...Meredith Masters 3/10/16 Block 7, LA4 Research Paper Word Count: 565 What is drama? Medieval drama was theater. Drama did not come about until the later part of the medieval time. It took the stage as one of the main forms of entertainment around 900 and fell through after the decline in the 1500’s. Plays did make a comeback, and are still popular to this day. There are no performances today that are associated with the plays from back then. After the fall of the Roman Empire, nomadic bands traveled whether or not there was an audience. They were a combination of jesters, jugglers, storytellers and other performers. Later, when festivals came about, other entertainers were given the chance to showcase their talents. Since the Catholic Church was so powerful, it overpowered such performances and the entertainers were then converted. Actors was their new title. Plays were performed in churches until around 1200, when they were also performed outside on occasion. At the end of the 14th century, churches had less and less control over plays. Towns took over and put on shows that the churches did not. Medieval Drama was very popular during this time, as it was, for a lack of better words, their form of entertainment. The types of plays that were performed during this time were morality, miracle, and mystery plays. Morality plays are didactic allegories often of a common man’s struggle for salvation. Miracle plays are about the lives of saints. They are also historical...
Words: 567 - Pages: 3
...Medieval literature As the Western Roman Empire started collapsing, many government positions were taken over by Christians who condemned drama for its making fun of religion, its debauchery and paganism. It is then in the 5th century that the medieval era began and miracle plays were established. Medieval miracle plays, also known as Saints plays, are one of the three principal kinds of vernacular drama that emerged from the European Middle ages. A miracle play is based on incidents from the lives and works of the Saints. During this era people believed that the power of saints could solve their problems. Holy relics supposedly taken from the bodies of saints were kept by the church. The people believed that by praying to these relics it could cure illness. This genre originated and developed from religion, specifically Christianity as the church held the power of authority during the medieval era. The church only targeted the privileged few who were educated and understood Latin, which was the language the bible, was written in. In order to expand their followers the church decided to dramatize key Bible stories from the Creation of the Universe and the Last Judgment. The cycles were usually performed in connection with the new early summer feast of Corpus Christi, which was instituted in 1311. The Mary plays consistently involve her in the role of deus ex machina, coming to the aid of all who invoke her, be they worthy or wanton. She saves, for example, a priest...
Words: 722 - Pages: 3
...1. INTRODUCTION Medieval theatre refers to the theatre of Europe between the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century A.D. and the beginning of the Renaissance in approximately the 15th century A.D. Medieval theatre covers all drama produced in Europe over that thousand year period and refers to a variety of genres, including liturgical drama, mystery plays, morality plays, farces and masques. A theatrical performance in the Middle Ages was much more than just an example of a literary genre; it was often a social, religious, and commercial event affecting a whole community and involving not only the spoken word, but also spectacle, music, and even dance. 2. HIGH AND LATE MEDIEVAL THEATRE As the Viking invasions ceased in the middle of the 11th century A.D., liturgical drama had spread from Russia to Scandinavia to Italy. Only in Muslim-occupied Spain were liturgical dramas not presented at all. Despite the large number of liturgical dramas that have survived from the period, many churches would have only performed one or two per year and a larger number never performed any at all. The Feast of Fools was especially important in the development of comedy. The festival inverted the status of the lesser clergy and allowed them to ridicule their superiors and the routine of church life. Sometimes plays were staged as part of the occasion and a certain amount of burlesque and comedy crept into these performances. Although comic episodes had to truly wait until...
Words: 3428 - Pages: 14
...Christianity and Medieval Literature The Middle Ages saw a great influence of Christianity on the literature of that time. Christianity also saw a period of growth and its influences on literature were also very notable. The Medieval Period was a time of significant social revolution and this is often reflected in the literature of that age. This can be seen by observing the principles of the time, and exploring the literature which addresses them. By analyzing the religious, political and societal ideals, the reader can see how these influenced the literature during this time period. The Medieval Period was a time in history that lasted from the 5th Century to the 16th Century. Through the early Middle Ages, literacy was often essential for entry into religious orders and even nuns were compelled to meet this requirement. However, the only people trained to read and write properly were those who were high church officials and monks. Society was centered mainly on the Medieval Church. However, the Church became corrupted but more at the higher levels. Geoffrey Chaucer illustrated this in his writings, “Prologue to the Canterbury Tales.” He exposes this in his prologue by his use of satire in regards to the religious figures. Using a naïve “Chaucer the Pilgrim” to describe them, he points out that certain characters, namely the Prioress and the Monk, are not as they should be. Although he does not criticize them openly, he merely emphasizes qualities that are favorable...
Words: 722 - Pages: 3
...The government and society in Europe during the middle ages revolved around the feudal system. (1) This system was the political, military, and social system, based on the holding of lands in fief (a piece of land given in return for service) or fee and on the resulting relations between lord and vassal. (2) Manorialism, a part of the feudal system (3), was the basis for medieval economy. Manors often included at least one village and the land surrounding it. Each group in society had certain rights and responsibilities (4), with the king owning all the land. (5) Either he or a lord would own the medieval manor, a large piece of land (6), which could consist of up to three types: a demesne, which is controlled by the lord and used for him and...
