Importance and Differences between Mystery, Miracle, and Morality Plays
We will explore the importance and key differences between Mystery, Miracle, and Morality Plays in this blog. I have made it simple and easy to remember.
Mystery plays were medieval religious dramas that depicted stories from the Bible. They were called “mystery” not because they were secret, but because they were connected to the “misterium” or craft guilds that often sponsored and performed them.
Key Features of Mystery Plays:
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Religious Origin → Based on Biblical stories such as Creation, Noah’s Ark, the
Mystery Plays performed by Guilds Crucifixion, and the Last Judgment.
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Performed by Guilds → Different trade guilds in towns performed different plays. For example, shipbuilders might perform the story of Noah’s Ark.
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Cycle Plays → They were often performed in a series, covering the entire Biblical history from Genesis to the Last Judgment.
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Popular with Common People → Staged outdoors on wagons or in marketplaces so everyone could watch.
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Language → Written in vernacular English (not Latin) so ordinary people could understand.
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Purpose → Both entertainment and religious education, teaching Biblical stories to largely illiterate audiences.
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The York Mystery Cycle (England) comprises approximately 48 plays that cover the entire story of salvation history.
Mystery, Miracle, and Morality plays are two different types of drama that originated in the church as a part of Church Festivals.
Miracle Plays
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Definition: Miracle plays (also called Saints’ Plays) were medieval dramas based on the lives, miracles, and martyrdom of saints.
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Origin: They developed in Europe during the 12th–15th centuries as a part of Church festivals.
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Subject Matter: Episodes from the Bible and the lives of saints (e.g., the miraculous healing of the sick or heroic endurance of martyrs).
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Purpose: To teach Christian values and inspire faith among ordinary people who could not read Latin scriptures.
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Example in England: Stories of St. Nicholas or St. Catherine were popular.
St. Nicholas -
Features:
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Religious in theme.
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Performed inside or near churches.
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Simple dialogue, often didactic.
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Morality Plays
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Definition: Morality plays were allegorical dramas that personified abstract virtues and vices to teach moral lessons about human life.
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Period: 14th–16th centuries, later than miracle plays.
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Subject Matter: The struggle between good and evil in the human soul.
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Purpose: To instruct people in Christian morals, preparing them for salvation.
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Morality Plays Features:
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Characters represented abstract ideas such as Everyman, Good Deeds, Vice, Sin, and Death.
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Allegorical in nature.
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More philosophical than miracle plays.
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Example: Everyman (the most famous morality play), The Castle of Perseverance.
Importance and Key Differences between Mystery, Miracle, and Morality Plays:
| Type of Play | Theme/Subject | Origin & Performers | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mystery Plays | Stories from the Bible (Creation, Fall, Noah’s Ark, Passion of Christ, Last Judgment). | Performed by craft guilds (word “mystery” = guild/trade). | To teach Biblical history in an entertaining way to common people. | York Mystery Cycle, Chester Mystery Cycle. |
| Miracle Plays | Lives, miracles, and martyrdom of saints (e.g., Virgin Mary, St. Nicholas). | Originating from church liturgy, performed by clergy/actors. | To honor saints and show divine intervention. | Plays about St. Catherine, St. Nicholas. |
| Morality Plays | Allegories of virtues, vices, sin, death, and salvation. Characters = personifications (Good Deeds, Death, Everyman). | Written for general performance, not tied to guilds. | To teach moral lessons about Christian living and salvation. | Everyman, The Castle of Perseverance, Mankind. |
Conclusion:
Thus, we can say that Mystery, Miracle, and Morality plays, though different in form and focus, were vital steps in the growth of English drama. While Mystery plays were stories from the Bible, Miracle plays familiarized audiences with Biblical stories and the lives of saints, and Morality plays went further by using allegory to reflect the moral struggles of human life. Together, they not only served as tools of religious instruction but also laid the foundation for the rich, dramatic tradition that culminated in the works of the Elizabethan age, especially Shakespeare.
Read More:
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