w
perfored !y clergy during the church ser"ices7
• These contained soe theatrical eleents and tshort plays were called tropes7
• The draas were written in ?atin7
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 22/60
?iturgical Draa
• #arliest sur"i"ing draa fro the iddle ages@
• A four3line draati%ation of the resurrection, with dire
perforance
• &oes fro an #aster trope; sung !y a choir at first
• &ele!rates in responsi"e chanting, the "isit of the three
the to! of the crucified &hrist
• They are et !y an angel who tells the that &hrist ha
their grief turns to 4oy7
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 23/60
?iturgical Draa
• Hue Huaeritis
-ho seek ye in the to!, F &hristians
Jesus of .a%areth, the crucified, F hea"enly !eings,
:e is not here, he is risen as he foretold;
Go and announce that he is risen fro the to!7
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 24/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 25/60
$eligious ernacular Draa
• ernacular@ e"eryday speech
• &atholic clergy switched fro ?atin to the
languages of the asses – language was
considered to ha"e !ecoe /"ulgar0• As these plays !ecae ore ela!orate, they we
perfored outside the church
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 26/60
$eligious ernacular Plays
• Perfored in cycles – soeties as any as '9
days of perforances
• Aied to reinforce &hurch doctrine
• Melodraatic• Good3rewarded; e"il3punished
• God and his plan were the dri"ing forces
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 27/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 28/60
Mystery Play
• tories taken fro the Bi!le
• Dealt with the ysteries of the Di"ine
• #ach play had four or fi"e different scenes or ac
• Priests and onks were the actors
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 29/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 30/60
Mystery Play
• #ach scene or act was perfored at a different plain town
• People o"ed fro one stage to the ne1t to watchthe play
• The play usually ended outside the church so thatthe people would go to church and hear a seronafter watching the play
• Cycles were usually performed at the religious festivof Corpus Christi -- in the spring or early summer
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 31/60
Mystery Plays
•&raft guilds were responsi!le for producing the plays
•Productions were considered a religious duty, and each gu
considera!le resources into productions7
•Plays were often assigned to guilds associated with the su!
of the play and !ecae a kind of /ad"ertiseent0
•The 6lood@ ship !uilders or !arrel akers
• The ?ast upper@ !akers
• The Magi@ goldsiths
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 32/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 33/60
Mystery Plays
• tationary stage
• Mansions set up in row, side !y side
• :ea"en is /stage right0
• :ell is /stage left0• Platfors co"ered with cotton the gloriesC heangels
• /:ellouth0 3 a fire3!reathing onsterrepresenting hell
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 34/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 35/60
Miracle Plays
• Miracle plays were siilar to ystery plays in dr
techniKues
• Most popular su!4ects were
• the irgin Mary plays usually written in ?atin• t7 George dragon slayer and patron saint of
#nglandC
• t7 .icholas associated with &hristas festi"
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 36/60
Miracle Play
• The Miracle play was a!out the life or actions ofusually a!out the actions that ade that person
• Draati%ed the li"es of &atholic saints
• In order to !ecoe a saint, a person had to perfdocuented iracles, hence, t7 George L t7 .
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 37/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 38/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 39/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 40/60
Morality Plays
• Thee@ how to li"e a &hristian life and !e sa"ed
• Allegory@• A story told on two le"els@ the literal and thesy!olic
• Plot@ a 4ourney through life or to death• #phasis switches fro Bi!lical and saintly proto the coon an@ #"eryan, Mankind
• 6ocus on free will
• 6irst a4or use of professional acting copanie
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 41/60
Draatic TechniKues
• #nglish ystery plays incorporate a co!ination of high serious
coedy@
• :igh seriousness@ the Bi!lical stories of the Fld Testaent and
and ission
• ?ow coedy@ the plays incorporate alost slapstick sketches oconteporary edie"al daily life7
• The plays are set in conteporary settings with recogni%a!le con
characters@ the truth of the Bi!lical stories is tieless 33 the di"i
re"ealed in the Bi!le are still true /today0
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 42/60
Draatic TechniKues
• Theatre was perfored in found spaces@ town sKuare
churches, !anKuet halls 33 no specifically designated
• Theatre was intiate 33 audience interacted with pe
• #la!orate special effects
• &haracteri%ation was often dependent upon costue
akeup
• In 6rance e"en woen were allowed to perfor
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 43/60
#nglish &ycle Plays
• #ach cathedral town had its own cycle• ork
• &hester
• -akefield
• .3town, also known as &o"entry
• The cycles were "ery popular aongst cooners
no!ility@ records show that !oth :enry III and #li%
attended perforances
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 44/60
#nglish &ycle Plays
• The Protestant $eforation !rought a halt to
presentation of cycle plays as they incorporat
&atholic theology
• &ycles were perfored e"ery E3*9 years• oe !ecae huge spectacles
• /The Acts of the Apostles0 perfored at Bour
in *+>) lasted '9 days and in"ol"ed o"er >99
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 45/60
Staging
• Mansions 3 sall scenic structures for indicatingIn ore cople1 plays, there were any ansio
• Plateau – open acting space, ad4acent to the a
• The church structure usually ser"ed as the anschoir loft, for instance, could ser"e as hea"en; t
ight !e the to! of &hristC
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 46/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 47/60
Staging
• Machinery was also used@ to fly &hrist up to heaangels coe down, etc7
• &ostues were pro!a!ly ordinary church "este
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 48/60
taging
• Processional
• Pageant wagons would tra"el a set route and pese"eral locations like a parade
• -ould ha"e !een set up around a town sKuare
• Audience would tra"el fro one wagon to the nethe perforances
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 49/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 50/60
taging the Plays
• tationary
• Mansions or a series of stages would !e set up
around the town sKuare
• Anchored at either end !y :ea"en and :ell
• #la!orate special effects such as floods, flyin
and fiery pits were "ery popular
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 51/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 52/60
Pageant -agons
• The ter pageant is used to refer to the stage, thplay itself, and the spectacle7
• Platfor on wheels
• Pulled !y en• all enough to fit down narrow streets
• May ha"e had second platfor, pulled !ehind
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 53/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 54/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 55/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 56/60
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 57/60
Interludes and 6arces
• &o!ined eleents of allegory, classical yth, courtly entertainent@ usic, dance, spectacle
• Interludes were short plays perfored !etween court !anKuets7
• 6arces were longer plays ridiculing such huan greed and dishonesty #"eryanC
• As the ysteries, iracle and oralities were cProtestant authorities, secular draa !ecae iportant to all le"els of society
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 58/60
Decline of Medieval Theatre
• Increased interest in classical learning – affecteand playwriting
• ocial structure was changing – destroyed feuda
corporate nature of counities
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 59/60
Decline of Medieval Theatre
• Dissension within the church led to prohi!ition oplays in #urope Hueen #li%a!eth, the &ouncil of
*+'+3*+)> – religious plays outlawedC
• By late *)th century, draa of edie"al period
force7
http@88www etuseu org8collection8the3collection3online8search8'(9>9'
7/23/2019 Introduction to Theater Middle Ages
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/introduction-to-theater-middle-ages 60/60
http@88www7etuseu7org8collection8the3collection3online8search8'(9>9'
http@88seffie7co8assignents8e"eryan8e"eryansg7htl
https@88dri"e7google7co8file8d89B*K1dAl:d*H(a:6N*JaD$>.#8"iewuspOsharing #"e