La comédie dans Les Miracles de Nostre Dame par personnages/

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LA cocall: bANs La MWÇJ" •

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REB1WCA li. GRE1::B

Ao TUr.:SlS

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8u"'m1 ttod to the l'~t1cult.Y cf Gratiuate Stud!tla and Re8el1rch of

NcG111 l'n1vflrsity. ~ontrétll. Québec. lnd.>ar.t14~ fulfillment of t-ha r'Jflui-cP.ttlf:lnts for the del}t'~e of Mastor of Arta in Fr"nch.

1 August 19.73.

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LA QlHÉul& MNS

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1!.U11eXt~:...aiL..I:.I»I..MDI_

rAR PEaSONNAGg

Fnach Depart.ent - ~ac.r of Art.

,

PaEClS

.... Mlpel •• ~. nolto

PMt

ps"pta;.omtu'

ci . . .

• tud, ..

dre.a .,.._ GD the texc. th . . . . l . . . and GD the

pol1tlcal ....

ol1&loua

hl. tory of th • •

ra.

Suc:b

a atudy of the Klpsl ••

r.v_l.

Chat all fortl are tbe vork

of

one . . . Cl.t

"tweeD

1)39 aDd 1382, ~cI

CbaC hl. wodta C*l bt cllYlcltd lnCo c:o.acll~, blaCorl.a,

~ tre ••

cil_.

ID tbt .1dell. O," tbt llunclred Yean Var,

me . .

~C

. . . , . of cIll, QarutiaD plarvr1&bC 1. -00 DOC

cltapau.-'TIIe . . . 1:UCI:'Opbe 11 tbenfon obl1&Atory

riD

~ forey

Mlrasln.

,

..

na.

COU&"Cly c:o.adl . . an the copie ~C

-.-wt

courcly lcmI. 'rbty ... elle four accrJ.buc.a

efPeCttcl

of

.ocI .... ea.ad.1.: tbe

cc.lc.

CIl.

n.·a...

Cbe

r--taatn ...

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Reb.cea P.

Gr.e~

LA CXl4ÉplE IMBS LES

~IRA~

Dt.; NQST!!ti !WJE

.

PAR(P~_SON~_S

Dipart..-nt d' Fran9ai. - ka.t.r of Art.

,

PRECIS

Le. Miraclel de NOltr! Dam' pfr p,rlonDa~u. m6ritent

r

une i1:Ud. Ch64cral. ba.h .ur l. texte lui-même . t

.ur

l'bi.toire politlque et r.li8i.u.e d. l'ipoqu.. ~ \

Un tel examen de. Miracle. dan. l.ur cadr. fait

apparaltre que ..toua 1 •• quarante • • ont l'oeuvre d'un •• ul • dn.atur,. entre 1339 . t 1382, et que ••• oeuvre • • e

Au pleiD ailieu de 1& Guerre de Cent

An..

le ... , . principal d.

ce

clraaatur&e chriti_ •• t "Ne vou. d'.e.pk . . pa •• ri L'.ucaca.tropb. eat donc oblt.-toire -dan. toua

1 ••

quarante Miracle ••

."

~,

..

Le. comédie. courtoi.e • • ont l'araumcnt topique contre l'a.our courto~. Ell •• ont le. quatre attribut. q u ' o n ' Q attend de la cc.ldl • .ademe: le coaiqùe, l~ romane.que,

l'eucat:a.tropbe, et _1. 4_ou. ••• t beureux. ~' ~

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DQLlSH VIlS 1011

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CMPTER

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,

AM 'lIft'JtODyCrlOR TO 1'11&

"1MCJ.IS

The "lncl.. d. no.tr.

py.

PIL Ptr'0M!'U art our

l~rltance fro. th. 14th century ln • tvo-Yolu.e lilualnated manu.crlpt.l Ga.ton Parl1 and U1Y.I. Rob.rt edltld th. flr.t complete edltlon of all fort y play. (1876-1883). Thl. edltlon

•

belnA lons Ilnce exbau.ted, Johnlon Raprlnt. r.lllued lt ln 1966. AccordlnA to Gluts, th. parl.-Rob.rt e4ttion II often taulty,2 but lt

.0

far r..-ln. th. d.finitl •• on.. Tbl. th •• ll II not a .tudy of th.

"irfcl ••

for ttyllltie. but for ,h.lr valu. at llvlna'and dynamlc th . . ter.

t

Th • • xaet plac. and .ann.r of th.lr perfo~ne. are unknovn.3 Th. avallabl. lnfor.ation cone.mlna

.

the orlalnal _..

"

performanc •• o~. Minci. ~I froll th • • ra.1d rubrlc:. whlc:h Gluts dl.cov.rtd n . . r th. end of hl. .rudy of th.

Oana' manulcrlpt.4 Aft.r . . eh lnclplt,

~lc:h

A1Y" a pr6cl. of the followlnA MWcl" w.. the in.cription: -Jou6 .au 'puy

d'orl.vr •• parl.

1·an ••• • 5

vitb

t~.

y . .

r

in &a.An,nu.erel ••

For

unkDovn

r . . .

on.,

.ffort.

_ n

_dl to d.lib . . at.ly

oblit.ret. th ••• ln.cription. at tlle t1.llt th. _nuacript va.

6 .

copitd. RunDall. ha. CODttnued Glut.·. vork, .nd th. dat ••

of tventy-on. of tb. fort Y "fnç~

••

have Men •• tabll.hed ..

1 1 "

....

\ 1 t . ~'" 2 Wlth th.f.Xe.ptlOn. of th. , . . r. 1354, 1358, 1359, and 1360,

th.

pla,~

v.re p.rforMed oft •• a-y .. r fro. 1339

throU8h

1382.

7

Aeeotdlna to

Runnall.~ ~

... reb on the -puy

d;orf~.

~rl.", th. Gold.mlth Qulld val th. lftOat poverful of th • • I.X

principal Auild. ln 14th e.ntury Pa~·i •• 8 At th. tw. of the Mlctcl.. the thr •• confr~

_,

•• of the 0u11d vere th. Confr'rl.

,

Saint Elol. th. Confr'rl. Salnt Den1., and th. Confr6r1.

"o.tr. Dame d. Ilaneme.ni1.9 Th. patron of th. author of thi • . . nu.crlpt could have been th. Confr6rl. Saint El01 to whlch

all

Ao~d.mlth.

b.1onAed.10 Th. Confr'rl. Saint 1101 va. th.

rich •• t of th. thr •• confr6rl •• , po ••••• lnA .uch trea.ur •• a. j.w.l.,. $old and .11v.r obj.ct., and luxurloUi rob •• whleh

.U88 •• t theatrleal actlvlti ••• ll

Th. ldentlty of th. author

ha.',.t

to b ••• tabltlhld. ,

Cr1tle. have not b.en able to a&rl' al to wh.ther ther.

vere

on. author or . . ny. P.tit d. Jull . . 111. b.ll.ved that tb.

"Wc1 ••

v.r. wrltt.n by a .lna1. author. or b, a cire.l. UDder

. 2

hll 1nfluenc •• l Runnall. and tJ

rrenk

hav. not eo..ltted th • •

~ ,

I.lv •• to an exact nunb.r of Authon, but th.y wlt. ln tb. plural. 13 Dorothy Penn quoted HeEWIftn Sebn.ll Vbo flX ... the nwab.r of author. at tventY-lnen. Penn •• tlllated tbat th . . . w.r. on1, flft •• n or tvanty.14,15

.

On . . . n or tventy, th. autbor of tb. Mincl •• My ha ••

baen a vorldl, r.lliioui quit. f . . lllar vlth the .ecular loel.t,. Hl. dlalect .Itabll.b •• h~ a. b.1ns rra. l~. 4.

,~

~

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Franc.,16 a seosraphical advantag. which put

h~

in th. c.nter o~ the pOlitical lif. of hi • • ra. ln hi. vork i.

found, if not th. reflection of'th. 14th century, a chronlclé of it. major id.a. and a critici •• of it. fault ••

The 14th. c.ntury va. turbulent in France. Th. eentury wa. characteriz.d by the birth of nationali... France re.iated aIL foreign domination, relisiou. or po1itical. l7 On th.

religiou.-political~.v.l, the Gallican Chureh took ov.r both th.e rope and the papal chair. On th. political level, nothlns

6

avaken. a .en •• of nationalia. more than an inva.ion, and France endured a cen~y of Engli.h and anglophile lnva.lon •• "France" va • • till a confed.ration of feudal .ua.rain. Who made occa.ional prot.atation. of ob.dience to the .uaerela of

Il. d. Franc., but, fifty y . . r. befon J . . nne d'Arc and the

•

batt1. of Orlean., th. conc.pt of France a. a po1itical nation had besun to .volv.. lt would be po.aibl. to trace

• &Y

through. th. 1at.r Mlracl •• an eYolution of th. coné.pt. of royal power and of French g.ographical unity.

Tb •.• ubject. of th. Hiracl.. Ar. e10 •• ly IlDked to

. 18

contemporary political and r.lisioua event.. th. "'r!clfl ~ith " •• n.ationa1- titl •• Ar. fra. the r.isn of' Pbillip YI.

