Morality Plays and Allegory
Introduction
The medieval period
of English drama is characterized by its religious foundations and didactic
purposes. Among the various forms of early drama, Morality Plays hold a significant position due to their
use of allegory to convey
Christian ethics and moral lessons. While evolving from Liturgical and Mystery Plays, morality plays represent a
transition from strictly Biblical representations to more abstract, symbolic
explorations of good and evil within the human soul. These plays are crucial
for understanding the development of character, symbolism, and thematic
complexity in English drama.
1. Origin and Historical Background
Morality plays
flourished in Europe between the 14th and
16th centuries, particularly in England
during the 15th century. Rooted
in Christian theology, they
emerged as a response to the Church’s effort to educate the largely illiterate
population through engaging theatrical performances.
·
The genre evolved from religious sermons, Biblical pageants, and didactic traditions
of the Church.
·
As opposed to Miracle and Mystery plays (which
dramatized the lives of saints or Bible stories), morality plays featured fictional protagonists
representing Everyman—an archetype of
the common human being.
2. Features of Morality Plays
a.
Didactic Purpose
The core function
was moral instruction—teaching
the audience how to live a virtuous life and avoid sin. The overarching theme
was the salvation of the soul.
b. Use
of Allegory
Allegory is the
defining element of morality plays. Abstract qualities such as Virtue, Vice, Death, Knowledge, Good Deeds, and
the Seven Deadly Sins were personified
and brought to the stage.
c.
Psychological Drama
They often
dramatize the inner conflict of the soul,
focusing on the choices an individual must make between good and evil.
d.
Symbolism
Characters,
settings, and actions were symbolic
representations. For instance, the journey of the protagonist often
symbolized the journey of life toward death and judgment.
e.
Universality
The protagonist
usually represented Everyman, making the
lessons applicable to all individuals
regardless of social or economic class.
3. Structure of Morality Plays
The typical
morality play follows a chronological and
spiritual journey:
1.
Introduction of
the protagonist (often called Everyman, Mankind, or Humanum Genus).
2.
Temptation and
fall into sin via encounters with characters representing vices or
worldly distractions.
3.
Realization and
repentance, often aided by allegorical figures like Good Deeds or
Knowledge.
4.
Final judgment,
usually death, where the protagonist’s fate is determined based on his actions.
4. Famous Morality Plays
i. Everyman (Anonymous)
·
The most famous morality play, likely written in
the late 15th century.
·
Explores the inevitability of death and the need
for spiritual readiness.
·
Major allegorical characters: Everyman, Death,
Fellowship, Goods, Good Deeds, Knowledge, Confession.
·
Theme: Only Good
Deeds accompanies a person after death.
ii. Mankind (Anonymous)
·
A more comic and energetic play, often featuring
humorous vice characters.
·
Illustrates the struggle of a Christian man
against temptation.
·
Demonstrates the balance between entertainment and didacticism.
iii. The Castle of Perseverance (c. 1425)
·
One of the earliest complete morality plays.
·
Set in a symbolic castle, it represents the human soul’s battle between
good and evil over a lifetime.
5. Allegory: Concept and Significance
Definition
Allegory
is a narrative technique in which characters,
settings, and events symbolize abstract
ideas or moral qualities.
Functions
in Morality Plays
·
Makes complex
theological ideas accessible to lay audiences.
·
Creates a multi-layered
meaning—literal and metaphorical.
·
Enhances the emotional and spiritual engagement of the audience.
Literary
Importance
·
Allegory paved the way for later literary
traditions, including:
o The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser
o Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
·
Prefigures modern psychological and existential
drama where internal dilemmas are externalized through dramatic form.
6. Legacy and Transition
Morality plays
declined with the rise of Renaissance
Humanism and secular theatre,
especially after the emergence of the Interludes
and Elizabethan drama.
However, their
legacy remains in:
·
The symbolic
characterization seen in works by Shakespeare and Marlowe.
·
The moral
questioning and inner conflict central to modern drama.
·
The thematic influence in 20th-century existential plays, such as Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and T.S. Eliot’s Murder
in the Cathedral.
7. Relevance to UGC NET
Understanding morality plays is essential for:
·
Tracing the development of English drama from religious to secular.
·
Appreciating the interplay of literature, theology, and philosophy.
