A Comparison of Medieval and Renaissance Eras, in terms of Drama
It is amazing how aspects of society can and will change so significantly over the course of a few hundred years. Between the time periods of the Medieval era and the Renaissance, one can note numerous significant changes, mainly those pertaining to religion and art, and specifically, drama. In Medieval times, people seemed to rely mainly on the church and God for their entertainment purposes; whereas during the Renaissance, the focus was more secular: humans and life on earth. In general, ideals and subjects evolved from unquestionable Church dogma (and therefore very safe subject matter) to ideas that focused on the questions of humanity (and therefore creating an unstable and unsettling universe.) The evolution from the Medieval dogma to the humanistic focus of the Renaissance is apparent through the dramatic texts of the time. Although these two eras differ in many other ways, the most illustrated differences deal with the realm of drama, starting with the Medieval Cycle dramas and culminating in Shakespeare's King Lear. Drama noticeably shifted from religious awe to classical reason between the Medieval era and the Renaissance. During the Middle Ages, drama was aimed mainly at making advancements in
When King Lear gives up his kingdom to his daughters, he is quick to dismiss any truth not to his liking. He is convinced that the world is an absolute, that he has absolute power and that he will never lose it. He has no need to listen to anything but flattery. And it all goes downhill for King Lear because he gives his kingdom to his dishonest daughters Regan and Goneril who are willing to flatter through forked tongues. Lear, in a fit of rage, disowns his honest daughter Cordelia for telling him a plain truth. He loses everything, including his power, money, family, and life. King Lear's reign ends because of his foolishness and his corrupt daughters deceit. His once mighty grip upon his kingdom is now nullified and he's just left with just a memory of his rule. People still regarded him the king, however he has no money and no power. In Act IV, Scene 6, we see Lear dressed in wild berries and donning a crown made from weeds -- Lear has begun to see clearly and still believes himself to be a King, but, more realistically, a King of nothing. "Then it all crashes down and you break your crown.." the church. Thus, the Cycle Dramas or English Passion Plays were performed with the permission and "help" of the church. It is thought that church clergy probably wrote the playlets and then gave it over to the Guilds to be performed. Although the appearance of the Cycle Dramas seems unimaginative and commonplace at a first glance, there are some striking innovations in terms of furthering a dramatic structure. This is the first time we see the use of a double plot in which the honored and revered story is compared to a similar situation but of a base (and most times, immoral) story. A perfect example of this is in The Second Shepard's Play where Mak and Mak's wife, Gill, imitate the glorious scene of Christ's birth in the manger by putting the stolen lamb in a basket and pretending it is a baby. Almost every Cycle Drama has a similar structure, and the dramas that came after the Cycle Dramas continue to use this structure. We can see the double plot/sub plot structure becoming more and more significant and taking on more importance in plays such as Gorboduc, The Spanish Tragedy, most of Shakespeare's works, and ultimately in King Lear. The steadfast, secure world of the Medieval age was at an end.
Some common words found in the essay are:
, King Lear's, Renaissance Medieval, Medieval Renaissance, Middle Ages, Lear Shakespeare, King Lear, Passion Plays, Cycle Dramas, Plays Everyman, king lear, subject matter, cycle dramas, middle ages, medieval era, medieval era renaissance, passion plays, era renaissance, king lear's, medieval world, english passion, english passion plays, safe secure world, king lear kingdom, king lear shakespeare,
Approximate Word count = 1604
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
