1. MORALITY PLAYS

2. Morality Plays
Only five medieval English morality plays still survive:
1. The Pride of Life (a corrupted Anglo-Irish text)
2. The Castle of Perseverance
3. Wisdom
4. Mankind
5. Everyman (translated from a Dutch original.)
Two other plays similar to Morality Plays still exist:
Second Sheppard's Play
Hickscorner
These are all that are left of an influential dramatic genre.
The understanding of style has been developed based upon the influence these plays had on surviving literature and art

3. Morality Plays An attempt to educate via entertainment
Dominican and Franciscan monks developed the morality play
in the 13th century by adding actors and theatrical
elements to their sermons.
They hoped the (mainly illiterate) masses could more easily
learn the basics of Christianity through dramatic spoken word.
The plays made complex topics such as original sin and
atonement more easily understood.
By personifying Vices, Virtues, the Devil and the
Good Angel, stories of temptation were made accessible
to those who were unable to read.

4. Morality Plays The main theme of the morality play is this:
Man begins in innocence
Man falls into temptation
Man repents and is saved.
The central action is the struggle of Man against the seven deadly
sins that are personified into real characters
It is believed that the allegory of vices and virtues fighting
over Man’s soul goes back to the 4th century Roman epic,
The allegorical application of theatre to Christianity
is intended to help the audience understand sin and virtue

5. “Repentance is always possible”
Morality Plays
The three greatest temptations that Man faces in morality
plays are
The World
The Flesh
The Devil
THE MESSAGE:
“Sin is inevitable”
“Repentance is always possible”
Morality plays were not holiday-specific
Performed at any time of the year-
Repentance occurs at any time of the year.

6. Morality Plays Characteristics
A protagonist who represents either humanity as a whole or a smaller social structure.
Supporting characters are personifications of good and evil.
Provides the audience with moral guidance.
Morality plays encourage men to live a righteous life

7. Everyman The archetypal morality play Characters represent broad ideas
Characters in Everyman are:
God
Death
Everyman
Goods (Riches)
Good-Deeds
Angel
Knowledge
Beauty
Discretion
Strength
Doctor
The personified meanings of these characters are not hidden

8. Everyman
PLOT:
God, believing that the people on earth are too focused on wealth and worldly possessions, sends Death to Everyman to remind him of God's power and the importance of upholding values.
EVERYMAN is a concrete example of a Morality Play because of…
The emphasis put on morality
The vast difference between good and evil
The strong presence of God
However, most morality plays focus more on evil, while Everyman focuses more on good, highlighting sin in contrast.