Character Treatment in the Mediaeval Drama ...Catholic University of America., 1907 - 165 pages |
Common terms and phrases
Abel Abraham actor allegorical Angel appear audience beginning Biblical Caiaphas Cain caste Castle of Perseverance century character character-treatment characterization Christ Christian Chronicle Play comedy contrast Cyclic drama dere divine dramatic action dramatist E. K. Chambers early effect effort Elizabethan drama Everyman evil expression fader follow give Gothic drama growth Gyse Harrowing of Hell haue hero hero's History of English human Humanum Genus idea illustrate incidents interest Isaac Jesus Joseph Latin Literature Liturgical drama Lord Manhode Mankynde manner Mary matic Mediaeval drama mediaeval playwright Mediaeval Stage Mercy Middle Ages mind Moral plays motive Mundus nature origin pageant passion persons poet Poetry presentation reason religious drama sacred Sanctuary says scene schall sense SEPET Shakespeare soul speak spirit struggle theatre theme thou tion Tityvillus Towneley Towneley play treatment variety whole words writer wyll xall York Cycle yower Ysaac
Popular passages
Page 47 - And the Angel said to them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people; for this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.
Page 112 - But, besides these gross absurdities, how all their plays be neither right tragedies nor right comedies, mingling kings and clowns, not because the matter so carrieth it, but thrust in the clown by head and shoulders to play a part in majestical matters, with neither decency nor discretion; so as neither the admiration and commiseration, nor the right sportfulness, is by their mongrel tragi-comedy obtained.
Page 42 - These things are done in imitation of the angel sitting in the monument, and the women with spices coming to anoint the body of Jesus.
Page 42 - While the third lesson is being chanted, let four brethren vest themselves. Let one of these, vested in an alb, enter as though to take part in the service, and let him approach the sepulchre without attracting attention and sit there quietly with a palm in his hand. While the third respond is chanted, let the remaining three follow, and let them all, vested in copes, bearing in their hands thuribles with incense, and stepping delicately as those who seek something, approach the sepulchre.
Page 155 - Here follow divers matters which be in this interlude contained. Of the situation of the four elements, that is to say, the earth, the water, the air, and fire, and of their qualities and properties, and of the generation and corruption of things made of the commixtion of them. Of certain conclusions proving that the earth must needs be round, and that it hangeth in the midst of the firmament, and that it is in circumference above 21,000 miles. Of certain conclusions proving that the sea lieth round...
Page 131 - O Faustus ! lay that damned book aside, And gaze not on it lest it tempt thy soul, And heap God's heavy wrath upon thy head. Read, read the Scriptures : that is blasphemy.
Page 61 - How would it have joyed brave Talbot, the terror of the French, to think that after he had lien two hundred years in his tomb, he should triumph again on the stage, and have his bones new embalmed with the tears of ten thousand spectators at least (at several times) who in the tragedian that represents his person imagine they behold him fresh bleeding.
Page 39 - And very frequently, when no particular point presses, he boldly makes a character act and speak from those parts of the composition which are inferred only, and not distinctly shown. This produces a wonderful effect; it seems to carry us beyond the poet to nature itself, and gives an integrity and truth to facts and character, which they could not otherwise obtain.
Page 61 - Chronicles, wherein our forefathers' valiant acts, that have lain long buried in rusty brass and worm-eaten books, are revived, and they themselves raised from the grave of oblivion, and brought to plead their aged honours in open presence: than which, what can be a sharper reproof to these degenerate effeminate days of ours?
Page 32 - Shakespeare's vast work is scrutinised with due attention, the glow of his imagination is seen to leave few passages wholly unillumined. Some of his plots are hastily constructed and inconsistently developed, but the intensity of the interest with which he contrives to invest the personality of his heroes and heroines triumphs over halting or digressive treatment of the story in which they have their being. Although he was versed in the technicalities of stagecraft, he occasionally disregarded its...