Medieval Theatre (900 - 1500)

"Hrotsvitha" First Preformed

935

"German-born Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim (c.935-c.973) was one of the first known female playwrights in Europe"(Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim). "Her works for the stage, noted an essay in the International Dictonary of Theatre, "are of monumental importance in world drama: one may look several centuries in either direction without finding a comparable corpus by a single dramatist, and woman playwrights have always been a rarity in the Western theatre." (Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim).

"Quem Quaeritis"

970

"Quem quaeritis? "Whom do you seek?" (Quem Quaeritis). One of the earliest pieces to demand a dramatic performance was The Quem quaeritis."From this beginning developed the long tradition of liturgical drama, which, like the sequence, is centered upon the major feasts of the church year. (Medieval Latin Literature)" These types of plays were normally preformed for special services like Easter.

Plays that occurred outside the Church

1200

Some plays like religious ones, almost always were preformed inside the church privately. Then around the year 1200, these religious plays began to be performed to the public for the first time. These plays were also called vernacular religious dramas. Brockett 86

Corpus Christi

1311

"The Feast of Corpus Christi was a new event for the medieval church, established in 1264 and promoted with more enthusiasm during the 1300s. ()" "Its purpose was to celebrate educate about the meaning of the Host and the doctrine of transubstantiation, in which the bread became the body of Jesus. But its main event was a procession through every town, carrying the Host so that everyone could see it. (Corpus Christi)"

Morality Plays Increase

1400

The amount of Morality plays began to increase because these plays are based on temptations that influence the humankind. These plays eventually caused some issues with humans, but it led them to righteousness. Brockett 97

The Castle of Perseverance

1405

Even though the story isn't very exciting, it's a tale of a human soul begging for mercy. "The Castle of Perseverance is a good model for how the basic morality play worked...It's also the only play that includes the stage plan with the manuscript. (The Castle of Perseverance)" "This suggests that even more than most plays, it was conceived as drama in a physical space, rather than a story adapted to dialogue. (The Castle of Perseverance)"

The Second Shepherds' Pageant (Play)

1450

This is a medieval mystery play. "At the time of writing, there was no standard form of English, either written or spoken, and dialects varied hugely over very short distances; the language of this play is the language of the people of Wakefield and the surrounding aera and, as such, it is very much a local play written for local people. (The Second Shepard's Play)" "Its humor is slightly lowbrow, and its concerns are reflective of those who would have watched it. (The second Shepard's Play)"

Pierre Patelin

1470

Pierre Patelin was one of the best examples of a comic secular drama. "Allegories based on classical gods and heroes, often with some potential content. (Medieval Theatre)" Between the courses at the banquets, all masques were allegorical to the guests along with dances. The towns people were often a part of celebrations. This play also consists of comic twists and clever knaves.

Rottgen Pieta

1498

"Piera statues appeared in Germany in the late 1200s and were made in this region throughout the Middle Ages... Many of those that survive today are made of marble or stone, but the Rottgen Pieta is made of wood and retains some of its original paint. (Smarthistory)" "Even though the statues are horrific, the intent was to show that God and Mary, divine figures, were sympathetic to human suffering, and to the pain, and loss experienced by medieval viewers. (Smarthistory)"

"Everyman"

1500

This play was first published in England. The author of this play is unknown, but "It is now thought to be based upon a Dutch play, Elckerliik ("Everyman"), written in 1495 by Petrus Dorlandus, a Cathusian monk. (Everyman)" Even though the author is unknown, the play's content, ideology, and themes still explain those of Catholic Europe. "The play's emphasis on good deeds as a mechanism for salvation reflects medieval Catholic ideology. (Everyman)"