Middle Ages

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Middle Ages

• 476 AD - 1450s AD

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Fall of the Roman Empire
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Early Middle Ages
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High Middle Ages
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The Feudal System
Crown
Church
King
Literate (Latin)
Illiterate
Lord
Vassal
Serfs
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Late Middle Ages
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Medieval Theatre

• A Light in the Dark Ages

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The Roman Leftovers

• Mime
• Pantomime
• Dance
• Musicians
• Tumblers
• Wrestlers
• Gladiators

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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

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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

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Types of Plays

• Liturgical Drama (Easter)
• Mystery Plays (Corpus Christi)
• Saints/Miracle Plays (Local Festivals)
• Morality Plays (Everyman)
• Farce (Late Medieval in France)
• Humanist Drama (Very end of Medieval)

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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

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Staging of Plays
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Theatre and Community

• Fraternities (Chambers of Rhetoric)
• Festivals
• Civic Pride
• Social Institution

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Other Types of Theatre

• Mumming
• Mimicry
• Sword Dances
• Maying
• Interludes

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Fall of Medieval Theatre

• The Protestant Church
• The Printing Press
• Rise of Learning in University
• Advances in Science