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Periods In The Development Of The Drama Or The Religious Period


The Religious Period

Medieval drama which Flourished in the 15th century and paved the way for the great elizabethan theatre. The drama had a religious origin in Greece. Its services connected with religious festivals. liturgical play known as religious period. In Europe, the drama had a distinctly religious origin. The first characters were drawn from the New Testament, and the object of the first plays was to make the church service more impressive, or to emphasize moral lessons by showing the reward of the good and the punishment of the evil doer. In the latter days of the Roman Empire the Church found the stage possessed by frightful plays and soon the Church itself provides plays. 

The Clergy had always tried to teach the unlettered people the chief events of Christian religion through dramatic performances, during medieval times most plays were religious and were used to teach people about the Bible, the lives of the saints, or how to live your life the right and correct way. There were two different types of plays performed during religious period, The first English plays were Miracle Plays and second Mystery Plays. Plays told religious stories and were performed in open places or in the churches on stage wagons or churchyards. New testaments ( the second part of the Christian Bible, written originally in Greek and recording the life and teachings of Christ and his earliest followers. It includes the four Gospels ). 

Mystery plays 

Mystery play based on biblical theme, the stories from the Bible were used in dramas called mystery plays. stories of adam and eve, the first came in the world, the murder of abel, and last judgment. these plays are performed on Christian fastivals. mystery plays were also known as corpus christi plays. Mystery plays are one of the earliest form of the plays developed in Europe. A Mystery play is basically a religious play. It reached the height of popularity in the 15th century. They were very much communicating toward the people, unaware people of society. 

Mystery plays were About life of virgin Mary, jesus christ and creation of world and fall of lucifer. in mystery plays , monks and priests as actors, every scence and act at a different place perform, but The end of the play ( scene) would be outside of the church. to People would listen the sermon of the priest. in mystery plays , Not common man allowed to perform. Dialogues in Latin and French in beginning, later in english, And finally comes the great elizabethan drama. mystery plays were like death on the cross, christs nativity, creation and fall of the man.

Miracle plays 

The stories taken from the lives of the saints, holy persons, martyrs were called Miracle plays. Miracle plays are also known as Saint plays. A Miracle play is basically a religious play. in miracle plays, saints lifestyle shown. in miracle plays, to persuade the people to devote holy person life to religion, people could follow those saints. miracle plays were about nicholas and virgin mary.

Miracle play of England were divided into two classes, first class, at Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and second class, at Easter, the plays relating to his death and triumph. there were plays like The saint Nicholas, The Saint George and the dragon about Saint George, life of thomas a becket. The play can either be real or fictitious. Miracles were out of Clergymen ( ecclesiastical ) hands and adopted by the town guilds( group of people). By this time the miracles had taken strong hold upon the English people, They continued to be immensely popular until, in the sixteenth century, they were replaced by the Elizabethan drama. 

Cycles 

There are 4 cycles ( very famous as city name ) to perform these plays. At the present day only four cycles exist. the Chester cycle ( 25 play ) and York cycle( 48 play ), called from name of towns, the Towneley or Wakefield cycle ( 30 play ) , called from name of the Towneley family, Coventry cycle ( 42 play frairs ) these plays were Performed in city as city names. Best famous cycle was York.


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