The Biblical Drama of Medieval Europe

About this book

This book presents a detailed survey and analysis of the surviving corpus of biblical drama from all parts of medieval Europe. Over five hundred plays from the tenth to the sixteenth centuries are examined from the point of view of the communities who performed them and the stories they dramatised in a mixture of sermons and suffering, comedy, pathos and the realities of everyday, mainly urban, life. The volume is arranged in such a way as to provide a detailed overview of major aspects of medieval biblical theatre, including the theatrical community of audience and players; the major plays and cycles; and the legacy of medieval drama in the modern world. An appendix provides information on the liturgical context of the plays, including the Church calendar, processions, the Mass, the Office and the Creed. The biblical drama of medieval Europe will be a valuable resource for scholars and students of medieval theatre and for enthusiasts of early drama.