Transcript Middle Ages
Middle Ages 476 AD - 1450s AD Fall of the Roman Empire QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture. Early Middle Ages QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture. High Middle Ages QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture. The Feudal System Crown Church King Lord Illiterate Vassal Serfs Literate (Latin) Late Middle Ages QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture. Medieval Theatre A Light in the “Dark Ages” The Roman Leftovers • • • • • • • Mime Pantomime Dance Musicians Tumblers Wrestlers Gladiators The Church • The Germanic conquerors tried to suppress all remnants of Roman theatre, but what remained were pagan festivals • The Church tried suppress pagan festivals and failed • The Church then took these festivals and gave them Christian significance The Church Uses Theatre as a Tool • Around the 11th or 12th century, the Church began to use theatre to teach its members about moral law and the life of Jesus • Feasts like Christmas, Corpus Christi, and Easter had festivals which used theatre as a tool to instruct Types of Plays • • • • • • Liturgical Drama (Easter) Mystery Plays (Corpus Christi) Saint’s/Miracle Plays (Local Festivals) Morality Plays (Everyman) Farce (Late Medieval in France) Humanist Drama (Very end of Medieval) Liturgical Drama • Performed in Latin • Mansions - small scenic structures for indicating location (could be several of these) • Platea - general acting area • Church structure usually serves as the mansions • Machinery was also used • Costumes were probably church vestments Staging of Plays Theatre and Community • • • • Fraternities (Chambers of Rhetoric) Festivals Civic Pride Social Institution Other Types of Theatre Mumming Mimicry Sword Dances Maying Interludes Fall of Medieval Theatre • • • • The Protestant Church The Printing Press Rise of Learning in University Advances in Science