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Title English mystery plays : a selection / edited with an introd. and notes by Peter Happé
Published Baltimore : Penguin Books, 1975

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Location Call no. Vol. Availability
 W'PONDS  822.0516 H2527/E  AVAILABLE
Description 713 pages ; 18 cm
Series The Penguin English library ; EL93
Penguin English library ; EL93
Contents The plays. The fall of Lucifer (Chester) -- The creation, and Adam and Eve (Chester) -- The killing of Abel (Towneley) -- Noah (Towneley) -- Noah (Chester) -- Abraham and Isaac (Chester) -- Abraham and Isaac (Brome) -- Moses (York) -- Balaam, Balak and the prophets (Chester) -- The parliament of heaven, the salutation and conception (Ludus Coventriae) -- Joseph (Ludus Coventriae) -- The nativity (Ludus Coventriae) -- The first shepherds' play (Towneley) -- The second shepherds' play (Towneley) -- Introduction to the three kings (York) -- The adoration (York) -- The flight into Egypt (Towneley) -- The purification, and Christ with the doctors (Chester) -- The death of Herod (Ludus Coventriae) -- The shearmen and tailors' play (Coventry) -- John the Baptist (York) -- The temptation of Christ, and the woman taken in adultery (Chester) -- Lazarus (Towneley) -- The Passion play I. The council of the Jews (Ludus Coventriae) The Last Supper (Ludus Coventriae) The betrayal (Ludus Coventriae) -- The buffeting (Towneley) -- The dream of Pilate's wife (York) -- The scourging (Towneley) -- The crucifixion (York) -- The death and burial (York) -- The harrowing of hell (York) -- The resurrection (Towneley) -- Christ's appearances to the disciples (Ludus Coventriae) -- The ascension (Chester) -- Pentecost (York) -- The assumption and coronation of the Virgin (York) -- Judgement Day (York)
The pre-Reformation Banns of the Chester cycle
Summary The cycles of English mystery plays are among the chief glories of late medieval literature -- remarkable in their dramatic effects and powerful in their literary expression. Their action was conceived on a cosmic scale and all the enthusiasm and vitality of their writing is retained to this day. The energies of whole communities, notable at Chester, York and Wakefield, were devoted to their production and they were to influence later dramatists significantly. The grand design of the mystery plays was to celebrate the Christian story from "The Fall of Lucifer" to the "Judgement Day", and this volume contains thirty-eight plays, forming in itself a composite cycle and including almost all the incidents common to the extant cycles
Notes First published: Penguin English Library, 1975
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 36-39)
Notes Also issued online
Middle English text, English introduction and notes
Subject Bible plays, English.
Christian drama, English (Middle)
Civilization, Medieval -- Drama.
English drama -- To 1500.
Mysteries and miracle-plays, English.
Genre/Form Drama.
Author Happé, Peter.
LC no. 76361119
ISBN 0140430938
9780140430936
Other Titles The Cilento Gift