Biblical Stories as plays; Everyman and Medieval Miracle Plays (1-5), Various Unknown

Why you might read the Miracle Plays?

The Miracle plays are a snapshot of how Medieval England saw the stories of the Bible. They were not produced by the church but rather were put on by the local guilds, for example, the shipwrights guild. They were common across England with slight variations. I am just reading a collection of them rather than each version. This makes them great to compare how Christianity was understood across time, even if they are not directly about doctrine.

For my Self Education project, they fill this role. They allow for a greater understanding of the way in which faith was a part of everyday life in medieval England. This will be important when I get to read more of the church fathers. As a narrative, it shows the development of the play in the English speaking world.

Stories of the Miracle Plays 1-5

The creation, and the fall of Lucifer

This play covers who God is and his creative power. It focuses on the creation of the angles. Specifically the creation of Lucifer as Gods second in charge. Lucifer becomes conceited with his beauty and greatness. He oversteps the line and asks to be worshipped alongside God. At this moment he is thrown out of heaven and into hell. We then see him lamenting his new position with another devil. The scene then moves back from heaven as the heavenly host work out how to work without Lucifer as a guide. They turn toward God and he is worshipped.

The creation of Adam and Eve

This play covers again God and his creative power. This time as God creates man. He commands the earth to make a form of a man. Then takes his rib and forms woman. Then finally tells breath to make them alive. This play ends with the man and woman, being named Adam and Eve. They then worship God.

The fall of Man

This play covers the deception of Eve by the serpent. The play does designate the serpent as Satan. The serpent uses the line of eating this will make you like God. First, though he spends some time running down what God had said. It is the make you like God that convinces Eve. She then goes on to convince Adam who eats as well. He instantly laments what he has done and states that he is naked. They resolve to sew together fig leaves for coverings. When God comes to the garden they hide. When God finds out what they have done, he curses them and has the angles throw them out of paradise.

Cain and Abel

This play covers the sacrifices made by Cain and Abel. As well as the Slaying of Abel by Cain. It starts by detailing how Adam asks the two brothers to make sacrifices. It has Abel explaining why he gave his best and can explaining why he gave his worst. This is missing in the Bible account. God accepts Abel offering but not Cains. Cain is angry at this and slays his brother. God asks Cain where his brother is and he complains he is not his brother's keeper. God knows what Cain has done and drives him away and curses him as punishment.

Noah's Flood

This play covers from Noah being told to build the ark, to Noah being told to go forth and multiply. Noah's family is present when he is told to build the ark. Together they build the Ark and house the animals. The ark has a mast in this account but does not in the Bible. Once everything is set his wife refuses to get on the ark but eventually is persuaded and just in time. They are on the ark 40 days and then Noah releases both a raven and a dove. He does this only once unlike the account in the Bible. The dove returns with an olive leaf and Noah and his family get out of the Ark. God then promises to never flood the world again. He also gives the rainbow as a sign.

Reflections on the Miracle Plays 1-5

The Creation, and the fall of Lucifer

This is a story that is only alluded to in the Christian bible. So the specific details while in line with what we know are fabrications. That being said it is all in line with the bible accounts.

The focus on the greatness of God is to be expected in this work. that being said it is interesting how much time is taken just to glorify him. 

The portrayal of Lucifer is interesting. You do not see any of the sinister action and working directly against God. Those actions are attributed to Lucifer later in the narrative in the bible.

The creation of Adam and Eve

This story mashes together the creation of Adam and Eve. In the Christian bible, there is some time between Mans creation and woman. Other than that it sticks to known facts and even contains the dominion given to man over the animals.

The fall of Man

Satans line to Eve that she will be like God is pretty standard for this narrative. But this play takes it a little further and he tells her they will be like gods and worshipped. It's the worshipped part that is an additive here. Here we start to see Satan or Lucifer being more deceitful and conniving.

Cain and Abel

This play again expands on the story as it is given in the Bible. It is interesting to see how people interpreted why Cains sacrifice was unacceptable. The version given is the most likely but it is not something the Bible is specific about.

The start of the play also adds Adam emploring his sons to give sacrifices. This is an interesting interpretation. It could have been at Adams prompting or it could have been at Gods promoting. Again the Bible does not say.

Noah's Flood

Having Noah's wife be rather cantankerous is quite a change. There is no mention of her behaviour in the Bible. It is interesting to see that at least in Medieval England there was this version of her.

It is almost off-putting to see Noah reference Christ and the Apostles. He could not know of them as their place is much later in the timeline.

What others have to say about the Miracle Plays

From Mr Donn "During Medieval times most plays were religious and were used to teach people about the Bible, the lives of saints, or how to live your life the right way."

From Brittanica "By the 13th century they had become vernacularized and filled with unecclesiastical elements. They had been divorced from church services and were performed at public festivals"

Comparisons with other texts

The Main comparison here is with the Bible. I have noted some of this in the discussion and summary of the stories.

Generally, the Plays take the story and embellish it. In most cases, these seem logical and are nice additions to the narrative. But the addition of an almost rebellious wife to the Noah story seems a bit out of place. Noah and his family are chosen because of their righteousness so it makes no sense that she would not obey her husband.

Conclusion

The stories so far have been from Genesis in the Bible. They tend to be embellishments of the stories. They have covered The fall of Lucifer, the creation and fall of man. As well as the first murder and the great flood. This is not the end of the collection. Rather it is the start and there will be two more posts on these miracle plays as well as the everyman play.

Have you read The Miracle Plays? If so what did you think of it? 

 
Want to read The Miracle Plays but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of The Miracle Plays.