There are some obvious differences between the morality and the miracle plays. The
latter did stress moral truths besides teaching facts of the bible, but on the whole did
not lend themselves to allegorical formulation except when there was no well –
defined Bible story to be followed. A good example in this case is the life of Maria
Magdalen, before she was converted. The miracle play dealt with what were believed
to be historical events and its main characters were for the most part ready- made for
the playwright by the Bible and inherited tradition.
The morality play on the other hand, stood by itself, unconnected to a cycle, and the
plots were extremely stereotyped. “They afforded less scope for original creation
than those of the miracles, which were crowded with major and minor characters,
Herold, Pilate, Pharaoh, Noah’s wife, Satan, Adam and Eve,” (Kinghorn 1968:
p.116) and a host of others, both scriptural and non-scriptural. As far as the
characters in the morality plays are concerned one could say that these characters,
like for instance the Seven Deadly Sins, did only offer very limited opportunities for
development. “Gluttony could hardly be other than a fat lout, Sloth a half- awake
lounger, Luxury an overdressed woman, Avarice a grasping old man and Anger
continually in a rage”( Kinghorn 1968: p.116).
As far as allegorical formulations are concerned it has to pointed out that the
morality play characters were always personified vices and virtues, producing a
conflict of sorts and providing enough material for a plot. The Christian Virtues, the
Seven Deadly Sins, Pride of Life, World, Flesh Youth, Age, Holy Church, Wealth,
Health, Mercy, Learning and, of course, Mankind are just a few examples for
personages which were made to behave as though they were human by the didactic
aim of the author ( Kinghorn 1968: p.116), but all these characters are always
contained within their own narrow definition. Since these allegorical personages
were not characters but walking abstractions, they provided the playwright only very
limited opportunities for development. Everything that was said and done by these
characters showed clearly the moral truth which was of course the subject of the plot. The late medieval morality plays mark a well - defined movement away from the
religious drama towards the completely secular drama in England. [...]
Table of Contents
- Chapter 1: Basic facts about Mankind
- 1.1 Characters in the Morality Plays
- 1.2 The Author of Mankind
- 1.3 Sources and Analogues
- 1.4 The Staging of Mankind
- Chapter 2: A Summary of the Plot
- Chapter 3: The Significance of Mankind
- 3.1 An Interpretation of the "Court Scene"
- Chapter 4: The genesis of Shakespeare's theatre in Mankind
Objectives and Key Themes
The objective of this paper is to provide an interpretation of the medieval morality play, Mankind. The analysis will explore the play's characters, authorship, sources, staging, and its significance within the context of the development of English drama. The paper also aims to examine the play's contribution to the genesis of Shakespearean theatre.
- The characteristics and allegorical nature of morality play characters.
- The authorship and potential background of the anonymous author of Mankind.
- The play's sources and influences, and its unique blend of doctrine and dramatic action.
- The staging and performance aspects of Mankind, including its audience and acting company.
- Mankind's place in the transition from medieval religious drama to secular drama.
Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1: Basic facts about Mankind: This chapter establishes the fundamental characteristics of Mankind, differentiating it from miracle plays. It highlights the stereotypical and allegorical nature of morality play characters, contrasting them with the more diverse characters found in miracle plays. The chapter discusses the limited opportunities for character development due to the allegorical nature of the characters, emphasizing that their actions directly illustrate moral truths. The chapter also explores the shift from religious to didactic aims in late medieval morality plays, observing that Mankind demonstrates this transition through its focus on everyday life and satirical elements, paving the way for the development of more realistic characters in later plays. The collection of money by actors during the performance is cited as a potential indicator of the emergence of professionalism in English drama.
Chapter 1.2 The Author of Mankind: Due to the anonymity surrounding Mankind's authorship, this section explores inferences that can be drawn from the text itself. Geographic locations mentioned in the play suggest a connection to East Anglia, particularly around Cambridge and King's Lynn. The author's demonstrated knowledge of Latin, law (evident in the "Court Scene"), and theology, coupled with a potentially critical view of the established church, paints a picture of a learned individual with a nuanced understanding of religious and legal contexts. The author's "theatrical flair" further suggests a potential background as a professional or experienced amateur actor, potentially connected to Cambridge University.
