Morality plays

Definition

Morality plays are a genre of medieval drama that emerged in the 15th century, designed to teach moral lessons through allegorical characters and narratives. These plays often depict the struggle between good and evil, featuring characters personifying virtues and vices, aiming to guide audiences towards righteous living. Their popularity coincided with the rise of Christian drama and the decline of purely religious themes in theatrical performances.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Morality plays emerged as a distinct form of drama in the late medieval period, often performed at festivals and in town squares.
2. Unlike mystery plays that centered on biblical stories, morality plays focused more on ethical lessons relevant to everyday life.
3. The characters in morality plays were typically personifications of abstract concepts, such as Everyman, who represented humanity's struggles with sin and redemption.
4. These plays were integral to educating the public about Christian values during a time when literacy rates were low.
5. One of the most famous morality plays is 'Everyman,' which emphasizes themes of death, judgment, and the importance of good deeds.

Review Questions

• How do morality plays differ from earlier forms of medieval drama such as mystery plays?
  • Morality plays differ from mystery plays primarily in their focus and structure. While mystery plays dramatize biblical narratives and the lives of saints, morality plays are centered around moral lessons conveyed through allegorical figures. In morality plays, characters embody virtues and vices, serving to illustrate ethical dilemmas faced by individuals in their everyday lives, making them more relatable to contemporary audiences.
• Discuss the role of allegory in morality plays and its impact on audience understanding during the medieval period.
  • Allegory plays a crucial role in morality plays by transforming abstract concepts into personified characters that audiences can easily relate to. This method allowed for complex moral teachings to be communicated effectively. By representing virtues like Charity or vices like Greed through characterizations, audiences could visualize their own struggles with moral choices, making the lessons more impactful and memorable. The use of allegory thus facilitated a deeper understanding of ethical behavior among viewers.
• Evaluate the significance of morality plays in shaping the transition from religious to secular themes in medieval theatre.
  • Morality plays are significant as they mark a transitional phase in medieval theatre where the focus shifted from solely religious narratives to include ethical themes applicable to secular life. As audiences began seeking entertainment alongside education, these plays incorporated moral messages into engaging storylines. This evolution not only reflects changing societal values but also set the stage for the development of secular drama, paving the way for future theatrical forms that would blend moral lessons with entertainment.

Related terms

Allegory: A narrative that uses symbolic figures and actions to convey deeper moral or spiritual meanings.

Vice: A character representing moral failing or evil in morality plays, often serving as a foil to virtues.

Mystery Plays: Theatrical performances that focused on biblical stories and were part of the larger tradition of medieval religious drama.