British Drama
2011 Spring
Prof. Jun, Joon-taek
8 Mar
-the three requisites for theatre - drama, actor, audience
-p.124 The fall of the Roman Empire - in the year AD 476
The Roman Empire had had the belief of Polytheism, before the Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Though Christianity became the established religion after the long persecution, it couldn't cut the traditions of Polytheism off, as their festivals held on the summer solstice and the winter solstice were substituted with the activities of Easter and Christmas. Christianity grew up since 5th century, and the Middle Ages gradually followed. Christianity, grown up in the Roman Empire, banned the Roman Plays and made the stories from Bible the plays in Latin language.
The first British drama (Liturgical 예배극) ; about 10th century p. 193
the visit of the three Marys to the tomb of Christ after the Crucifixion
-before the Norman dynasty (11C) regarded as the first nation in the british isle
-about the Easter
-written and performed in Latin
-it had performed for 300 years.
-actors were the clergy (not clergywomen)
-form of cantillate(chant) like latin sermon (not in speech)
-performed in church.
-Christianity before Reformation might had more freewheeling lives of faith (not very opposite form of Renaissance)
Mystery(guild 길드극)
-appeared by people who wanted more dramatic effect than Liturgical which had continued for 300 years
-about the Bible
-the guild related to each episode took on the episode (as Horse Guild plays the Nativity or Wine Guild plays the Last Supper)
-parade form as each guild rotates each spot in a town (there were not many square in Britain like Europe)
-performed on a wagon outside of church
-used spoken English and speech form
-lots of spectacles such as flying up to the heaven using pulley, pouring down the water from the roof in order to reenact the Deluge, etc.
-angel or god appears from a pulley, this world is on a wagon, and the hell is on the land under wagon