Literature Theory Flashcards
1
Q
Poetry after Chaucer
A
- called the Barren Age because of its poverty of literary production
- major reason for this could be the War of the Roses
- also the language was changing
- poets wrote in imitation of Chaucer and pastorals and carols began to appear
2
Q
Medieval Drama
A
- 15th century was very rich in plays
- it developed from liturgical ceremonies as the clergy had tried to convey the events of Christianity through plays to the illiterate
- after the addition of music a dramatic dialogue appeared
- led to Miracle and Mystery plays
3
Q
Miracle plays
A
- concerned with the lives of saints, without metaphors and sentimentalism
- as they grew in popularity, performing them in churches became increasingly difficult and so they were portrayed outside
- divided into four cycles (named after the towns they were performed in): Chester, York, Wakefield, Coventry
- each play was repeated several times in different parts of town using a pageant
- the performances used to be supervised by the clergy but were then replaced by trade guilds under the management of municipal authorities
4
Q
Mystery plays
A
usually dealt with Gospel events, their main object was the Redemption of Man
5
Q
A pageant
A
a carriage with two vertical rooms: in the lower one the actors prepared themselves and the upper one was open on all sides and was the stage
6
Q
Trade guild
A
A guild is an association of artisans or merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area.
7
Q
Morality plays
A
- were complementary to the Miracle play
- it was a religious drama focused on the conflict between good and bad
- they had personifications of vices and virtues (Avarice, Luxury, Gluttony, Anger, Lust) and generalised characters (Everyman, Mankind)
- lines were rhymed but the atmosphere was more melancholy
- the Vice character is considered the forerunner of the Shakespearean fool
- best know morality play is Everyman
8
Q
Everyman play
A
- 1500
- informed by Death that he must die he looks for someone who will accompany him but is deserted by everyone
- only Good Deeds follows him to the grave
9
Q
Interludes
A
- gradually replaced moralities
- their origin can be traced back to miracle plays: they were independent comic dialogues which were occasionally inserted to enliven the atmosphere
- they were distinguished because by their brevity, their rare use of allegory, their use of real characters, their introduction of humour and the lack of didactic purpose
- key link between medieval drama and Elizabethan theatre
- best example is The Four Ps
10
Q
The Four Ps
A
- 1545 by John Heywood
- a Palmer, a Pardoner, a Pothecary and a Pedlar discuss which of them can tell the biggest lie
- Palmer wins and says he has never seen a woman lose her patience
11
Q
Elizabethan Drama
A
- it became the true literary manifestation of the time thanks to several elements:
- theatres were open to everyone and admission prices were relatively low
- plays could be understood even by the illiterate
- the theatre-going habit was widespread
- moralities and interludes were still a living memory
- a new interest in classical drama was brought by Humanism
- great number of talented playwrights
- commercial potential was great
- theatre was patronized by the Church and the aristocracy
- shape of the theatre and stage was dramatically functional
- language was more alive than that of poetry and prose
- Elizabethan England was quite theatrical
- the theatre was a true mirror of society
12
Q
Society
A
- each social class played a part which was strictly connected to its social status
- the social class had been allotted to everyone at birth and it was sinful to rebel against it
- society had to mirror the divine order of the universe because of the time’s need for stability and order
- man had to respect a hierarchy: God, angels, men, animals, objects
13
Q
Man and Nature
A
- drama derived from the breaking of the aforementioned order
- new Elizabethan hero was full of passions and doubt and replaced the old allegorical characters
- strict relationship between man and nature was highly emphasized: storms and other phenomena were the consequences of criminal activity
14
Q
Language
A
- language was also affected by the hierarchy, monarchs were compared to the sun or to lions
- use of metaphors was widespread
- it was written in blank verse
- thanks to sticomythia (dialogue in alternate lines) it began sounding like real dialogue
15
Q
Theatres
A
- until 1576 plays were performed in inns on a platform or in the year
- James Burbage in 1576, an actor and carpenter, built the the first theatre