Vith th. exc.ption of

La

ftattyit' Ro.tE! S.lSQIUC

Jb.,y

cr"S,

th. fir.t .isbt,",È!el •• ,"from 1339 to 1346, are .barp

çrl-)

ticl ••• of .cc1 •• la.tic.. Th. plot. conctrn an Abbe.,' • •• duction of her •• cretary,18 a Bi.bop', -ard.r at tbe,baDd

/

J ) \ l , 1 4 -, .1 " , . . ....

of hl, Archd . . eon,19 revel-tion, of\ conf."lon bl'

a

tinA .', '

conf ••• or,

2r

roya~

IUlplelon of a

a~lhop,

21 an Abb .... ' .

neph.w'. courtlhlp of one of h.r

nuna,22

and the lal. ofo

"

dllpen"ationl.23

Ln cont~.t to the tlr.t elsht

Hirtçl'"

the nlnth, tenth, and .1ev.nth ar. quiet Itorl.1 about lalnt. ln Whlch a pen1tent Duk. re.l,t. temptatlon,24 and a holl'

81Iho~~

and

26

a pioue youn8 .-eSChant recelve 1181\-1 favori fro. the Vlrsln. The.e are dated trom 1347 to' 1149, and the impact of th. def . . t -t Cr'cy li apparent.

ln 1150, the y . . r of John Il'. coronatlon~ val played the ttr.t of the ~rtll' colHdle •• le! *",,11' d. 1. 9!udipe. Ther. would not (e another until

Ami""

bell1. ln 1165,

/

.

Charl •• V'. coronatlon y-.ar. 14 Klrquil. d. 1. G!w11p.

exc.pted, the r.lsn of John I l 1. mark.d by a bouraeol1

th . . ter. Th. Miracl •• Vere d •• tlned for a bourseol. audlence

, 27

Who could v.ll appreciat. th. bours!Oll protaaont.tl.

ln 1356, the Battle of POl,tlerl had cOlllpl.x re.uit •• Not only dld France lutfer from th. expen,e of a lonl wa~ and ravase. by aereenary band., ~ut Ihe had an enormoua ran • .,. to pay for John th. Qood who bad .urrenderect hlJa •• lf et Polt.l.rl.

tb ••• expendltur • • • ntalled .lVer. ta.e. re,ultlnA ln

rebelllon.. The Duke of Norundy, Who b.~ .. e Quarl •• V. C'OIIpe1l.s to . . . hle father'. ran.OIIl and lupprel' the Jacqulrle of 1358.28 To put tbe, f . . r of the 1.1ns" Law

•

- 1

5

Parla, th. yOURS resent .1lmlnat.d the more ~treetabl. rebel1 and

fo~de

lars. publlc a.l . . bll •••

~

l

rro-

thi. reAeney come thr •• anomoll.a ln th. hlltory of the

Kir!cL".

Ther. are ~o play. whleh b.lons to th. berlta~. of traslc theat.r,

ua

flrqlll!ln .lçonmsnlA and

lblodo,..

Then there va. th. dramatie .llene~ irom 1158 ' untll l160 caua.d by the prohibltlon of publie a •• ambli •••

Th. allane. li mArked

br

th. orlRln.l divlaion of th.

Zq

_nuacrlpt.

Upon th~ r.turn of John Il ln 1360, the theater becam. prudentl, "utlou.. Un

Cbtn01n.

qui

l'

* r l t 1. a eamedy of th • • plrltual level and ln.plratlnn of Tb'odorl and

Un

Parol'Ilan "C9nptnlA.30, Ther. i. never an

inYorvemen~

vlth polltlci. Th. thr.e

Mlrtcl.1

that folloy th.,. ver. even .ore lnnocuoua, b.ln8 alJlpl. dramatl.'ed cateehl.m •• 31

t.'

bi'i

. t Aalll" th. a.eond eourtly com.dy, celebret •• th •• year of Chail ••

V'.

a.een.lon.32 1t il .ucc ••

de~.bY-SVO

.,aterle. 01 MArtyrl,

Stips

lallS!

and S.lnt Yt11Dtin whieh

' - ,

follov th. patt.m .et by Mint Ptntbal.cin ln 1364.3.3. ln

1]~8 •. Charle.' nev Parlalan palaee, l'Het.1 Saint-Pol, wal o reedy for th.

perf~ee

of .peet.cle •• 34 That thi. y . . r

• l '

ahould produce

Oyl,oyrç,

lo·re.lni.cent of

UR

Parall'llA

, \

. I C O " , " , fbhdqn, and Un Cbln9in' qui I l

M'li

1. a, IDOlt ) . .

t~ordlnary ~incid.nc

••

3'

,

,,: l

f

-6

~ , ~

.

Th,

tres.dy

of

QUiboyrS

1. follov.~ by • • • ri •• of

\ r , )

co~rtly'com.dl •••

L'lPPsrtri'

AI

Bomml

ln 1)&9 l. a r.-workln8 of th. 1310 ~ ",;qui •• 4.

11

Qfydlo ... OtbgD'and

B.rtb.q~

r.fl.ct the

~or.lln

aillane •• of th. p.rlnd.37

I.rtb ••

BPy tbi.çry, and

Bab"t

11

PYIkla

Ar. popuiar fl~ur •• from Fr.nch fol~lor., and th. joyou. Mlncll ,

LI

fil1. st'UD

W.

crown. th. d.ead. of eom.di.A.18 Thft four .xe.ptlonl to

L

tht. f.stiva l of eomedy,v.r. Salat

J'haD

II PtuLu, hemit •• a dr.ary r.turn to th. Miracl •• 'of Philllp,Vr'.

~.lAn.'9

40 '

Saintl 'auth.ucb, an apolo.y for royal pov.r. and fi,rrl

4'1

l , çhanA~ and

Un

~rdbant It

un

JY1L:

both condemnatlons of'avarie. and comm.ndatlon. of ~.n.ro.lty.

, Nf

fill.

d'un

'01 t. th. \.~t play of Charl •• V'. r.lAn.

Hl. 80n, Charl •• VI, wa • • tili a chl~d, provoklna anoth.r

r'8.nc~ durin. whlch unel •• of th. youn8 kinA dt.puted Amon, , 'V ~

th.m •• lv •• 'for th. royal pov.r. Th. author of ;th. Mlpte1,.

,t/'"

~n.8.r dar.d ;,~ drama-tla. polltte.. I.tv •• n th. d . . tl\

of Charl •• V and th • • ll.ne. l.po.ed by a new prohibltlon of publlc ••• embly in .. rly 1383, h. vrot. thr . . lrinoeuou. play.

1

whleh contlnued to di.play th'JdlV.lop . . . nt of hl. d~ . . tlc abillty.

Sliot Lor.n.

r.turn. to the ~rtyr. of th.

'60'.,

.'

Cloyl. 1. h~lf eat.chl.m, hall .poloSY for royal

pav."

and

Salot 61111, 1. th. exp.rt dra.atl.atlon of an old and

42 r •• p.cted romane •• 1 J > , /

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" 7 tI

SllU &1"1, 1. the la. t of tb.

Min,l.,. .

ln 1382. ~.

re.eIle. NlIapo.ed th.' taxu Qaarl •• V aboll'h.a b.for. ~l. .

1

•

d~,th. enee . . .

ln,

tb.re Wlre reb.l11on. and

th.

problbltl.on

o~ publl~ ••• .-bit ... Dot ,",tld Vith

o.

ft..,

"

.

, ,r 1 ,

.

~t1 "', ~ " • ••

Tb. repeal of tbi, probibitlon .a,

• , 4'3

"Incl. d.

".m

PMt.

"\ .' ,~. " Q • .. :: " J/

-<-.

, , ~\

---

... - ' , .-r " 0 . . . '4. o c ,

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.

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~\ • .lr ' 1~

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fOOTMOTlS CW.PTER 1

.

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1.

1. Cana' Manu.crlpt. 819

&

820. albl(othlqu. Natlonal

a

P.rl.. J.P.G. Ch.rtre d. CAna'. a ~onnol ••• ur of t~ Hedl.val. 8.v. hl. collection of . . nu.crlpta to the

crovn

ln 1733. AccortUnA to Runnall. (RoNDet PlUlolg.,_22.

'.

(1968) 218.222) ~h. manu.crlpt . . y have been oo.al •• loned by th. P.rl.l.n Gold •• lth • • • • alft for younl Cbarl ••

VI.

a connol ••• ur of th. theat.r. ' Charle . . . , have donated _. lt to the Confr6rl. d. 1. P •• 'lon. for~ ln 1402. ln

1676, th.

~~.

dl •• olved .nd lt •••••

t~

.old. "

2.

The 'tim. lap •• b.ewe.n thl. dl.per •• l and the acqul.ltlon of

~

_1:~

manu.crlpt

br

CanA' v •• ' pro":b11 no t' too 10ns.

_, 1 • •

l-Grah.m A. Runnal1a. MintroductionM,

LI

Mlrlcl. d. l'lD-eant r t •• u,;tt' (P.rl,: Oro a, . t Mln.ret, 1912>-, PP.

xvlll-xlx.

