Chief Pre-Shakespearean Dramas

by Joseph Quincy Adams

s/t: A Selection of Plays Illustrating the History of the English Drama from Its Origin Down to Shakespeare
1 Sources of the liturgical drama
The wordless Alleluia sequence
The Quem-Quæritis trope
The Easter sepulchre (Depositio Crucis; Elevatio Crucis)
Semi-dramatic trope
2 Liturgical plays dealing with the story of Christ
Sepulchrum (The Visit of the Marys)
Sepulchrum (The Visit of the Marys, the Race of Peter & John, & the Appearance to Mary Magdalene)
Peregrini
Pastores
Magi
Herodes
Prophetæ
3 Liturgical plays dealing with miscellaneous biblical stores & with the legends of the saints
Conversio Beati Pauli Apostoli
Ludus super Iconia Sancti Nicolai
Tres Clerici
Adeodatus
4 The introduction of the vernacular
The Sepulchre
The Wayfarers
The Shepherds
5 The Craft Cycles
Banns (N. towne)
The Fall of Lucifer (N. towne )
The Creation of Eve with the Expelling of Adam & Eve out of Paradise (Norwich)
The Killing of Abel (Wakefield)
Noah (Wakefield)
The Deluge (Chester)
The Sacrifice of Isaac (Brome MS)
Pharaoh (Wakefield)
The Prophets (Chester)
The Salutation & Conception (N. towne)
The Birth of Jesus (York)
The Shepherds (Wakefield)
The Magi, Herod & the Slaughter of the Innocents (Coventry)
Christ's Ministry (Chester)
The Betraying of Christ (N. towne)
The Harrowing of Hell (Chester)
The Resurrection of Christ (Wakefield)
The Judgment Day (York)
6 Non-cycle plays
Dux Moraud
The Conversion of St. Paul
Mary Magdalene
The Play of the Sacrament
7 Moralities
The Castle of Perseverance
Everyman
Mankind
Wyt & Science
8 Folk plays
Robin Hood & the Sheriff of Nottingham
Robin Hood & the Friar
Shetland Sword Dance
Oxfordshire St. George Play
Leicestershire St. George Play
The Revesby Sword Play
9 Farces
The Playe Called the Foure PP
A Mery Play betwene Johan Johan the Husbande, Tyb his Wife & Syr Johan the Preest
The Play of the Wether
10 School plays
Roister Doister
Gammer Gurton's Nedle
11 Inns of court plays
Gorboduc or Ferrex & Porrex
Svpposes
12 The court drama
Damon & Pithias
Campaspe
13 Plays of the professional troupes
Cambises
The Famovs Victories of Henry the Fifth
George a Greene, the Pinner of Wakefield

Genres: Drama

722 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1920

About the author

1881-1946

Reviews

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This provides an excellent single-volume overview of English drama before the arrival of Shakespeare in London. A reader can get the earliest liturgical dramas including the Morality and Mystery plays, as well as the folk plays, court plays and popular farces that formed the foundation of the plays of the English Renaissance theatre. Doubtless, Shakespeare knew some of these plays well and may have performed them in his early days.

The plays preserve the original spellings (except it doesn’t use the old f-like “s”), which adds a charm, but does slow down the reading considerably. Adams does not provide a wealth of notes or introductions, but there are enough for the average reader to understand and enjoy the plays.

I read a good selection of these plays several years (decades?) ago. Here are my reviews as I re-read them:

The Supposes *** – This entertaining play (translated as The Pretenders) is a classic mistaken-identity farce. (No twins, though!) It has its humorous moments, and it rises above a Plautian imitation. It was quite influential in the plays of Shakespeare (notably The Taming of the Shrew) and other writers as the “mistaken identity” theme was a comedic mainstay for generations.

It appears to me that the “mistaken identity” or “traded identity” plots of old are much less common/popular today. Is that true? I wonder why?

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hardbound: Liturgical plays dealing with the story of Christ