Medieval Drama:
Morality Plays
Ollin Trejo
Period 2
What is a Morality
Play?
A morality play is
an allegorical
drama in which
the characters
personify moral
qualities (such as
charity or vice) or
occurrences (as
death or youth)
and in which
moral lessons
are taught.
Medieval Drama:
Morality plays
There were three types of plays in the Medieval
Period : the Miracle plays, The Mystery plays, and
the Morality plays.
Morality plays were usually serious in tone and
style.
In 1500, the Church no longer sanctioned morality
plays due to the fact that it incorporated elements
such as the Devil and his assistant, making what
was usually “moral edification” humorous.
Medieval Drama:
Morality plays
This type of play originated in medieval Europe,
first appearing in the 1400s.
The basic premise of the morality play, is that the
main character — who represents all people and
to whom audiences can relate — makes a
journey and is influenced by characters along the
way.
This archetype is still common in many works of
theater and film.
Titles of Morality Plays include:
The Pride of Life
The Castle of Perseverance
Wisdom
Mankind
Everyman
EveryMan
Everyman is one the most famous
Middle-Age plays. It is a poem,
and the main character represents
us all.
The story is that death comes for
Everyman, and at first he tries to
avoid it. He even offers death
money to delay. When death is
unwilling, he then seeks a
companion to go to judgment with
him.
The play takes the opportunity to
remind us that only our deeds will
follow us into the next life.
Euery man. Why askest thou Woldest thou wete.
Dethe.
EverymanWhy do you ask?
Ye syr I wyll shewe you
Would you want to
In grete haste I am sende to the
know?DeathYea, sir, I will show
From god out of his mageste
you;
Euery man. What sente to me.
In great haste I am sent to you
Dethe.
From God out of his
Ye certaynly.
majesty.EverymanWhat, sent to
Thoughe thou haue forgete hym here
me?DeathYea, certainly.
He thynketh on the in the heauenly spere
Though you have forget him here,
As or we departe thou shalte knowe.
He thinks on you in the heavenly
Euery man.
sphere,
What desyreth god of me.
As we depart, you shall
Dethe.
That shall I shewe the.
A rekenynge he wyll nedes haue
Without ony lenger respite
know.EverymanWhat does God
want from me?DeathThat shall I
show you;
A reckoning he will need to have
Without any longer delay.
Mankind
“Mankind” is an allegory
about the vulnerable
situation in which most
people find themselves —
torn between good
judgment and the
temptation to misbehave.
Its theological message is
that God’s mercy is
available to even the most
extreme sinner until the
moment of death.
MANKIND:
MANKYNDE.
What, aske mercy 3et onys agayn? Alas, yt were a wyle
petycyun.
Ewyr to offend and euer to aske mercy, yt ys a puerilite.
Yt ys so abhominabyll to rehers my iterat transgrescion,
I am not worthy to hawe mercy be no possibilite.
Can I beg for mercy again and expect to receive it? It
is a vile practice ever to offend and then beg mercy; it is
childish. I am embarrassed to repeat my abominable
transgressions, and I am not worthy to receive any
more mercy.
MERCY:
MERCY.
O, Mankend, my singler solas, þis is a lamentabyll excuse.
The dolorous terys of my hert, how þei begyn to amownt!
O pirssid Jhesu, help þou þis synfull synner to redouce!
Nam hec est mutacio dextre Excelsi; vertit impios et non sunt.
Aryse and aske mercy, Mankend, and be associat to me.
Thy deth schall be my hewynesse; alas, tys pety yt schwld be
þus.
Thy obstinacy wyll exclude the fro þe glorius perpetuite.
3et for my lofe ope thy lyppys and sey "Miserere mei, Deus!"
MANKEND.
The egall justyse of God wyll not permytte such a synfull wrech
To be rewyvyd and restoryd ageyn; yt were impossibyll.
MERCY.
The justyce of God wyll as I wyll, as hymselfe doth precyse:
Nolo mortem peccatoris, inquit, yff he wyll be redusyble.
Oh, Mankind , my source of solace, that is a pitiful
excuse. The sorrowful tears of my heart are
multiplied. Oh Blessed Jesus, help move this sinner to
repent! For by the right hand of the Most High the
wicked will be overthrown. Arise and ask for mercy
Mankind, come back to me. If you die I shall be so
sad, it is a pity it should be thus. Don't let obstinacy
exclude you from heaven. Lift up your voice and say
"Have mercy on me Lord."
MANKIND:
The just law of God would not permit such a miserable
wretch to be forgiven again and again. It is impossible.
MERCY:
The justice of God will permit forgiveness. God has no
joy in the death of the wicked, especially if he could
repent.
Works Cited
"Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d.
Web. 27 Jan. 2013.
"Cambridge Collections Online : Welcome." Cambridge Collections Online : Welcome. N.p., n.d. Web. 27
Jan. 2013.
"Everyman: A Modern, Public Domain Translation." Everyman. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2013.
"Text of EVERYMAN (Middle English Morality Play; Medieval Drama)." Text of EVERYMAN (Middle
English Morality Play; Medieval Drama). N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2013.