.

3. lt would b . . . ,1er for ua to lN',l.,e th • •

ta.ln,

of the ••

(

Mlrfcl,. lf ther. vert bl.torleal informatlon a. to the tLme .nd pl.ce of tb.ir perforeAQce. Do th., be10~1 to

the open-alr th_t.r or vere tbey Great

.

Hall ,p.cta.cl . . ,

0,

,

wh.ther lndoore or OU~.

"

•

Î

1 ,

.

,

..

9 <.

crovdlnA tos.tber .an.lon. on a .ca~fo1dlnA. Dorotby

Pean vrot. ber tb •• l . ba.ed on the aeceptance of till.

pnal ••

a.

Ch. on17

po,.

lb 1. _thod for produclna the

•

Four to t.n .an.10b vould ... .,....

6. requs.r.ct. vblcb vou1d

ba".

Men. cu.ber . . . . but

po •• lb1 •• A

B. The

.econd

po •• lbl11t,.

1 • •

tJlp1 • • caffo1dllla, vltbout

-.talon •• It vou1d be unca.p1lf-ted to produee, an,.

of the IMA:~'" on a quaal-Ell"Mtban atas. Vith a

an l.nner

·dM...r-

tbat could be

eoneealed Vith

~.in.

Prop. and furniabinaa are

~---....

•• ldOia n.eded. and tboa.

carrled on .caae

a.

part

d~loaue. , If -the MUeel.a vere

tlon lndlcet~ b,.

for.ed iD • cburcb.

tbl. _CbocI vould baye b4MD praetlcal.

c.

Tb. Cblrd _tbod cou1d baYe beeD tb . . ter-ln-tbe-round.

vbleb va • • • t:abll.~ b,. tbat tt.e. ba a sreat bal1. tbe audlence vould be . . . ted a. lf for a lIOdern

\

ba.ket-bal1 _ . on f100r 1-..1 or ln balconl ••• 1'b.e

u.ns

aa t ln the ar.. of' CM

-"ent

.ta ... C

Open-.lr-th . . t_-lD-tb ... ~ .ppean to ...

u..ol"ed the apeceaton. 1'be ·Place· would be la tbe eeater of the . . . . ltbeater aDd th . . . lODa wou1cl "

altuated 0Il the pert.at . . . D

0,..

J . " < ~ :~ Ho.

-~

,'" "

<,

" ,< _ ..:: ... 1i~. ~ .~.

-•

'

~

.•

10

A. Dorothy P.nn, .Tht StaSW of tb. Migsl •• d.

.

no.tn Dy. pte ,.r,oMl'" of

Ma·

CID"

(N,~'

York: Publieatlon. of th. In.tltut. of Franeh Studl •• , lne., Columbla Unlv.r.lt,. 1933), Pp.

14.20 •

. 8'. Glynn. Wiekhall.

1iIEJ.,

In.~i.b Sta . . . ,

_.

1300-1660,

(London: Routl.dS'

&

'-aan Paul,

1959), l, 172.

173.

Ineid.nt.ll" th. eurtaln f.ll to r.v.al th • • tag. and ncst to ,sons .. l lt, wh.lsh .l.IIpllfltd,

th. _ch.nleal n •• d. to a bar and .ome rop.. -:' ln thl. 14th santury aa. of taPlltrl •• , lt 1 •

po •• lbl. to eon.ld.r that curt.ln',v.r. palnt.d. (

'.

C.

Wlckham.

l, 213.215.

Ascordinl to sbronlcl •• from th. pstiod, thl •

.

f •• hlon of pr •• antlna ."ctacl.. va. prastic!d ln th. court of Q\arl •• Y at th. Mt.l Saint 'Ql.

D. Richard South.m, Th! Mt41lYal lbMt.r in

SNt

Round

(London: r.b.~

&

'ab.r,

1957).

4. Qre~ A. Runnall •• "lntroductlon". L'EpfIA' RI.u.it', p.

xv.

\ 1 " ;; :j

'.

~

J

.,

:J.

. , " ,,~tJ,:_ , . ...:<1 >j." ~ 1.. ... 11 : .... ~l!'..tr l?" ~

'.

•

6.

..

Th.re 1. qul t. a 11 t.rary quarrel a. to probable rea.on ••

ln

Romanç.

Phl101oSlA 12, (1959) 240-243. Grae. F~nk

wrlt •• that all trac. of the !old.mith. who had fallen from royal favor had to b. remov.d by th. Confr6ri. d. la Passlon, h.ir. of th. manuscript., who asplred to royal favor. Graham A. Runnall. b.liev •• that th. rubric. v.r • • ra •• d at th. tlme of copying, for th. scrlb. had blunderlnsly copl.d informatIon u •• l.ss to • gift anthology. (Romance PhilologX, 22. (1968) 15-22) 7. Graham A. Runnalls, "Th. Mirael •• d. HOltr. Dy\! ptr

p.r,onpagll: Era.ur.s ln th. MS. and Dat •• of th. Play. and th. 'S.rventol.,", Philologie.l Quart.rlv. 4~.(1970)

22-25.

8. . Runn.ll. has accomplished major r . . . . reh on th. Gold-.mith., publi.h.d in HtdiU;

A.vum,

39 (1970) 257-287. Th. Gold.mith. had th. r~ch •• t Guild in Pari. durlns th. 13th and 14th c.nturi.. and w.r. r.eo!ftiaed a. th • .o.t Lmportant Qulld after 1330. 'B.lnl v~ry privl1'led. lt va. not r~uired to furnl.h men for th. "guet" (a

proto-genda~.ri. vlth which the kinS charged th. bourS!Ol.) and was aranted i ta own . . . 1.

,

Wltb oth.r gul1d., th. Gold.mlth. had tb. rl&ht of .nnual a •• !l'Dbly to .l.ct lt. suard.. Th.y dld not ha".

.

.

• OulleS' Hall untll ,1402. and po •• lbly ••• ..,led At! SalDt

Jo ••• CburCh, in th. n.l&hborbood of the a..t.ll.t~

.,l

... ~~ .

~

.,

•

12

Upon Cb • .arrla •• of Quarl •• YI to ' . . beau d ... lk'e.

the Oold . . ltba preaented Ch. klns vltb rlch slft ••

Perbap. the - . . nuaerlt

eana,·

va. pre.ented at thl.

occa.lon. ntd~ AtyyI. op.clt., pp. 277-279.

)

9. Wlthln the 8ulld •• whlc:h VIere .coaa.lc or8Anlsatlon.,

)

__ vere _-.. U. confrirl ••• nllaloua and .oclal orsanl . . Clon ••

becUcated to the •• rvlce of a par'Cleular .alnt, a

con-fr6rle va,. ln effect, th • • oclal .ecurlty .y.t_ of tb.

perlod. Tb . . . r. h.lped _ch other •• broth . . . .

Wh.ther lt va • • ,apportlna th. f . . l1y of a .1ek conf~re.

or Pnlyln8 for th. dead. The eonfrirle recelved lt.

fund. fra. the 8u11d •• lt bad' certaln rlaht. to flne.

~.ed on ..-ber. by the Aul1d for lnf~ctlon of rul •••

.

t'ben. could be •• v.nl confrirl •• ln • 8ulld or .everal

sul let. ln on. eonfrirl ••

The Confrirl. Salnt Denl., foUDded ln 1202,

con-cerned lt •• lf .o.tly vlth tb • • plrl~l llf. of -..bera,

!

.ponaortna . . . pllart.a~.a. and

won.

of _rcy. Tb.

Confrirl. lIoacr. 0... d. llaJIc.eanll. founcled ln tbe 14tb

century, ,... related to the cburch of Ilan~.nll. a

... lllaS. ln tb. vlclnlt.Y of Parl.. The acclvltl •• of thl~

confrirl. are llttl. knOVD. but the cburcb - . an

t.por-.

tant ceater for pilat"" •• for aold . . ltha and otben 1ft _,

~.

14th And 15tb ceaturl...

1114",.

6uw.

01' clt. 211-6.

~

.

'

.

• 1

~

' .,

..

' . . ' .J" ... "'r ~, .. ,~ ... iî:t:."'~ ___ IiIN!. . .;?

..

-,

.

10.

13

"1)

_ • .ver

m . . .

benblp of • sulld .nd • confr'rl.

colnclded. tb. two to •• ther ver. alloveeS only on. annual

~ion ln C11 Ion to .l.ct both auard. for th. lulld

.nd procurateura tor tb. contr'rl.. Thl. • •• tina v.~

known a. tb.lr · . i . ' . · . · ••• .-bl'.·. or .puy".

Ordl-.

urll,.. tb. puy convened ln the cburch tr.quen t.d by th.

contrAri. or ln a ball adjointna th. cburcb. on th. d.t.

ot

tb.lr f . . . t or th. followlns Sunday. ,Th • • ftalr

la.tecl al1 day. Tb. thr . . prlnclpal event. v.re a . . .