·
Examining how allegory informs structure and characterisation.
·
Analyzing the didactic function of early literature.
UGC NET aspirants should be able to:
·
Compare morality plays with miracle/mystery
plays.
·
Identify the function of allegory.
·
Contextualize morality plays within medieval
religious and cultural life.
·
Draw parallels with later dramatic and literary
forms.
Conclusion
Morality plays
represent a vital moment in the evolution of English drama, where theatre
served both spiritual edification and
public entertainment. Their use of allegory to explore the eternal battle between virtue
and vice offers enduring insights into human nature. For students and scholars,
especially those preparing for the UGC
NET English exam, these plays offer a foundation for understanding how
drama evolved as a literary form, influencing both content and structure of later dramatic traditions.
I. PREVIOUS YEAR UGC NET QUESTIONS
1. Which of the following is a famous morality play?
(UGC NET –
2015)
A. The Wakefield Second Shepherds' Play
B. Everyman
C. The Mystery of Adam
D. Noah’s Flood
Answer: B. Everyman
2. In the play Everyman,
who finally accompanies Everyman to the grave?
(UGC NET –
2013)
A. Fellowship
B. Knowledge
C. Good Deeds
D. Beauty
Answer: C. Good Deeds
3. Morality plays are chiefly characterized by:
(UGC NET –
2018)
A. Realistic representation of human life
B. Biblical dramatizations
C. Allegorical characters representing moral qualities
D. Historical figures in conflict
Answer: C. Allegorical
characters representing moral qualities
4. Which of the following is NOT a morality play?
A. Everyman
B. Mankind
C. The Castle of Perseverance
D. Doctor Faustus
Answer: D. Doctor Faustus
(Doctor Faustus is a Renaissance tragedy
influenced by morality elements but not a morality play in the strict sense.)
II. Newly Framed MCQs for Practice
5. What is the primary theme of morality plays?
A. The struggle for political power
B. The journey of the soul toward salvation
C. Romantic entanglements of nobility
D. Satirical depiction of society
Answer: B. The journey of the
soul toward salvation
6. In morality plays, the central character often represents:
A. A saint or biblical figure
B. The monarch
C. An abstract idea
D. Everyman or humanity as a whole
Answer: D. Everyman or
humanity as a whole
7. The vice character in morality plays was primarily meant to:
A. Teach legal doctrines
B. Provide comic relief and temptation
C. Represent historical villains
D. Narrate the plot
Answer: B. Provide comic
relief and temptation
8. Which of the following best defines allegory?
A. A narrative using regional dialect
B. A story with one literal and one symbolic meaning
C. A historical retelling of factual events
D. A dialogue-heavy dramatic form
Answer: B. A story with one
literal and one symbolic meaning
9. Which play is considered the earliest complete extant morality
play?
A. Mankind
B. Everyman
C. The Castle of Perseverance
D. The Pride of Life
Answer: C. The Castle of Perseverance
10. The structure of morality plays typically follows:
A. Political rise and fall
B. Conversion and fall of a religious figure
C. Temptation, fall, repentance, and salvation
D. Satirical commentary on society
Answer: C. Temptation, fall,
repentance, and salvation
11. The character ‘Knowledge’ in Everyman plays what role?
A. Judge
B. Guide toward salvation
C. Tempter
D. Comic relief
Answer: B. Guide toward
salvation
12. Allegory as a literary device is primarily used to:
A. Entertain through suspense
B. Reveal hidden meanings through symbolic characters and events
C. Present a straightforward narrative
D. Showcase historical truths
Answer: B. Reveal hidden
meanings through symbolic characters and events
13. Which of the following Renaissance plays draws heavily from the
tradition of morality plays?
A. The
Spanish Tragedy
B. Doctor Faustus
C. The Duchess of Malfi
D. Tamburlaine the Great
Answer: B. Doctor Faustus
14. What feature distinguishes morality plays from mystery plays?
A. Use of Latin
B. Biblical events
C. Allegorical characters and universal themes
D. Satirical tone
Answer: C. Allegorical
characters and universal themes
15. In morality plays, the ultimate concern is with:
A. Justice and legal reformation
B. Human comedy and irony
C. The fate of the soul and life after death
D. Class-based conflicts
Answer: C. The fate of the
soul and life after death