Words: 860 - Pages: 4
...There are plenty of ways you can use to describe the Feudal System in Medieval Europe.For instance, the way they were grouped by power.And also the roles that they had in life like being a peasant or a noble.In addition, the lives that helped the manor, that the lord owned function.The way that the towns were designed is also important.These ways are some of the many ways to talk and describe the feudal system in Medieval Europe. There are many ways to talk about how the people in Medieval Europe were grouped.First of all, the order in which they were put in was the peasants and serfs, then the merchants, craftsmen, and the farmers next are the knights and vassal continuing to the nobles then finally the monarchs.They treated the peasants like they weren't even needed them for anything, but crops and the monarchs like they couldn't live without them because they were the rulers.Having people being in order is very important for knowing who mattered in life and who didn't.This is why being put in groups was really important to people in Medieval Europe or anywhere in fact....
Words: 556 - Pages: 3
...Europe was at Sicilian port of Messina in Italy after a long voyage was taken place from the Black Sea. Many of the sailors boarding the ships were either found dead or ill from a mysterious cause that was unknown and therefore spreading the plague. This impacted the European society and lifestyle in that the economy and population were declining rapidly in just a few years. Several people during this time turned to their religious beliefs and blamed themselves because they believed God was punishing them for their sins. This leads to the question: “How significant was the belief in the Catholic faith during the Black Plague in Medieval Italy and what impact on society did this have?” To this day, the Black Plague is an event that can be interpreted in many ways. By investigating the event through the religious view, it challenges the views of...
Words: 909 - Pages: 4
...The Bubonic plague also known as “The Black Plague” was one of the worst tragedies to happen to Medieval Europe.The plague started in 1346 and lasted til 1353. The plague killed an upward of 50 million people in Europe which was the equivalent to 60% of the whole population of Europe. The Black Death first started in Europe by sea in October 1347 when 12 Genoese trading ships docked at the Sicilian port of Messina after a voyage through the Black Sea”. The people who gathered to meet the sailors and the ships once they were docked realized that they were faced with a horrifying surprise. Most of the sailors and crewmen aboard the ships were dead, and those who surprisingly still alive but were gravely ill. They were faced with this issue...
Words: 567 - Pages: 3
...to a greater cause showed the determination that these women of this era had; thus, opening a world of change for women of the Medieval Era. After Eleanor’s and the other 300 ladies great tribute to their cause, women began to explore reading and writing which opened a new wave of ideas in the form of self-expression; ergo, birthing the troubadour (men) and trobairitz (women) poets. Using a lyre or lute, these poets used conventions and terms to describe their idea and feelings of romantic love; however, coming from different point of views, in terms of gender troubadour poems focused on a knight or nobleman longing for a woman while trobairitz poems focused on the woman longing for the knight or nobleman (Sayre, 2010). Both poems convey one message: to love is to suffer: thus, one will lose oneself mentally because of not having the one they love. Aren’t these expressions of love the same as many displayed in the entertainment industry? For example, the courtly love tradition has the knight or nobleman performing a deed to win his lady’s favor (Sayre, 2010). Many movies display a man or woman willing to give it all to win his or her lover back. The only difference is the way the words are noted. As with many women, I find these expressions of love thrilling and sad. True, the content is a little surprising considering that it was from medieval times where one would think that people were more secretive about their feelings and extra-marital endeavors. How these individuals...
Words: 443 - Pages: 2
...Female Artists during the Medieval Ages Humanities I Spring 2009 In the extremely hierarchical medieval society the social classes differed greatly from each other in their legal rights, economic circumstances and modes of living. Feudal society consisted of three classes, the Worshipers, Warriors, and the Workers. With few exceptions, women were ranked according to their husband’s or father’s status. They rarely achieved any status outside of their relationship with men as wives, mothers, and daughters. For this reason, it is interesting to explore how and why certain women were able to live separately from men in convents and create works of artistic value that survive today. During the Pre-Romanesque (500-1000 AD) and Romanesque (1000-1200) period of the middle ages, most of the art was created in monasteries for religious purposes. This art was primarily in the form of illuminated or illustrated manuscripts. Illuminated manuscripts were hand-written books of religious texts, like a bible, or works by saints or religious leaders. Some illustrated manuscripts were also copies of Roman or Greek works of philosophy. These manuscripts were ornate and beautiful volumes that were expensive and time consuming to produce. It could take months or years to produce an illuminated manuscript. The manuscript included ornamental borders, capital letters and illustrations some in gold and silver leaf. The illustrations themselves used a very rich and vivid palette of colors like rich...
Words: 1973 - Pages: 8
...The Black Death was a time period in Medieval Europe that happened during most of the 14th century. This period is called the Black Death because it was one of Europe’s darkest times in history with the emergence of the Bubonic Plague, also called Black Plague, which caused horrible symptoms that killed its victims in a short amount of time (CDC). Many people at the time did not understand how exactly the disease came about and placed the blame on people. Even though this disease was horrible and brought many consequences, it began to shape Europe as we know it and brought many technological and medical advancements (History). - The Bubonic Plague was named after buboes, which means swollen lymph node, a distinguishing feature noticed in individuals...