• banquet. and tb • • l.ctlon of otttc.r.. ln 'addltlon to

th . . . actlvltl ••• reyal cl.-.ncy .lloved the . . . bly

·to do a11 that 1. lawful and hon •• t p.rt.lnln! to a

eonfrir~.· )

The Gold •• lth.' . . . tlns. v.r • • eheduled betw . . . th.

tillrd of Dece.ber and tb. 2Stb of January. r.lati ... ly

neer tb. f . . . t of Saint Elol ( h c " " " 1) and tbe f . . . t

of Saint Andrew (Mo ... ..., . . 30) whlch b.san th. n_ J . . r

tor Dewl, .l.cted oftlci.l..

_..

RunDall ••

HldkYI 61!Y' •

op.clt., PP. 264-27S. '

11. Rannall., HldiUl

6IJYI,

op.cit., P. 283.

owa.nb1p b,. tbe Confr6rl. Salnt lio1 ot propert"

.uaa ..

tlDa t~trical .ctl .. lty do •• not ~p11 tha~ tb •

. . . perfo~ tbe MinCi... Play.r-troop. of ta.

IU.ddl. As" and _ _ l . l . c e 4iXpected tb.lr patronl to \

, )

,,'.

14

The famou. rubrlc: "joui au puy d'orfevre. paTl."

i . ambiguou.. Flr.t, what 1. the meanlng of "puy" ln thl. in. tance? Sbould it be deflned a. "meetlng" or "confr'rle"? Doe. the preposition "au"· tranalate to "by" or Ilto"?

Thare are tbree po •• ibl. explanation. for the rubrlc:

1. The Goidamlth mem~.r. piayed the roi •• during thelr annual a •• embly.

2. The Gold.mith JIlem~er.

_,

performed before a large

'"\

publlc a •• embly.

3. A company of actor. performed for the Gold.mith. t

annual a •• embly and perhap. for otber a •• 8mblle •• If the Gold.mith member. performed the Miracle., th~

were the tiret guild to produce a Miracle or a My.tery in" the vernacular. ln England, tbe gullda dld Rot per.

form the My.terle'. untll the .l •• t quarter of the l4th ceneury. (Wlckham, l, 125). If lt ,1. accepted that other th . . trleal fa.hlon. rapldly cro •• ed t~e Engll.h Channel, tbe 1 t would be unllkely that the Engli.h Go1d.mltb. vere content to m~ before tbelr king flfty

y . . r. after thelr French oonfrar.. bad performed th.

fir.t Miracl ••

\.

A company of actor. could bave p.rfo~ the

HlIIC\ ••

\,

for the Goid •• lth.. Thl. 1. a probabl.~hypothe.i. becaua. di.tribution o~ part. allowa the play.ra to Act more tban

..

,

•

•

on. rol.. P.rhap. an .bb.y perforaed for th. Gulld. An .bb.y could .upport a sroup

ot

the. plan manu and _t.ad

th. ca.t to nun. for f.t.nln. rol... A nun_ vould bave b.en .ff.ctlv. ln rol •• for the Vlrlln, •• lnte, and .bb... Th. younS "heroin •• " eould have been boy., but for a boy ta .ct th_ Vlrsln wou1d have arouaecl the .p.ct.tor.'

.en ..

of the lncon&ruou,. ~h. Vlrsln of th. Hiracl •• 1. r.Sal, not rldieulou ••

12. P.tit d. Ju11evl1l., ~Hy.t'rt., (Parl., 1880), l, 121.

" \ 'J

13. Grac. Frank, Th. M!dl",a1 Fr.nch Dr!D!!. (Clar.ndon Pre •• ,

1954) 124.

Gr.ham A. Runnall., "Introduction", L'lnf.nt Relu.ltt,

p.

xxx.

14. Dorothy Penn,

th!

Sta&1oS of tb. Mlr.cl •• dl No.tE'

peea

p!r

"",onnas"

of

tIt.

Canal.

p. 10.

15. 1 b.ll.v • • • ingl. I.niua wrot. the fort y Hlracl ••• Thi. b.ll.t w •• p.r.onal and intultiv. a. 1 raad th •

..

Hirlcl •• $Wo tlma. b.fore read~ critte.' oplnion ••.

1 wa. not .var. tbat th. fort Y play. e ... from • • lDI1. manu.crlpt. 1 marv.lled ov.r th. unlty nf cone.ptlon

\

found in th... pl.y. that pre.u.ed fort y .nonymoua .utbor., for .ucb ru.G1_lty 1. not ob •• nld ln th.

lIorality pl.y. of l'nal.nd or rranc., or ev. ln the

Cathedral cycl •••

,

; 1 ,,' J'

..

16

1 acc.pted chac the play. ver. ln chronoLol~aL

order. 1 w ••• novlce ln Mlddle French, and

altho~h

1

r . . d 'Slint AlIX1. a ... lly a. 1 ('ould l'Nd Qlau . . r, 1

could barely daclph.r L'lpttnt dgooA

Iy

dllbl.. 1 had to .. Pr .. d the Mlr,cl.. \.n rever.e nrd.r, trom 140 to '1.-At that tim., 1 attrlbuted my dltfleultle. 'to th.

deve-lopem.nt of th. Fr.nch lan~ua~e. After a formal

lntro-duction to Middle French, 1 belan to und.r.tend that .y

dlttlcultle. "are due to th ••• periment.tlon of •

developlnA French poet. 1 not.d that lt v.. not the Iyntax thee had b •• n evolvt.n" '0 .p.ctacularl,., but th.

Ityle. Betwe.n 1..·IljllC.nt sSOnn6 lu dllblt and SAlut A1Ml., ther. li 811 the dllt~C' and al1 th. dlfferenc. ln

maturity tOW1<1 betw.e~ 'Mo11're'. L'Etourdi and

Mt

Hal.d.

lmUi.n.irt, and Shake.p . . n ' . Tyo

Qlntl..,

of

Y'roM

and Tb. Itmpt.t.

Wh.n 1 r . . d P.tlt de Jull.vl1l.'. crit\cal analy.l.

of th. Mirtcl •• a. the vork of one . . n, or of a

.pu,-under hl. influenc., 1 beAan to t •• l a littl • • upported

ln my own very . . rly •• aœptlon.. Wh.n 1 r .. d the

1

r .... rch by Graham A. Runnall. on .~.ure. ln the . . nu-.crlpt. 1 peraitted my.elf to turn trom lntuition to

hypoth.ll ••

Tb. date. 1339-1382 cou1d &neio •• th. creati •• lUe-.pan of on. _n of unu.ual but not _traol'dlMJ:7

'lon,evlty. Tb.

ar ..

t draMtlat. b.l_n vrltlDa vbl1.

4

* •

\

\

_•

,

17

yOUftS, u.ua11y betw.en nin.t . . . and eventy-three. 11 . .

to be in th.ir .ixtle., and wrot. b.twe~ thirty and

\

fort y play •• By.ex~apolatlon, th.refore. lt ia a

credible th •• i. that on. seniua wrot.

Jf'.

fort Y ,"pcl •••

(c. f. rabl.· 1)

Th. obj.ction of critlca who auppoa. the the.l. of •• v.ral author. ia lumm.d up in the thousht that it la

1mpoa~lbl. to .xplatn the ord.r of th. Miracl •• and th.ir .ubj.ct. by the maturation of on. IUn •.. An ex.a.l-\ nation of th. acc.pt.d dat •• of th. "1pcl •• corr.lat-'

with hl.torieal dat'. r.veala that .y th •• l . for on.

Q

author of th. Hlracl •• fit .• into a patt.rn for hl. rare

g.n..

(co f. '!'abl. Il) ..

Th. author concemed hlma.lf vith .ev.ral d~tle

g.nr.s, a fact whlch ha. confu.ad crltlca Who did Dot aec.pt that g.nre. exi.t.d ln th. Middl. Ase.. Eacb t1 . . our author beSan to work with • new senr., h. had tbe b.sinn.r'. difflculti •• , but hi • • en •• of .taSinS, vivaeity of ~iaL08u,. and conc.rn with pacinS action

,

d.v.lop . t . . dily throush the y . . r. of'th. fort Y "",cl". Th. rhyme. b.cOIIl8 l •• a b.laboured and 1 ••• OY.rvbelJalnS.

Th. d.v.loPlDent of po •

.ué

dl-1olU' contlllued to prosreaa to a naturel cad.nc.. Thi. evolution vould

if thera vere t1Mnty auee ••

tv.

~tlat •• '

,

1t ha. been •• tabU .• hed that block. of

-e

(

,.

LB

pre • • tecl aevarel , . . r. Lat.r. A. thaae borrovlnA. are unre.arkable ln thelr new e~ntext. lt 1. probable that

th. author borrowed from hl. own, Ilne. ~ther than f~

an . . rll.r author, or there would b. ~l •• onano •••

\

My th •• l. for an auçhor'Vhô' llved from 11l6/l122 _{, t} to 1183/1388 wou1d aLlow oon.id.rable opportunlty for

1

.

ldentlflcatlon of the author of the

H1r1cl.l.

