Introduction
The medieval theater originated in the deep layers of folk culture. Its roots are associated with ancient ritual games, folklore, and the creative work of wandering actors. Their performances gave viewers a cheerful spirit and amused them. Actors and jugglers made fun shows where everyone was ridiculed. Some of them worked in groups; others performed on their own and served as magicians, acrobats, dancers, and musicians. They could play fun scenes with the participation of animals like bears or monkeys, or tell an amazing story. The genre reached its peak in the XIII-XIV centuries and received popularity in France, England, the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain. Plots of these performances were composed mainly on the basis of hagiographies; the most popular stories were about the Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas, who saved a repentant sinner. Although the medieval theatre was in its beginning stage in the late Middle Ages, the plays of religious and edificatory nature where all conflicts were resolved through the intervention of divine forces were presented.
History of Religious Theatrical Forms and Miracle Plays
The sassiest kinds of performances were created by vagrants; these people were under-educated seminarians and priests. Using the motives of church hymns, they sang praises to Bacchus All-Drinking instead of God Almighty (Twycross and Carpenter 1420). Vagrants also parodied prayers and church services; for these actions, they were persecuted by priests and other religious people. To be able to defend themselves, such actors united in brotherhoods and involved different people in their activities. Despite making attempts to tackle the profane performances, the clergy was powerless to destroy people’s love for theatrical shows. To make the liturgy more effective, the church begins to use theatrical forms itself. Since the 9th century, a ritual of reading Bible episodes in persons was developed (Twycross and Carpenter 1420). Over time, these modest dramatic experiences were transformed into sophisticated liturgical plays (Harris 15). Based on this practice, the liturgical drama was created; this was a musical-theatrical performance that constituted a part of the liturgy.
Speaking about productions, they were financed by church councils; the preparatory work was done by clergymen as well as by seminarians and actors’ brotherhoods. In miracle plays, spectators’ attention was driven not to actors’ performance but to stage tricks that provided the effect of a wonder which everyone could see. The theme of saints’ interference in people’s affairs led to the inclusion of genre scenes in the shows of the kind analyzed (Butterworth and Normington 15). A miracle drama was characterized by a combination of supernatural and domestic motifs, religious, didactic, and entertaining principles (Butterworth and Normington 16). Hence, it might be stated that performances of this type were aimed at strengthening people’s belief in God because they demonstrated His wonders. The pinnacle of medieval theater was the genre of mystery; performances of this type were representations of mass amateur art addressed to a wide audience that involved large numbers of people (Harris 10). Morality shows in which allegorical figures served as characters were popular among medieval people. Such figures included Avarice with a money bag, Self-love that constantly looked in the mirror, and others. Conflicts in morality performances were expressed through an argument between characters, not through actions. Shows of this kind became a separate style in the art of theatre; they were of a moralizing nature and promoted the ideas of meekness and obedience. One of the most popular morality plays was Everyman, which answered the important question: what should one do to go to Heaven? The drama represented the story of Everyman’s journey to the final reckoning that took place after his death. On the way, Everyman who personified mankind asked other characters for help because he wanted to improve his account of good and bad deeds. However, no one assisted Everyman; the play was to remind people of the fact that every person would meet their death alone. In conclusion, medieval religious plays emphasized the importance of leading a just life and, at the same time, served as entertainment.
Conclusion
Mysteries were usually timed to fairs, celebrations, and other important events. Mystery shows lasted several days; they opened with a colorful procession that consisted of citizens of all ages and social groups. On a wooden platform, tents were built, with each one housing different events. At one end of the platform, richly decorated Paradise was represented; the opposite side demonstrated Hell with a dragon’s open mouth, torture instruments, and a huge pot for sinners. The most pathetic moments of such performances were connected with the mourning of the Virgin Mary and the sufferings of Jesus. Mysteries also had comic characters: jesters, beggars, and devils who wore bright costumes. For mystery dramas, biblical plots interlaced by interludes with the participation of fair characters were used; remarks for such insertions were usually improvised (Harris 10). Heaven, people’s world, and Hell made up one huge environment where a man was both its small piece and the center. Mysteries were meant to remind viewers and participants of the fact that higher and lower forces were fighting for every soul.
References
Butterworth, Philip, and Katie Normington, eds. Medieval Theatre Performance: Actors, Dancers, Automata, and Their Audiences. Boydell & Brewer, 2017.
Harris, John. Medieval Theatre in Context: An Introduction. Routledge, 2016.
Twycross, Meg, and Sarah Carpenter. “Mystery Plays.” European Theatre Performance Practice, 1400-1580 (2017).