Chapter 1.3 Sources and Analogues: This section examines the potential influences on Mankind, acknowledging links to works such as The Assembly of God, Piers Plowman, and Mercy passeth Rightousness. However, the chapter emphasizes that these are primarily influences rather than direct sources, highlighting the author's skillful blending of doctrine and dramatic action. The play's unique composition makes identifying a single, specific source unlikely. The chapter also details the play's creation date (between 1465 and 1470), its length (914 lines), and its East Midlands dialect, placing it within the broader context of the Macro Plays manuscript.
Chapter 1.4 The Staging of Mankind: This section addresses the challenges in definitively determining the time, place, acting company, and intended audience for Mankind. The lack of concrete information necessitates an exploratory approach, emphasizing the difficulties inherent in reconstructing these aspects of the play's production history.
Chapter 2: A Summary of the Plot: (Note: Due to the lack of provided text for Chapter 2, a summary cannot be provided here. This section would typically contain a detailed plot summary, covering the main events and character interactions.)
Chapter 3: The Significance of Mankind: (Note: Due to the lack of provided text for Chapter 3, a summary cannot be provided here. This section would typically contain an in-depth analysis of the play's thematic and symbolic elements, and their significance within the broader context of medieval morality plays. It would also interpret the "Court Scene" as requested.)
Chapter 4: The genesis of Shakespeare's theatre in Mankind: (Note: Due to the lack of provided text for Chapter 4, a summary cannot be provided here. This section would typically explore the connections between Mankind and the emergence of Shakespearean theatre, analyzing aspects like character development, dramatic techniques, and the shift toward secular themes.)
Keywords
Medieval morality play, Mankind, allegorical characters, didactic drama, secular drama, authorship, sources, staging, Shakespearean theatre, English drama, East Anglia, Cambridge, moral truth.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mankind: A Medieval Morality Play
What is this document?
This document provides a comprehensive preview of a scholarly paper analyzing the medieval morality play, Mankind. It includes a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords. The preview offers a detailed overview of the paper's content, allowing readers to understand the scope and focus of the analysis.
What are the main objectives of the paper analyzing Mankind?
The paper aims to offer a thorough interpretation of Mankind, exploring its characters, authorship, sources, staging, and significance within the development of English drama. A key objective is examining the play's contribution to the genesis of Shakespearean theatre. The analysis will focus on the allegorical nature of morality play characters, the play's authorship and influences, its staging and performance aspects, and its place in the transition from medieval religious to secular drama.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
Key themes include the characteristics and allegorical nature of morality play characters; the authorship and background of the anonymous author; the play's sources and influences; the staging and performance aspects of Mankind; and its significance in the transition from medieval religious drama to secular drama, and its connection to the development of Shakespearean theatre.
What are the chapter summaries provided in the preview?
The preview offers summaries for Chapters 1.1-1.4. Chapter 1 establishes the fundamental characteristics of Mankind, differentiating it from miracle plays and highlighting the allegorical nature of its characters. Chapter 1.2 explores inferences about the author's identity based on the text, suggesting a connection to East Anglia and a learned background. Chapter 1.3 examines the play's potential influences, emphasizing its unique composition. Chapter 1.4 discusses the challenges in reconstructing the play's staging and production history. Summaries for Chapters 2, 3, and 4 are not provided in the preview due to a lack of available text.
What is the significance of the "Court Scene" in Mankind?
The significance of the "Court Scene" is a key element of Chapter 3, though a detailed summary is not available in the preview. The full paper will likely offer an in-depth interpretation of this scene's thematic and symbolic elements within the context of the play.
What is the connection between Mankind and Shakespearean theatre?
Chapter 4, which is not summarized in the preview, will likely explore the connections between Mankind and the emergence of Shakespearean theatre. This will probably involve analysis of character development, dramatic techniques, and the shift toward secular themes in the development of English drama.
What are the key words associated with the analysis of Mankind?
Key words include: Medieval morality play, Mankind, allegorical characters, didactic drama, secular drama, authorship, sources, staging, Shakespearean theatre, English drama, East Anglia, Cambridge, and moral truth.
Where can I find more information about Mankind?
The full scholarly paper, which this preview summarizes, will provide in-depth analysis and interpretation of the medieval morality play Mankind. Additional information can be found through academic research databases and libraries, using the keywords provided above.
- Quote paper
- Torben Schmidt (Author), 2001, Mankind - An Interpretation of a Medieval Morality Play, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/10210
