5
1
Children's Stories In English Literature - From Taliesin to Shakespeare
by Henrietta Christian Wright
Henrietta Christian Wright
Children's Stories In English Literature - From Taliesin to Shakespeare
by Henrietta Christian Wright
Henrietta Christian Wright
eBook
$0.99
Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
WANT A NOOK?
Explore Now
Related collections and offers
LEND ME®
See Details
0.99
In Stock
Overview
"The author selects prominent events and of these gives a concise yet graphic account. Her fresh and animated style imparts a new interest to these oft-told stories, and insures the absorbed attention of old as well as young."
—The Critic.
***
CONTENTS
Chapter I. The Old British Songs
Chapter II. The Old Saxon Songs
Chapter III. Caedmon
Chapter IV. The Venerable Bede
Chapter V. King Alfred
Chapter VI. The Romance of King Arthur
Chapter VII. Robin Hood: the Hero of the People
Chapter VIII. Langlande—Gower
Chapter IX. Sir John Mandeville
Chapter X. Geoffrey Chaucer
Chapter XI. Wickliffe
Chapter XII. Caxton
Chapter XIII. Edmund Spenser and The Faëry Queene
Chapter XIV. Sir Philip Sidney
Chapter XV. The Rise of the Drama
***
An excerpt from the beginning of:
CHAPTER XV.
THE RISE OF THE DRAMA.
Among other great literary events which distinguished the sixteenth century and made it the most remarkable in the history of English literature, must be counted the development of the drama.
But although the art of writing plays reached its greatest height during this period, its beginnings were very humble, and were due to the wants and amusements of the people at a time far distant from the days of Elizabeth.
Like the poetry of Cædmon, the English drama had its origin in religious feeling, and dates back to the time when the great body of the nation was still almost entirely ignorant of books, and depended upon the popular traditions, romances, and stories for all interests outside their daily life.
And as the people were taught by these stories to honor courage, knighthood, and loyalty, the priests tried in the same way to teach the doctrines of Christianity by bringing them forward in a way that would interest the people and hold their attention.
The stories of the Bible and the legends of the saints were familiar to the people only through the pictures which were painted on the walls of the churches, and the stories which they heard from the lips of the priests or other religious instructors.
The Bible was written only in Greek or Latin, and could be read only by the learned; and although it might have been put into the language of the people as easily as any other book, the priests did not think this, for it was one of their most cherished beliefs that the ignorant could not be made to understand the great mysteries taught by the Church, and that the Bible in the hands of the peasant could only do him harm.
For this reason, when it seemed desirable to teach the people more of Bible or Church history than could be taught by pictures, or in sermons, a custom arose of presenting scenes of a religious nature in the form of plays; and these plays, written by monks and acted by priests and students from the schools, were the beginnings of the English drama.
When such a play dealt with the life of a saint it was called a Miracle Play—when it had for its subject the Bible-stories it was called a Mystery.
These plays were given on religious festivals, or on any anniversary of importance; the stage was built within the cathedral, and the play was a part of the service for the day, and was generally given during the time which would have been occupied by the reading of the Lesson.
In these plays the stage was generally divided into three platforms, one above the other, representing Heaven, Earth, and Hell, and holding the angels, human beings, and fiends, who were supposed to take part in the performance. The costumes of the actors were as magnificent as could be obtained, it being thought no harm to use the priests' vestments when the priests themselves were the actors, and all the ornaments and service of the church were considered available for the purposes of the play.
Sometimes these plays were very long, and often occupied a week in the performance. Great pains were taken to make the scenes and dialogues as natural as possible, and the whole play was followed, day after day, by the interested audience, many of whom for the first time realized the solemnity and meaning of the stories they had often heard before. The first miracle plays given in England were acted probably soon after the Conquest. Among the earlier ones was the play of St. Catharine, which was performed in French about the year 1119. This custom of giving a play on a saint's day or other holy day was introduced from France by the Norman priests, and the play of St. Catharine was a favorite one with the English peasants, who learned, by the miracles represented, and the faithful picture of the martyrdom of St. Catharine as acted by the priests, a lesson of devotion and fidelity to principle, while being entertained by the unfamiliar method of instruction....