Thra • • peclfle po •• lblllti •• a. to hl, ldentlty would be:

1. A ~haplaln for a Go1d.mlth eonfr'rl ••

~

2. Â rector or an a •• l.tant attached\to No.tre

DaMe d. BLanem •• nll.

3. An abbot of a Par .lan abb.y nr a monk

.

vith

powarful ~. dldactle appro.eh of

l ennnectlon. ln Pari •• Htraele. raveal. the

(

author'. autocrAtie perl nallty and a1.~ identlfle. a

...

vocatlonal rellslou. orl Th. eo • .opolltan

per.p.ctlve for hl. ..eular vorld reveala hlm .a

lntl . . t.ly lnYol~ ln tha .ophlatleetad llf. of Parl •• , Wlth . . ldant prlvllesa Srlntad blm by tha two

.pb.rel of lnfluence. h. eould erltlel ••• tat. and ehurch •• no . . re elerie would dara.

.'

ror tho.e rea.on., 1 cannot lubaerlbe to th. thell.

he _ . a ehaplaln or monk.

~ th •• l. l. h.

va.

aft abbot. Th. ~.ltlon l8pLl •• hl. klnlhlp to a noble or polltleally ~rtaftt f . . l1,.

Clo •• eourt conn.ctlon. are . . ldent lI'l hi. vorlta. YOUIaI 1

..

* !

•

-.

19

abboc. vere not \mu.ual to the 14th century, and

.

-,

a1thoush hl. flr.t

MiElcl. le

onl, Vh.t eould b • • xp.ct.d

f~ a nln.t •• n-year-01d d~ti.t. a. Abbot he would have th. authorlty to arran8' lt. productlon.

Th. CanA' Hanu.crlpt could have b.~ a 81ft from hi. abb.y to Quarl •• VI who may have rememb.r.d th.

M1rtcl ••

wlth plU,'ur ••

Thi. author de •• rv •• th. lnt.r •• t of r .... reh that will r •• tor. hi. nam. to hi. workl.

16. Graham Â. Runna111, "Introduction", L'Enfant

RI'cu'litA,

p. llx.

17. Fourt •• nth century Franc. r.l.mbl •• 16th c.ntury Enalend, partlcularly on the r.llsioul, pelltieel, and llt.nry l.v.l.. Th. 16th e.ntur, produced Shak •• p.are ln irisland whlt. th. l4th produc.d th. author of th. ~,cl

_••

in Franc., .. ch, man produelns • th .. trieal

tr.dltlon of s.niu ••

ReliSloully, Ensl,nd tound h.r •• lf on the horn. of th. dll-..

of

·K~c. VI. Ch.rl.t.ndom", and the

Anlll-can O\urch fr.ed h.r •• lf froID Papal r'IWletlon •• 1

PolitlOllly, the ll.tactlf of nationalil. reappear •• Itnlland trlwapbed over tbe Invlncibl. Armada and blh"ded

th. Scot queen who vanteeS to wear th. Enall.h eroVD.

On t~. llt.rary lev.l, th. r . . . . bl.nc. li 1 ••• ~tle. -Th.

French

lansUAS, enjoyed lt. 8r . . t •• ~

•

---~

',:' ." 'f.' "r,,J,J,I.

, <

cJ-•

•

•

20

flexibll1ty of 8ramm-r and yocabul.ry ln th. l4th

century, 1n811.h

va.

mol~ pla.tlc ln th. l6th. ".ltb.r lanAua8' va. y.t 11alted vith Ar . . . . r rul... At Chat

"::r

tlme, both l.n8UAR" .njoy.d treedoa ln borrowtna

!

vocabul.ry and v.r. rich ln doubl.t.. Doubl.t. and~the' flexlbl1ity of th • • ynta. alloved th. po.t. to forA' th.lr v.r.e vlth 1 •••• ffort and to ~rn • phre •••• th.y ~o •• 'for a rhym. or to co_pl.t. the .yll.bl. count.

Th.re wa • • 0 littl. dilf.r.nce b.tw.~ tbe vrltt.n ~u-______ __

.poken 1.n8ua~. that the ll.ten.r. v.r. abl. to

"

.tand th • • tranAe tum. of phr.... A .tud.nt of Shake-_, .p.ar. ,can ... 11y und.r.tand th • • yntax of th.

"'recl ••.

. ,

Mod.rn r . . . . rch ha. found ta.t th. Eli.ab.than

',)

th . . t.r va. 1 • • • • lmpll.tlc than v •• bel1eved durinl th.

18th ahd 19th centuri... Th. tradition. of th. 16th c.ntury En~li.h th . . t.r v.r. ba •• d on eophletlcated 14th c.ntury production. ln Franc •• (c.f. Wlckhaa).

Th.

UI. of mobil. etlA' prop.rtl •• , proc.eelone, apparition., and . t . . •• tabll.h th. Mi~l.e •• • p.ctacl.e and •• ance.tore of

snak ••

pearl'e pl'Y'.

18.

12

L·Ab ••••• arg •••• ", 1340

19.

'3

L'Iy ••

qu.

QUI l'.

rèt4i.cr. MlUrtrlt (1341T~

20.

1.

(1342T) 21. '6 SIlnt Jtbtp

er,-.pth . . .

(1344')

-.

t,

.~

'.

..J 23,

'8

e 24

\

.

19 ', 2S• 'lO

-26. I I I 27. _'13 '14 115 , '16 ,

,

... '

" 21

-,

/ " IR r'PLCWl DneU,

11

ba • • 1346

Salot

OYlllt.. du d ••• rt (13477)

L·ht.qul. q\ll

Io.t"

DIM •• . . .

rut (1348') 1

Ua

",",*,t . t \Ill L.mQ (1349')

13S1

Ua

Pnyo'C

qUI

Bo.to

pa. d'llnt 1352

YI

'D'tas

'que/Mo'tt!

DIlI

".,.lt,

1353

La

Mkt

cIy

bPI.

13"(')

...

21. A .td •• pread nb.llion ira. 13S6

ta

1358. Charl.. th •

()

. lad. Klna of Ma.arre, .nd . . lcontent. amonl th. nobl ••

took

th.

oppor~lt,

to revolt a.aiftat

royA

pov.r. The"

Iouraeol.l. prot •• ted th. resent'. plan to reduc. th.

,

content 1 of tbi. colnA&.. Tb. pM.ant •. ".~ted th.

ft'"

~ttx •• exacted Crea t . . . la Parl •• Etl.nn. Marc.l, town

Prowo.~, va. a 14tb ~CU!7 St.on d. Montfort. Th.

~cl:J' bopecl th. fubII:e a..rl •• V (calleeS "th. Wi'.")

~ ,

'would pro . . v.Ur chan bl. father and that ro"'l

autbot-l

t,.

vould dlalnl.b·~

'1 ,'"naltaed.

Tb. expectatlon va. not

l .

29. Qrehaa A. Runnall ... 'l'b. Maftueerlpt of th. MinSl •• 4.

IPltn

Qat

ME P I A _ . . . • Im'pn Pbl10yU 22 (1968)

, Il.

~ ••• th. ccmeludlna .h . . t of Klracl. 18 and th.

o,.~na ,b . . t of Miracl. 19 (fol.. 210f.) are relatl'Y'l1

dlit,., VOl'D, and CZUlpltcl.·

.

.

· f " _{, Il}

1

, " l '~

J

\

Cl

--22

~l~ut.~~l.l in the Miraela. Un 9!apoip. qui •• -,"-.,.

-maria -l. ao l~r r-.oved lro. the c:a t.chi_ atri.. tbat

It . . . probable th. aùthor vrot. It for th. y . . r 1358

but th.at .veta d.layed it. perfo~ee.

31. #20 #21 Saint

S'V,.ta

1362 8&rla . .

!S

Jo.apbat (13631)

'---32.

o #22 Sa1n~ Paotaleon 1364 f a~ t ,

On. wonu.r. if th. autbor dJo •• the .ubjtc:t cODaldtrlna

,

.

.

a courtly co.tdy appropiat. for the coronation year of

if Qlarl •• V r.œlltd

La

"'l'qui., d. la Gaudin' and

ord.red a new comedy for hl. div.rsion.

33. Th. Martyra . r . a .ub ..

senre.

At th. tille of th. ao-Il

~ir.,

•

au-i.

tian 1. siva the ehoiee of renounelns

J •• u. Chrlat or dting •. He r .... in. f~ltbful. The

ex.cutiontra Ar. n~.r able ,to dl.pateh hia until th.

LorcLallowa th. death. 8y tM _rtyr'. eu...,l. of faith,

almo.t ..,.-yOD. la, eODYtrted.e

34. Runnalla, Ml4ty1,AIyyI. op.eit., p. 287, Dot. 34.

35. ~oo _traorcU.D~ry to b. a colneid_ee. OUiboucs 1. Ilot

1

1 •

a rej.etioD of th. t-.poral. bùt thi. Minel. belonS'

,

to ~. tradition of ~rasle th_t.r. lt requ1re. a

.opbi.tlcated audienc. to'appreciat."a traSedy. 1b.

Mipcl.. wblcb approach b.lna ~Iecll.a apptU' at th.