Words: 900 - Pages: 4
...Part I: Textual Identification Passage 2. This passage is from The Song of Roland. The author of this manuscript is unknown. The Song of Roland was believed to be written during the early 11th century. The passage describes the death of Count Roland after a battle with the Saracens. Count Roland had been fighting admirably all battle. The battle looked to be over, and then his horse and the archbishop were killed by the Saracens. Roland realized this and went to go take a break from battle under a tree. However, one of the enemy soldiers spotted Count Roland as he laid down beside the tree. When Roland’s back was turned, the Saracen soldier stabbed him in the back. Roland ended up killing the man, but he suffered a pretty substantial wound. The passage begins with Count Roland laying back down under the tree and realizing that his life on this earth is coming to an end. It seems as if he is having a moment where is remembering all the great things he has done in his life. These thoughts make him really emotional and bring him to tears. He then shifts his attention to the Christian God. He asks him for forgiveness for all the sins he has committed in his life. The next part of the passage is very interesting as Saint Gabriele comes down from heaven to bring Count Roland to heaven. Gabriele is arguably one of the most famous angels in the bible because he was the angel that came down to the Virgin Mary to tell her she was pregnant with Jesus. The last...
Words: 1499 - Pages: 6
...Conclusion III. Castle (Defense and Offense) A. Topic sentence B. Trebuchet C. Catapult D. Cross-bow E. Conclusion IV. Coat and Arms Weapons A. Long-bow B. Flail C. Mace D. War hammer E. Conclusion V. Final Conclusion Medieval Weapons C. Wilburn 2 Have you ever wanted to know about the weapons knights used? Well the knights used different things including battle axes, bow-and-arrows, and catapults. Some were used by different people though. Some spent years of training, while others spent just a year. Some knights had armor while others didn’t. But the kind of weapons in use was the types of weaponry of the Medieval Ages. All in all, the knights had some good weapons. Medieval knights used some cool weapons. Usually when knighted, the knights would get spurs which are sharp spikes behind the heels of the knight’s shoe, to guide the horse, a shield to protect themselves in battle, and a sword to fight with. Some swords could be the slashing swords that were flat and wide sharp-edged swords to make a very destructive blow. Later in the Medieval Ages, sword makers would make thrusting swords which were longer and more pointed than slashing swords. The point of the sword can fit between armor of the knight and the chain mail which is the knights used as extra protection. Other swords were the hand-and-a-half swords...
Words: 729 - Pages: 3
...Hypotheses and assumptions on the movie: 5 4. Christianity in the medieval age 6 5.1. Aslan, the Lion parallel to Jesus Christ 6 5.2. The Table of Stone. 7 6. The seven deadly sins 8 6.1. Gluttony – sin by Edmund 9 7. Knighthood 10 7.1. The battle and the coronation 11 8. Conclusion 12 9. List of References 13 Abstract The purpose of this study is to analyze the medieval influences and aspects in the movie The Chronicles of Narnia; The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. The movie emphasizes important elements of the Middle age. It is about the four Pevensie children, Peter, Suzy, Edmund and Lucy who entered the magic land of Narnia and with the help of Aslan, the Lion, fought the Wicked White Witch Judas. Thus they gave freedom to the other animals and restored peace and harmony in Cair Paravel and Narnia. The film captures brilliantly these moments and transmits them to the public. One of the main focuses of the film was the religious belief ‘Christianity’. The movie responds to the quasi- spiritual Christian beliefs and truths of good versus bad, highlighting the defeat of the Witch and her death. Secondly, it shows how the younger brother Edmund fell in the trap of the White Witch due to his “gluttony” of the Turkish delights and betrayed his brother and sisters. Last but not the least; the movie stresses another important aspect of medieval age “knighthood”. Peter fought with the Witch and the latter’s...
Words: 2688 - Pages: 11
...| Thinking Like An Historian | The Dialectic in Faith/Reason and Ethics/Daily Life | | | History 104: The Medieval World: 500-1500 C.E. | This paper is going to cover two countries. One is a western European nation and one is a Middle Eastern nation. We are going to be covering France and Iraq and how their medieval formation of religion shaped their country into what it is today. The purpose of this paper is to outline how religion used to have such an impact and see how much that impact is today. Church and State have made a separation but is that a good thing or a bad thing? When you think of France you think of the Eiffel Tower, rolling fields of grapes at one of the many vineyards on the countryside, the fantastic food and the endless romance. Most do not often think about the days when soldiers in suits made of iron ran the countryside and collected the King’s taxes from all of the peasants he ruled over. It was a time when work and the Church were the only things in your life. Modern day France is Parliamentary Republic with two Houses of Parliament (the Senate and the National Assembly) and the Council of Ministers, led by the Prime Minister.1 The Republic of France is ultimately led by a President but he/she must confer with all branches of government before any major changes can be made. This political checks and balances system ensures that the people of France have a part in how government rules over nation. National sovereignty is vested in the...
Words: 1929 - Pages: 8