—The Critic.
***
CONTENTS
Chapter I. The Old British Songs
Chapter II. The Old Saxon Songs
Chapter III. Caedmon
Chapter IV. The Venerable Bede
Chapter V. King Alfred
Chapter VI. The Romance of King Arthur
Chapter VII. Robin Hood: the Hero of the People
Chapter VIII. Langlande—Gower
Chapter IX. Sir John Mandeville
Chapter X. Geoffrey Chaucer
Chapter XI. Wickliffe
Chapter XII. Caxton
Chapter XIII. Edmund Spenser and The Faëry Queene
Chapter XIV. Sir Philip Sidney
Chapter XV. The Rise of the Drama
***
An excerpt from the beginning of:
CHAPTER XV.
THE RISE OF THE DRAMA.
Among other great literary events which distinguished the sixteenth century and made it the most remarkable in the history of English literature, must be counted the development of the drama.
But although the art of writing plays reached its greatest height during this period, its beginnings were very humble, and were due to the wants and amusements of the people at a time far distant from the days of Elizabeth.
Like the poetry of Cædmon, the English drama had its origin in religious feeling, and dates back to the time when the great body of the nation was still almost entirely ignorant of books, and depended upon the popular traditions, romances, and stories for all interests outside their daily life.
And as the people were taught by these stories to honor courage, knighthood, and loyalty, the priests tried in the same way to teach the doctrines of Christianity by bringing them forward in a way that would interest the people and hold their attention.
The stories of the Bible and the legends of the saints were familiar to the people only through the pictures which were painted on the walls of the churches, and the stories which they heard from the lips of the priests or other religious instructors.
The Bible was written only in Greek or Latin, and could be read only by the learned; and although it might have been put into the language of the people as easily as any other book, the priests did not think this, for it was one of their most cherished beliefs that the ignorant could not be made to understand the great mysteries taught by the Church, and that the Bible in the hands of the peasant could only do him harm.
For this reason, when it seemed desirable to teach the people more of Bible or Church history than could be taught by pictures, or in sermons, a custom arose of presenting scenes of a religious nature in the form of plays; and these plays, written by monks and acted by priests and students from the schools, were the beginnings of the English drama.
When such a play dealt with the life of a saint it was called a Miracle Play—when it had for its subject the Bible-stories it was called a Mystery.
These plays were given on religious festivals, or on any anniversary of importance; the stage was built within the cathedral, and the play was a part of the service for the day, and was generally given during the time which would have been occupied by the reading of the Lesson.
In these plays the stage was generally divided into three platforms, one above the other, representing Heaven, Earth, and Hell, and holding the angels, human beings, and fiends, who were supposed to take part in the performance. The costumes of the actors were as magnificent as could be obtained, it being thought no harm to use the priests' vestments when the priests themselves were the actors, and all the ornaments and service of the church were considered available for the purposes of the play.
Sometimes these plays were very long, and often occupied a week in the performance. Great pains were taken to make the scenes and dialogues as natural as possible, and the whole play was followed, day after day, by the interested audience, many of whom for the first time realized the solemnity and meaning of the stories they had often heard before. The first miracle plays given in England were acted probably soon after the Conquest. Among the earlier ones was the play of St. Catharine, which was performed in French about the year 1119. This custom of giving a play on a saint's day or other holy day was introduced from France by the Norman priests, and the play of St. Catharine was a favorite one with the English peasants, who learned, by the miracles represented, and the faithful picture of the martyrdom of St. Catharine as acted by the priests, a lesson of devotion and fidelity to principle, while being entertained by the unfamiliar method of instruction....
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940015939743 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | OGB |
| Publication date: | 11/05/2012 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 624 KB |
From the B&N Reads Blog
Page 1 of