THE DEVELOPMENT OF English Drama

The origin of English drama seems vague. There is no certain

evidence proving its origin. However, it can be traced back from
century of succeeding Norman Conquest to England on 1066. Many
historians believe that drama came to England along with them. There
was information that when the Roman where in England, they
established vast amphitheatre for production some plays, but when
they left, the theatre gone with them
------Drama came along Norman Conquest 1066-----
Originally, the term drama came from Greek word meaning “action” or
“to act” or “to do”. William J. Long argues that “drama is an old story
told in the eye, a story put into action by living performers”. Thus,
drama is the form of composition design for performance in the
theatre, in which the actors take role for certain characters, perform
certain action and utter certain dialogues (Abrams and Harpham,
2015:95).
-------Drama = Action {drama is a story told in the eye and then be
performed}------
In England, drama had a distinctly religious origin from the church as
the part of services. Apart from its origin, the Latin Church had
condemned Roman theatre for many reasons. Thus, drama could not
develop until tenth century when the church began to use dramatic
elements as part of their services in the certain festival or ritual. The
motives of the church began to use dramatics elements seem unclear.
But, it was certain that the purpose was didactic, that is, to give deep
understanding about the truth of their religion to the believer
------drama developed in the 10th century when the church began to
use drama as the the part of their festival/ritual-----
The oldest existing church drama was “Quem Quarritis” trope (whom
are you seeking), when the three Marrys visited the empty tomb of
Christ and met angel. Their conversation with angel consists of four
sentences in Latin then adapted and performed by the clergy in very
simple performance. This simple beginning gradually grew more
elaborate. This drama called liturgical drama, in which the story simply
taken from the scripture. The earlier play were given inside the church,
the story were written by the clergy and performed by the clergy using
Latin language. However, drama were not performed in all churches,
only in certain cathedrals and monasteries where there were enough
clergy to perform the plays.
-----The oldest existing church drama “Quem Quarritis” (Whom You
are seeking) which is spoken in Latin. It categorize as Liturgical
Drama-----
From the liturgical, drama evolved to Miracle and Mystery play. In
France, Miracle used to represent the life of the saints and Mystery
used to represent any scene taken from the scripture. Meanwhile in
England, there was no distinction between this two. The term Miracle
play was used to represent any story taken from the scripture or the
bible and the life of the saints.
------In Literugical, there are divided into two kinds of play which are
Miracle and Mystery. In Franse Miracle(life of saints) and
Mystery(any scene from Scripture). But I=in England Miracle
represent the combination of them which is any story from scripture
and the life of saints
The earliest recorded Miracle play in England was “Ludus Santa de
Katherina”, which performed in Dunstable around 11110. It was not
known who wrote the original play, but the first version was prepared
by the French school teacher, Geoffrey from St. Albans. The plays
were given in Latin or French. The Miracle play attracted so many
people and increased its popularity. The plays were before given
inside the church began to move to the porch then to the churchyards.
But when the plays began interfere the church services and had
become too elaborate, the scandalized priest forbade the play in the
church. By the thirteenth century, the Miracle play began move
outside the church.
---- the earliest recorded play was “ Ludus Santa De Katherina 1110”
anonymous. In 13th c Miracle play began move outside the church.----
After the Miracle play move outside the church, the secular
organization or town guilds began to take responsibility in its
production. Few changes were made during this period. By the
fourteenth and fifteenth century, the plays were given in vernacular pr
local language. The actors were no longer clergy but the amateur
actors which trained and selected carefully. The plays were given in
the series of mansion in the town square. The plays were performed o
moving platform called pageants and the act area called pletea. The
stage were divide into three parts; hell, earth and heaven. Hell in the
left side, earth in the centre and heaven in the right side. Usually the
stages were identified by certain props. For instance, the head of
dragon with red jaws or monstrous mouth with fire breathing represent
hell where the devil characters will be dragged to the hell. The idea of
salvation and damnation which later adopted in Dr. Faustus was
inherited from this period. The costumes were distinguish in three
realms; heaven, earth and hell. The heavenly characters such as God,
angels, saints or certain Biblical character wore the church garments
with certain accessories. The earthly characters wore the
contemporary medieval garment appropriate to their rank. Meanwhile,
for devil character wore black garments with wings, animals claws,
beaks, horns or tails.
-----Secular organization began to take responsibility in its production
so in 13th and 14th c it was in the local lang. the stage were divided into
three parts; hell, earth and heaven (Left side, center, Right side)----
On 1311, the Council of Vienne revived the feat of Corpus Christi. This
festival held in June every year and last for three or four days,
sometimes extend to six days. The Miracle plays were presented in all
large town city in England. It was arranged to exhibit the whole story
from creation to the Day of Judgment in a cycle. There were four
famous cycle existed in England. The York with 48 plays, the Chester
with 25 plays, the Wakefield with 32 plays and the Coventry with 42
plays. During this religious period drama were written according to the
Bible and no change was tolerated. This religious performances lasted
till the sixteenth century.
-----In the 13th-16th c drama performed according to the bible and no
change was tolerated.-----
The later development of drama was Morality play. it is a
dramatization of personified abstraction generally vice against virtue.
In these plays, the character were allegorical personified such as
death, sin, good and bad angel, seven deadly sins, etc. The purpose
of this drama was didactic, to give moral lesson to the audience. The
morality plays generally ended with the virtue win against the evil. This
play was marked by the introduction of personage called “vice”, who
was mischievous, comic and humorous character. Vice was the
predecessor of the modern clown or jester. The examples of morality
plays are “Everyman” and “The Castle of Perseverance”. The
introduction of Morality play also introduce so called “interlude”.
Interlude is the short version of morality play. Generally interludes
were given during break of the scene. It was a short stage
entertainment in a sense of humor and was considered as the
forerunner of comedies. The example of interlude was “The Four P’s”
by John Heywood which performed around 1497.
----- The morality play provided sin, good and bad angel, seven deadly
angel, etc. the purpose was didactic, to give moral lesson to the
audiens. It generally ended with the virtue win against the devil. Then
there was also an “Interlude” which is a short morality play, performed
during break of the scene.------
The final stage of the evolution of English drama was the artistic
period. In this period, the purpose of the pay was not to point out a
moral but to represent human life as it is. During this period, English
drama was influenced by classical drama. The first comedy was
“Ralph Roister Doister” written by Nicholas Udall on 1556. The play
divided into acts and scenes and wrote in rhyming couplets. This first
comedy had become the model and predecessor of English comedies.
The first tragedy “Gorboduc” was written by Thomas Sackville and
Thomas Northon around 1562. It was written in blank verse and
divided into acts and scenes. After this era, the English drama
developed gradually into regular form of drama which flourish during
Elizabethan reign and which known till today.
----the final stage of the evolution of English Drama,The Artistic period,
drama performed to represent human as it is. It is influenced by
classical drama.----
^The First comedy was “ Ralph Roister Doister” written by Nicholas
Udall on 1556^
^The First Tragedy was “Gorbuduc” written by Thomas Sackville and
Thomas Norton c. 1562^
Therefore, English drama gradually develop from the liturgical drama
to Miracle and Mystery plays, continuously to Morality and interlude
followed by the influence of classical model and finally evolve to the
regular drama forms which known till today.
 Liturgical Drama—Miracle and Mystery Drama—Morality and
Interlude Drama—todays drama.<--