Download Middle Ages

Middle Ages
476 AD - 1450s AD
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
Lord
Illiterate
Vassal
Serfs
Literate
(Latin)
Late Middle Ages
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Medieval Theatre
A Light in the “Dark Ages”
The Roman Leftovers
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Mime
Pantomime
Dance
Musicians
Tumblers
Wrestlers
Gladiators
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
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
Types of Plays
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Liturgical Drama (Easter)
Mystery Plays (Corpus Christi)
Saint’s/Miracle Plays (Local Festivals)
Morality Plays (Everyman)
Farce (Late Medieval in France)
Humanist Drama (Very end of Medieval)
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
Staging of Plays
Theatre and Community
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Fraternities (Chambers of Rhetoric)
Festivals
Civic Pride
Social Institution
Other Types of Theatre
Mumming
Mimicry
Sword Dances
Maying
Interludes
Fall of Medieval Theatre
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The Protestant Church
The Printing Press
Rise of Learning in University
Advances in Science