, ,

..

oJSeD1Ds of the Bet.l Saint Pol aDd durln& the

res ...

q

. Dl~ ~1_1 c~l •• lOD tIll. cnsedy! If tnaedy

va. hl. penonal ta.t., but the court .... DOt a • •

oplal.-tlcated. h •. vould Ilot

ba".

~l •• loned anotber. Aa for

Up Paro1"m IIc;onwa1i -.net Jbiodore. rarl. .... ln •

• tat. of ~olt at the t~ of tb.lr perfor.ancea. If

a.&rl • • • av tb_, th. pl.c, of th.lr perforMnee would

ha".

beeu out.ld. th. _11. of Parla vblch 1. accorcU.ns to the tradltlon of Il.ac.a.nll aa~ of Salat Maur..

RunDall. bal oo _ _ tecl tbat the Gold . . ltba dld ba".

th.1r conv.ntion ln 1358, 1359, and 1360·;i\11_t y . . ra

for th. tu.pcl... (Htcl1\11 A9y\II.' p. 285). th. problbltion

of publlc ••• .-bli.rbad· therefor. DOt affec:tecl thelr

.... ting. If the Mir.cl •• ver. for th_ alon., ther.

/Would have been. Kiracl. durlnS

tho..

y . .

r.,

but tb.

"'racl •• vere the sr.nd .peet.cl •• of rh~ period,

undoubted1y prayecl before a 1.r8-- ••• .-1>1,.. ' .

" 1

,36. Tbe autbor found L'(ppeqrl. d t " , fre. anoa-r

.ource, but both play . . . the . _

th....

L· . . . ' •

~ • .ore court1y .nd .oplll.tleated. '!Ile .utbor dl.card.

d.,,11. for _tlvatlon to al1_ bl. cbanCC . . . • actlODa to lult thelr lDdlYldua1 p.ycbo10SF. Ile trult. , . . to

_pree. tb_.l~~ by a-tuE'e . . . tbaD .... poI.lbl.

nin.t . . , . . n .-rittr. DialolUl alODl " DOt

-.ousb

to .aP •

"'rtC"' ••

pla,..

.'

•

:.~

., .

.,

24

37. A. a re.ult ot the Hundred Y . . r. Wal', Charle. Y "a.

intere.ced in Ch. old allie. ot Pranee: Spain, Seotlaad, and Hunsary. In 1370 he wa. de.p in diplomaey for

rapproch_ent "t'th the tbre. eountri.. whien i. a practieal explanation for the Hiracl •• ' inter •• t ln the •• otherwi.. exotle eountri...

7

POl' th. court, th •• e Minel,. ".re v.ry mueb au courant, but for th. ~.neral publie they would bave been talry tale. and propaSanda. Asain.t tbl. baekaround of underltandlng, marrlaSe of the King of Seoc. to the Hunsarian princ... 1. not bicarr.. Tb. n . . . "B.rthe-'quin." cam. from aertha Bis-toot, HunSarian princ ••• of

Fr.nch' folklore, wherefor. Bertha wa. a popularly und . . -.tood n.me for a Huns.rlan princ ••••. ".quine" va. the

appro~~tion of th. foreign d~inutive form "-kin".

t-l8.~ Perhap. the iapul •• to~.rd c08ledy durlns Charle. -VI.

39 • . ~

nian derived from the opt1ml.m of th. p.riod. Du

aue.clin had bunted the EnSli.b out of IDO.t of Prane., and their ki~, a ... terly dlplomat. wa. ,OUDS. KG one

expected h1.Jn to dle ln 1380.

~inC

Jtby 1. PtÙlu

1.

a lDO.tfoPl . . . . nt Mlncl, and

f.r

~ved

in .pirit from

~

oth.ra. P.rbap. it • • ordered •• a ju.tific.tion for • cont . . porary eccl ••

l-~

\

• 1

'.

r:--::.

m.I.· ... ·

40. Charl •• V bad no ehlldr.n old enouAh to revolt a,alnlt

41.

•

hlm. S'int. Bluth,ucb wa. oppo.lng th~ aeAd_lc topie of r.b.lllon.

If

two princ •• w.r • • 0 puni.hed by th.ir natural moth.r. what would bappen to • rebel ln a 1 •••

-.

favour.d,po.ltlon?

lt need. ta b. noted that ln 1377 Charl •• V va. ho.t to . th •. Emperor Charl •• IV, who wa. trying to int.r •• t France ln anoth.r Cru. ad. • Plerr. and hl. Sancin. w.r. of

topieal int.r •• t.

42. Th. Author had b.en int.r.ltee! 1Js th. Saint Alexi. tb ....

( - ~

linc. hi. ereatlon of Anthur.-ln Salnt Jtb!n Crl.otbomt •• Th. Chanoin' 11 a younA bourgeoi. Alexi.. Wh .. the

author dramatlsed sa1nt Al.xl. It •• lf.1 he alloved h~.lf a ma.t.r'. 11b.rti.1 vlth th • • ouree. Tb. Mlt.cl. 1 • .ore than a Itale-adaptation of the nov.l. Tbe author ea.poled a hlltory of Alexl. devl.ed for th, .tal'.

43.

If a puy v.re r.lpon.lbl. for th. wrltlna of th.

"irlcl •• ,

th. memh.r. vould .~.ly bave r.luae4 th. tradition after

J

th. flv.-year 111enc.. If tbe th.li. of on. autbor i.

ac:c~ed, the continueeS .ll.nce i. expl.alfted by debilit1 of as-, or d . . th. For thi. dramati.t, deatb would b.

f~

th. aor. likely.

7

CHArrat 11 \

1W . . .

or

!III

"'"9'

a

· '

... "'nsl ••

4'

_.en ....

'1" . . m •• tl, dldaclo. The

.uthor VTOt. for 'D or~o. Chrl.tl~ publlc.

Peopl~-be11 _ _

~

hl • • 11 . . '1, lnt.n.t ln . . . . n .ff.lr.;.nd Hl.

autocratle lnt.n_tlon

w.

"PlC'ted.1 the

PN''''"

of

·Io.trt . . ~, ·1to.Crt DI ... and ""lnc J.ban" on . t •••

doe. not lndlcat • • nelY, f.tth. 'lb • • ctor. wbo pl.,1d ch . . .

ro

1..

VI . . . . C'~pted b, ChI .ucIlenc:.. a. nothlftl ItOn than aD Q

\

outv.rd .nd Yl.lbl • • nd ~htn.lbl • • lll' of .plrituel .nd

-lnt.mal .,.e.rl •••

The etneral _ •••• of the

"'rtcll'

l. "00 not eS •• palr.·2

If thl II"It .lftftll'. on

.e.,.

couleS n,.,at .nd b. fOl'llY"

tha .udlenee ChiC • • noc «uUCF of .ucb .nol'liou • • ln eould

etrt.lnl, ho . . for,

Cod',

forllven ••• wb ... th., Hp.ted. If

th.n VIn happy reeolutlon. for. "l't,l', or for a VOMn

f.b.l, .ccu.ed of .dult . . , . thl .udlerlC:. c:ould

ho,.

thae

1I.f.'. vl •• 1CUd . . vouleS ta. ... ed for

c...

If the, 1.cked

f

.'

th. courAl' Co .ddre •• tbe

Lord

direcel" the, oould tur.ft to

,

tlle VlrAln .ncl pra, ber to lntweed. on thel!' beba lf vl th .

ber

Son.'

'f

,

26

•

•

,

27

-00 not d •• palr" 1 . . . . 11, •• ld, but wh.n th. ll.e.n.r.

were hard-noled ~ll.t •• th.y had to b. ~onvln~.d ther. w ••

rM.on to ho.,.. Th. IMCltI.tœPU4 vas a necI'lli t,. TM .uc:eta.trophe ean happ.n on . . rth or ln

Tb. lMpot'tant polnt 1. tha t lt do •• o~eur and

knOVI lt vill. Goodne •• cau.e. h.ppln.... Ivil

IOITOV. Th. ju.t are ble •• ed and th. wlekttd .re puni.h.d. Tb. audience could hardi, have l.ft th... play. f •• lln~

" d.pre ••• d. It 1. MOre llk.l, that both ca.t and audience

d.parted .ln~ln~. At th. ~lo •• of an emotlonal1y .atl.f,ln8

Hfncl ••

t'he audl.nc. nelded a Te Deum 0'1' a joyful t\yIftn to

~l"le

..otlon •• '

To con'ld.r th.

M1racl ••

a. ~ld.~tic do •• not imply th.,

hav. no ".nre. They c:annot b. cla •• ifl.d accordln" to thl '

"enre.

aoéepted b, crltlc. for the Middle AA." The

"'r'cl ••

are not MOrallti •• , .ottt •••• or farc.I.

Thl,

are not, , properl, Ip . . klnA. My.tlrle.. Thly do not belon, to th.

tredltlon df alMPllltlc th . . t.r. If th.

M'[Içlll

are JudAed

by the concept. of a .ore lopâl.ticatld th . . t.r, lt vll1 b •

..

