Everyman (15th Century)
v Mystery/Morality Plays—grew out of liturgical dramas called tropes—done on holidays, often in churches
v Frequently in cycles—from creation to judgment day
v Plays eventually were performed in open-air places—meadows, public greens, streets and markets of cathedral towns
v Religious fraternities and guilds sponsored them
v Two forms: stationary—like theater in the round, ambulatory—pageant wagons. A series of stations—lays in cycles were brought to them. Emerging destiny of mankind progressively displayed.
v Wagons had two-levels: dressing rooms on first level, open stage on second. Street in front—open ground for activity.
v Some realistic scenery, stage effects and properties, which were produced by guilds. Smoke, fireworks, rattling of pots and kettles for appearance of the devil.
v Color symbolism:
o Devil—black leather with horns and tail
o God—white leather, white hair and beard, gilded burning altars
o White: mercy
o Red: righteousness
o Truth: green
v Who performed:
o Tradition from Roman times. Mimes, traveling actors. Church tired to suppress, could not—so they used it. Contains some elements of folk drama, pagan worship
o Mystery plays—refers to Latin ministerium—church service:
o Eventually plays were performed by guilds
o Cycles—from 24-48
o 4 preserved ones: Chester, York, Wakefield, and N-Town (generic)
o Sense of humor as well as profane elements of everyday life co-existing with sacred scenes from the life of Christ
v Morality plays:
o Describes lives of everyday people facing temptations of world
o Gives warning
o Soul is always in jeopardy—life is a test of one’s moral condition
Everyman—the play
v Allegory—succession of scenes
v Dramatic effect by progressive disillusionment of main character.
v Basically optimistic—important (not medieval)
v Central focus is death the Summoner. Play moves around the idea of a pilgrimage or journey taken by Everyman. He embodies a disposition to repress or ignore his approaching mortality. Respective gifts of external things (fortune, beauty, goods) and more interior (kindred, fellowship)—growing awareness of value of good works.
v Progressive disillusionment with values of Fortune—halfway mark: illumination with knowledge—increasing hoe and comfort—second disillusionment with gifts of nature—salvation
v Many productions used an hourglass to represent control of morality
Everyman.doc
Everyman assignment: http://tinyurl.com/ckap5s
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