УДК 81'42 + 811.111 '04

Г. Г. Банникова, О. А. Есенина

Драма среднеанглийского периода : мистерии, мираклии, моралитэ

Средневековая английская драматургия играет важную роль в истории английской литературы. Единой точки зрения по поводу того, какая именно драматургическая форма является наиболее ранней в английской литературе, что легло в основу самых ранних драматургических произведений, не существует. Период расцвета средневековой английской драматургии приходится на XIV-XV вв.; довольно многочисленные тексты пьес сохранились до наших дней и могут служить основой для различных форм литературоведческого и лингвистического анализа. Wear on charging handle.

The Compact Bedford Introduction to Drama presents a well-balanced selection of plays, commentaries, and casebooks in a concise, affordable format. Its 29 chronologically arranged plays represent every major. Medieval English dramatic forms play an important part in the history of English Literature. There is no unanimous opinion either concerning the earliest type of English dramatic form or its origin.

Ключевые слова: мистерия, месса, священное писание, светский (нерелигиозный), миракль, цикл, апокрифический, развлечение, сюжет, мистерия, грех, добродетель.

G. G. Bannikova, O. A. Yesenina

Early English Dramatic Forms: Mysteries, Miracles, Moralities

Medieval English dramatic forms play an important part in the history of English Literature. There is no unanimous opinion either concerning the earliest type of English dramatic form or its origin. Medieval English drama flourished in the XIV-XV centuries and rather numerous extant texts can be used for different types of analyses.

Keywords: Mystery, Mass, Scriptures, vernacular, miracle, cycle, apocryphal, entertainment, plot, Morality, vice, virtue.

Drama is defined as 'the art of representing, for the pleasure of others, events that happened or that we imagine happening' (4, p. 1). From the beginning drama has had the capacity to hold up an illusion of reality, which is sometimes compared to the reflection in a mirror (4, p. 2). Different ages and peoples had different approaches to representing reality on stage.

After the fall of Rome the classical artistic traditions in Europe were lost. Yet a number of scholars consider it certain, that in one shape or another 'the drama, acting with or without written words, is always in existence.. even among the rudest peoples' (2, p. 153). J. B. Grapp also mentions 'secular forms of popular and courtly entertainment.. - games festivals and perhaps, folk rituals with the act of professional minstrels' (6, p. 363). J. B. Otis points out the importance of traditional festivals and folk plays, such as 'St. George and the Dragon' mummeries and 'The Hock and Tide' festival and later on -'The Robin Hood plays' (3. p. 103). All these seem to have played their part in the formation of English dramatic forms. So, it would be exaggeration to say, that in the early medieval times European drama all 'but disappeared for five centuries' (4, p. 256).

Most scholars agree that the starting point of medieval drama was the Latin of the Mass: 'Within the early Christian Church in its religious functions and in its dramatization of liturgy are found the germs of the European drama (3, p. 103). J. B. Grapp points out 'the daily re-enactment of the Passions of Christ, essentially dramatic in its performance' (6, p. 363). A. Lang is also sure that 'the

Church permitted a kind of half-ritual half-dramatic representation at a very early period.' (2, p. 153). Some authors even define the exact time of its beginning: 'Liturgical drama began as parts of the Mass (4, p. 256). At the same time, we agree with the opinion that many of the steps by which this reverent form of dramatic representation developed into the vernacular spoken play, performed in the city, are still not clear (4, p. 256; 6, p. 363).

Another point of view, that has lately appeared is that though the vernacular drama 'was once thought to have evolved from the liturgical, passing by stages from the Church into the streets of the town, 'the mysteries - the earliest vernacular dramatic form, - represent an old and largely independent tradition of vernacular religious drama' (5, p. 308). Though, no ultimate proof of it has been produced.

We are inclined to support the traditional point of view. The earliest dramatic forms appear to have developed out of the Church ritual, 'to have been represented at first by ecclesiastics and within the church buildings' (1, p. 82). They were always in Latin with subjects drawn from the scriptures.

In the XII century by the order of Pope Innocent III (1210) drama was to be performed outside the church buildings (3, p. 31). Probably, the audience grew so large, that the performance had to be moved into the churchyard. Perhaps, the dramatic moments inside the church began to demand more elaborate equipment and settings.

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The institution by Pope Urban IV of the Festival of Corpus Christie probably compelled the moving of the

© Банникова Г. Г., Есенина О. А., 2012

performances into the market place 'where laymen replaced clerics as performers' (1, p. 31). The authors of the famous 'Oxford Anthology of English Literature' are also of opinion that now, outside the church, the performance of the plays was 'generally the prerogative of associations of pious laymen' (6, p. 364).

At the same time, the themes of the plays continued to be religious (1,3,4, 6), and the plays were devised and probably written by clergy. It was now, that 'English superseded Latin as the language ofthe plays' (1, p. 31)

Bedford Introduction To Drama

The extant link between the liturgical drama and the vernacular drama seems to be 'Le mystere d' Adam (1150) - a semi-liturgical drama, a dramatization of the fall. Its occasional deviation from its biblical source and relative elaborateness of action and composition (1, p. 31) can be considered a transition between the liturgical play and the secularized play.

To denote vernacular English plays the term 'Mystery' is usually used (1-6). Some authors also use the term 'Miracle' (1; 2; 6), though sometimes they are somewhat mixed up: the title of the chapter in the 'Oxford Anthology of English Literature' is 'Mystery Plays (Miracles)'. Some authors are sure, that in English the term 'Mystery' does service for both (1, p. 31). We are of the opinion that 'as the term 'Miracle' exists, it is a serviceable one' (1, p. 82) and we allow ourselves to make use of it.

Mysteries and Moralities are essentially of the same dramatic type; it is impossible to say which was the first to appear. 'It is likely that Mysteries represent the earlier stage of development' (1, p. 82). But the earliest known dramatic work to be associated with English literature 'Ludus de Sancta Katharina' (1110) is probably in Latin. (3, p. 31) Yet, the text of the play not being extant, some authors consider the incomplete play 'Le mystere d' Adam' (1150) to be the earliest (1, p. 105). Others refer to the earlier extant plays dating back only to the XIV century, probably, meaning only complete plays (6, p. 364).

There are several explanations of the term 'mystery' as applied to medieval dramatic forms:

a) 'a name derived from old French 'mester' (a trade) - in association with the trade guilds who performed them' (3, p. 82).

1) Coll. Lord, what these weathers are cold, And I am ill happed;

I am nearhand dold, So long have I napped; My fingers are chapped. It is not as I wold, For I am all lapped In sorrow:

In storm and tempest, Now in the east, now in the west, Woe is him that has never rest Midday nor morrow (5, p. 320).

b) 'Drama was the 'quick' (i. e. living) book in which the ordinary Christian might read the mysteries of his faith. Hence the name 'mystery by which the play came to be known' (6, p. 363).

c) 'The word 'mystery' was used to describe the skill or trade known only to a few, who mastered its special techniques.. It also referred to religious mysteries' (4, p. 256).

Oedipus Rex The Bedford Introduction To Drama

Mysteries occur mostly in long cycles of plays (up to 48), dealing with successive steps of the Bible history. Four of these cycles have survived complete: the Chester, York, Towneley (Wakefield) and N-town cycles ( see 5; 4; 6).

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Most of our knowledge of those cycles of plays (apart from the texts themselves) comes thro