_..

apparent that th., lnclud. th. thr •• À.nr •• ~f lbak •• pear'l

hlltory, treAedy. and ~.

t ..

W.

can~t u •• Arl.totl.t. rul •• for ..-mlnin, che

"'dSlI"

Th. concept. of Medieval th_te&" dld not rel,. on

hl.

Ara

19.tlQl.6 Nere

lt 1.

~th.r

a MAttlr of toemulatlnl

a d.flnltlon ôf ~,.

tra,ed1.

and hl.tory whLeh li

\ \

li;;

~ lt_\l'j ~ _, '.

•

'.

'.

Iîb"i.

28

adaptable for both th. M'nelu

"1

-'tri

PMI

and the work of ... k •• p . . r ••

ln a medleval cont.~t, th. fol1ovln8 d.flnitlon. are more p.erul thln the cla •• lealt

1. A Kl.tory II th.

l~a~ln8,

W\th ail po •• lbl. fld.llty,7 of

hl.torl~l

or luppo.adly

~.torloal

.v.nt., or of th. llf. of hl.torloal or euppo •• dly hlltorloal

p.r.ona.

2. 1 A Tragedy, b'81n. vlth a luppdrtable .ltuatlon vhleh

vor •• n. untll th. cata.trophle denouement.

3. A Comedy beAl~. vlth a dlffleult Iltuatlon vhleh

.

Üftprov.a throuAhout the actlon of th. play until th •. eucataatrophl0 conclu.lon. 8

\

Hlatory li th • •

..

~pl. and funda.ental form of drama • eomedy and TraRedy are more aophl.tleat.d and complexe The author muet edlt th. atory to .voke on. domlnant .motlon .uoh aa joy, pit" or t.rror. 9 The author could edit the atory

h~lelf or he could take the Itory from a .oure. vhere lt va. _,

_.

already e.tabli.hed ln comle or tre_lc forme ln elther ~Ie,

th. author d.cld •• to pla" to the emotlon. of hl.

audlen~e.

The

M1Efcl.,

can be cet.lori.ad lnto three 8enre., but

the obllAltory .ueata.trophe ~tnl. Wbat happen. to a tHAMy Wheft the tdllo hero 1 ... the .tall UOftI JOJOul anAIllf At the Ileventh hour, When t J hero Ihould Hoonfll'll hl. fault for Raclne or MArlowe,

h~

repentI ln thl Mln.1M.10

•

'ln Chrl.tlan theo1oU. th. ~n1, t~.le

encIlfta

1. the

d . . . . tlon of

~.

,ou1, "Vbldl

n ...

r happen.

to •

pnca.onl.t· ln th.

MirACle,.ll

The

perfect~oft

of traaed1. 1.

deel~l

••

l,

lInpeded by the nee ••• lt, for th. eueeca.tropbe •

.. Th. tru. funetlon of th. euc:eta.trophe

l'.

to crown a

oomedYe..,.

and 1 ••• d •• p.~t.. When the .ueeta.croph • • rrl... for tbe innoeent herolne or ~the penitent hen. tbe audlenoe

li '

content. The __ . .

c

w •• expected .... Tb. n.o ••• lt, of th.

eu~.ta.troph. wa. ln.t~tal ln the . . . . lop . . ent of

ea.d, •

" r (

•

• q

-

,

•

" \ ',..

~.

',,-, l ' "

..

1. 2. o 30 CMPftR I l

At the found.tion of tt. cult of che V1rsiD i. the

_pha.i. on th. Incarnation. God va • • 0 iDt.re.teeS ln

th. f."t. of a planet of reb.lliou. creature. tbat He HLm •• lf took human for..

\j

De.pair 1. the only unforsivabl • • ln accorcUns to the

Cbri.tlan cat.chi . . b.cau •• the d •• pairlnl .iDner Dever

pr.y~ for forsivene... If b. a.ked for for.ivan ••• vith

tll. int.ntion of not r.peatlns hi • • ln he Vould b.

forsiven.

3. To b.tt.r explaln the rol. of the VlrSln· in th. M1pcl.,

and that of th • • aint" lt vould belp to und.ratand' tb.

f.udal hlerarchy. For Cllri.tian. Who f . . rH GoeS •• the, ₁

would a Srt&t ftueSal lord. th . . . va. a1va7' the V1rsift

.~

Who vould be even mort ~eiful than th. feudal ladi . .

•

Who often intereedecl vith th.ir

.on.

or huabancl. for tta

e~n peopl.. If the troubled e1ti_. did not bave the

cour&St to 10 directly to the lad7. he uaually Im_

.-.one ln tht bouaebold vbo eould iAteretd. for blJl.

Tbi. va. the po'ition of .aiDt. and explaiDa tbelr· .

•

th . . tr1eal appellation a.

-,erae&ftt.-

of beaVeft.

"

Th.re i. never Any intention for the -adoratlon-, of the Virgin of whieh one critie wrlte •• • -VeneretlOD-i. the prec-VeneretlOD-i.e word to de.crlbe the re.pon.e .be

receive.. ln the Kiracl'I. th. relatlon.hip be~eeD

the ~rd and th. Virgin a1way. r .... in. cl . . r to the

audience. The creature requ •• t. her Creator'. permi •• ion to a •• i.t the penitent. or the

to those in need of he1p. The Virgin .ave. no on. of her.elf. She ls only th. mediatr1X. Rer Son i. the Savior. y

A. Grace Frank, The Mtc:ll!Yal french Dr . . . (Oxford: Clarendon Pr ••• , 1954).

p.119. "Int.r •• t c.nter. ln th. Vlrsin'.

interee •• ion. her aid to .inners, bovev.r vicked, Who have r.pented ••• Mod.rn ta.t . . . y be offeDded

by the way ln which the vorat of cr1a1na1. bave

("),n1Y to offer' opportune prey.r. to b. forsi ...

/-But the .pectator. who fir.t vitn ••• ed th ••• mirae1.. performed v.re concerned ln payinS

homag. to th.ir tut.1ary .aint. and the p:eat . . th. cr~e, th.

sreat.r

th. power of tb. Motber of Gad. Wor.bip and adoration of b.r perMd. DOt only th. play. but th • • • ~ft • • • •

-p.120. wlven in our own

day,

wben

on.

kIIOVII tbat

t~. Virsln Mary a. cl . . . . chin! vill . . _tuall~ ;

-\

e,

_.

1

32

.

4. J.R.R.Tolklen. th. aedl . . al1at. colned th. vord

"eucataatroph." to cU.atinquiah b.tv.en "happy endins"

a1\4 "happln8 tumlnS .. ,· th. oppoait. of "caClltroph ....

The eucat.ltroph. 1. th.r.fore th. "8°04" eata.troph., and a ua.ful t.chIllcl! word.

J.R.R.Tolkl.n,

Irt ••

ncl

LnC.

(Bolton: Riv.rl.td. Pr •• ,,~

-c..brid~ •• lQ65), p. 68.

5.

Tb. T.

DeuM 1. noC m.r.ly 1 th.atrie.l trlek to elear

...

A. '

th. ItaS' •• on. eritic ha. IUSA.lted. Th. medieval playwrishtl v.r. aatut. p.,cholo~i.t. conc.rnlns th.lr audlence ••

A.. Grlee Frank, Th.

MIdi".,

Orw.

p.122

"lt vouLd' . . . . thlt one. th. devie. hÂd betn

dl.eov.red of A.ttlns th. actora off th. atlS. ln a proc ••• lon to th. happy It~ln of .0nSI or ln.tru.ent., lucetdlns play. adopted lt'

\- Vhen . . . r th.y llktd."

6. lt C4nnot b • • tatld vith aa.uranc. that th. claa.lc rul.a

vere unknovn. lt 1. v.ry pollibl. that th., v.r. r.jeettd.

r

Tb. pLayvrisht. of· th. Middl. AA.I v.re Chrlltlln., and

c>'

ofcen .ccl •• latie.. Wtr. th.y to b. bound by the ru~'1

'Itabllahed by paaana ln antiquity'

Tbt famou. d~tic unitl.. ahouleS not b. exptettd

froll the Mlddl. Âs.a. Th. ataS' and th. th . . trlcal

.

cony..,tlon.-..aèJ enanStcl ln tb. cour •• o oC .lahè . .

centu-,

"

33

e

n

..

ri... ~ unltl •• of place and tt.. ·v.r. no lonler a nec ••• ity for Itas1nl_

'7. Ab.olut. fld.llty to hl.tory could mak • • v.ry duil

8.

~

pley or on. dlfficult to und.r.tend. Th. dramatllt invent • • lnor charaet.r. for tran.ttlon .cen •• or ••

,

fo11. for. th . . . jor char.ct.r.. F.lIteff 1. a

w.ll-•

known exa.pl. of Sha' •• p . . r.·. inv.ntlon. ln th. Hl,!cl ••• no mlnor'enaracter enjoy • • uch prominene •• Th. cr . . t~

hi.torlcal charact.r. Ar. ladi •• -in-waltlns, baron. of

.

th. Klns'. ~ouncil. and •• rvant. who •• t th. tabl.. Th.y Ar • • 0 .lmlliar. ln .pit. of the div.r ••• oure •• fo~ tb. Mirecl ••• that th.y provid. enoth.r .alt.nt ar8ument for

tb. a1nsl. author hypoth •• t.~

H,dl.vel tragedy .hould not be expected to be re.olut.ly trasle nor .hould .-dl . . al comedy be expected to b.

co.pl.t.ly cGale. Th.ra 1. comlc ln th. tras.dl •• and el . . . nt. of tbe t~glc ln th. com.di •••

.

