Proseminar: Chester Mystery Plays
An Introductory Proseminar
The study of ‘medieval drama’ is dominated by the scriptural mystery cycles. While these plays sought to teach about scripture and salvation, they were not drily didactic teaching tools but were full of humour, humanity, and spectacle. Medieval literary theories connected enjoyment and learning, so it is possible that the comedy was the sugar to help the educational medicine go down: however, modern revivals of medieval plays have repeatedly demonstrated that their human power is far more than a sweetener, and in the twentieth century scholars applied theories of carnival to demonstrate medieval theatre’s potential to be politically and socially subversive. Theatrically they are highly innovative, particularly in their self-conscious exploration of the nature of performance and the relationship between actors and audiences. This course will comprise in-depth study of the plays of the York Cycle, the most complete of the collections of scriptural plays which survives, and also that for which we have most evidence as to the practicalities of performance. The plays will be considered as scripts for performance, as vehicles for political polemic, and as part of a verbal and visual culture by which the medieval world explored its relationship with the divine.
Learning outcomes:
· Familiarity with late Middle English language
- Knowledge of the style and content of the mystery play
- Understanding of the importance of performance location
- Appreciation of the relationships among religions, politics and performance in medieval drama
- Understanding of the relationship between drama and late medieval art and iconography
- Appreciation of the place of the mystery play in the development of English theatre
15.09 Introduction to Cycle drama
22.09 Fall of Lucifer
29.09 Adam and Eve
06.10 Noah's Flood
13.10 Abraham and Isaac
20.10 Ten Commandments, Balaam and Balak, and the Prophets
27.10 Annunciation and Nativity
03.11 Shepherds
10.11 Three Kings
17.11 Slaughter of the Innocents
24.11 The Woman Taken in Adultery
01.12 The Passion
08.12 NO CLASS
15.12 The Resurrection
- Dozent/in: Elisabeth Dutton