MEDIEVAL CYCLE PLAYS

Mystery Play Guilds Pageant wagon York Cycle Wakefield Cycle Oberammergau Miracle Play Everyman Passion Play Vocabulary

Mystery from Latin meaning occupation Told Bible stories Used for education and entertainment Performed in England, Spain, France, and Germany MYSTERY Plays

guilds Guilds are early forms of today’s labor unions Guilds sponsored specific plays in Mystery Cycles Not all mystery plays used guilds, but larger cycles did Did not use professional actors, but guild members Guilds sponsored plays related to their craft: Carpenters would sponsor the story of Noah’s Ark Bakers would sponsor the story of the Loaves and Fishes Butchers would sponsor crucifixion scenes Goldsmiths would sponsor the Maji visiting the Christ child guilds

Pageant wagon Mystery plays existed in cycles of plays Plays were moved to different audiences Wagons were built for specific scenes Featured moveable panels Special effects like trap doors and smoke Pageant wagons pulled by actors Pageant wagon

York and wakefield cycles York, England Cycle of 48 plays Cover Biblical history from Creation to the Last Judgement Still performed in four-year intervals Wakefield, England Contain 32 scriptural plays High quality writing attributed to “Wakefield Master” Creative use of Language, rhyme, and meter Second Shepherds Play regarded as masterpiece of medieval literature York and wakefield cycles

oberammergau Passion play depicting Christ’s passion 1643 residents of Oberammergau dedicated themselves to the play’s performance when it seemed their town was spared by bubonic plague Originally play performed annually Proved too expensive, so schedule reduced to every four years Now produced annually and is a great tourist attraction oberammergau

everyman “Everyman” represents every man Late 15th century Story of man’s salvation Salvation gained through leading holy life, performing charitable acts, and attending to religious practice Many modern version like Seuss’ Horton the Elephant, Popeye, everyman