Tb. comle 1. a nec •••• ry lnsredlent ln Medleval

'"

trag~y. Th . . . are .-otlonal limlt. a. to hov much • .paetator cu tol.rat. durlnS a trasedy. If th. play 1. a .bort Greek t~led7. th. audlenc. can ace.pt tvo houri of esony unrelleved vlth a hlnt of th. comie. If th. play 1. lonser, they wlll r •• l.t the •• eondary wor~d the

4

playwrlsht ha. cr . . ted. Wb~ the Iltuatlon b.eo ... too

1 ~~

...

•

'34

G'

--from a nightmare. The audience rea •• ure. it.elf. -Itl •

not r . . l. l.t'. only a play. See hO" th. h.ro i.

falling!" ln .elf-defen.e. they vill laU8h durlnS the _o.t tragie,moment of the Pl~

1t i. the .ure tOUcb\Of·t~ . . . ter to add that bit of ea.ie relief co trasady. Cla •• ical eritie. vere lons puzzled by .everal eomie .cene. ln Shake.peare'. tra8edl . . . The Cla •• leal explanation ha. been that there va • • C10VD

in t~e troo~ and that until Shake.peare WTOte a role tailored for hlm.

tie

interfered vlth all the .eene •• provoking tha audience to laughter while Othello .tranglad De.demona. After r . . dins the Mirael... 1

believa lt 1. an underatanding of audiedee p.ycbolosy rather than a .how-off clown tradition. The audience need. to laugh durlng a trasady, or the,. cannot b . . r

the pain and will be unable to r . . . in in that world of .u.pended belief. When the lnnkeeper'. dau&hter att . . pt. to .educe Th60dore, the audi~ce

_..

laush. heartily that

a medleval monk .hould fl . . a youns glrl'. ananee •• Thi • • cene in the 1D1~le of thiodore 1. the pl.vot of the actlon. Tbe firat half of th. play va. tralie, and tt..

.econd viii be mor. craSic, but the audience fo~ . . . nothlng of tbat and cl\uckle. over th. girl tbroViDa

ber •• lf at a yoUl'lS voman dl'SU1.ecI a. a 1IOIlk. Later.

they viii nQt need to e.cape the .econcl ~rt of the

t~gedy.

,.

". ~

~,:,

\' " r

9. CÔn.ld.r, for<exa~l., th. po •• lbl. vay' of bandllns th. It

Oo.p.l. to vrite a Pa •• lon play. If th. play end. on

Pa~ Sund.y, lt 1. an earthly comedy. If it end. on°

Good Friday, lt 1. a tragedy. If th. play contlnue.

to the Re.~tlon and on to the ~eomtnl of Chrl.t

ln beaven a. -.dl . . al Pa •• lon. do, there wlll be botn the euc:ataetophe and' c:olMdy.

10. Fra., the çla •• lc:al· pot.nt of velw, th. probl_ wlth the

author .e~all h~. play.

tn

a Chtl.tlan unlver.e where tbera 1. a GOd who doea aor;e tl:l&n .xi.t. Thli God 1. an ,aaab1suoua quant1ty ln llfe, for Ile i. actlve and ~

act1vate., and generally set. H~.elf involved ln Ht. creature.' affalr.~ ln,the Chr1.tian un1ver.e, thera

'... f

,

i. ~P1~1 Gad,. • 1. ~not only omni.cient and

~pre.ent, but all-directlDa. A sod 'w1th an incl1-nat10n for cat •• trophe would bave ended hl. earthly experlence on Good Frlday, but the def1n1tive death of a "rf.ctly juat _n vould bave been a horror. Tl,lla

"""'.')',((1'

God prefera the euè:ataatrophe, and waa amu.ed by the

~. toni.tuBent of

tho..

who thought they bad k111ed HlIIl 1

vith a coupl. of na11. and • lance. He la very JDUch

tM Goocl Sbepbal!'d aad v111 prevent ~raAedy .a otten a.

o 0

•

tbe ~.ic,bero vill allov H~.

..

,

.

• .2"--" F~'

!.i.:'

~, ~:> _,', -,

'.

- .. " F . . . .... ~-~~:.r . • r

os.

" / '

11. I ... eral vl11atn. aN

CMll'I'lM bodll,

off to

h.llt, ••

ta..

arohd . .

oo"

who liUHeI'ed' che bl.bop

and che

IIIperol' _ .

'0""

01'd.1'~ .th • . .

rc,"_ of

laint

ValenCt.n. the

alftnlnl

_,

, , /

proca,onlIC.

_.

repenc •

~Ii ~be

~a,

_l'C,"OII _,

haye , ••

.-cs •

C~I~{

Co the

pa.an

RoMna, 'but for the Qaltlltlan. lt

va. •

trt.umph preoli_l, beCMlua. Ch. ..rttr had r ...

Aned

falthful

to'

hl. Il.101'

ln .pl~.

of

,d . .

Ch.

'.' \ \ ~ '.

1

....

, 0 . . 0 , " ,,, _,. ~".~ .•. -,.,~..,.~~:: .... ,"-~<"\1.:'_ !

-1

•

•

.

'

•

•

: l

_Pua

'Ill

ta.

OOWtny 00MID11f

Th. nlne œlHdt. •• of the

"'bC

1n

de

-'ta

peN

have

thre. obereet.rl.tlc. l~ cOMMOn, two of Whlêh cl . . ri, dl'-tlnqul.h th . . from th. hl.torl •• and th. traAedl...

Th •••

are tlle .a",. thAt t\, . . . . ~.rn vorld ha • • xp.ct.d of a co .... ,

.lno. th. Mirlçl"l eerthly\happln ••• at the end of the play,

~

• llttl. of th. roman •• qu., and a lltt1. of the ~lo.

IUth1y..JlfpplpM.

larthl, hap,ln... for the prote,onl.t at th. conelu.lon

of. the play 1. one of th. lnnovationl of ~, to th.

M1Efçl ••• _ AlthouAh th. eucat •• troph. 1. obll8Atory ln th. "

M1r.cl •• , lt do •• not

.1_,.~

l . . d tovard . . rthl, happla.... _ (

More c:omle 1. round ln

là

&Plut , .

",cn

»ut

AlvaJ,t.

than ln . . ","ulea dl 1. Silqd'M.

Wt

.xeept for the

r",ulltatlon of Ch. drowned ehlld, th.re 1. no . . rthl,

happln •• ~. Tb. parenC' b.co . . perpetual pl1Al'LM. an • •

..,t.

not f~11OVed b, th. pannt. of two oth.r .tnoulou,l, r . . tond

chlldren ln tbè oomedy M'I 'e " t l 1 ••

Chank. but Ch.y reMIln ln th. world.

Mll1.

,

and Lubl •• Ilve An "pIOt.tlon of . . rthl)' happln ••• b . . . hallMl'k -of

COIa_".

i.

th. '\lchor .tl'OV' to ••• ure th • • udl .... c. Chat

\.

J ....

tle. couleS· b. "h4ped for on IIrth .,' WIll

l'

lA "-ven, ...

, .

37

,

t ! 1 ' l'

•

,

38

allow.d hLm •• lf to chang. an endlng. ln th. romance Rob.rt

lI-Py~! th. h.ro refu... th. band of th. princ... to

b.eome a h.rmit. Th. Mirac~. allow. hlm to obedlently marry

-b.t b.eau •• th. Lord gave ord.r. for th. union to th. POp.'1

2

h.rmit-conf ••• or. Th. morali.lnl hi.tory b.c . . . a comedy.

Th. W

••

t.rn d.finition o( a happy tnding ha. not chànaea

in th • • lx centuri ••• inc. th. courtly co.tdi •• v.r. r •• olv.d

1

vlth

'ewo

marriag ••• 3 .lx marital r.union.,4 .ix par.ntal

S - 6

reunion. vith .1bllng., and thr •• miraculou. h.alins ••

th. Roman •• qu. i. not found to b. part of hi.tori •• or trasedi.. ln th. Miracl •• !Xc.pt when the author i.

criticla-inl th. phllolophy. H. ~ioit •. th. roman •• qu. ln hl.

com.-j, dl ... .nilch art b •• t d •• crib.d a. "courtly" com.di... DraVll

fram th. eourtly romanc'I, th ••• com.di •• ar. th. 'uthor'. topie arg\D!nt ag'in.t courtly lov.. ln an ".ra that

rh.tor-,

leally qu •• tion.d wh.th.r loy. v.r. polllbi. withln mArri'A', th. po.tle r.ply v •• n.gativ.. Thil author d.red to r.ply in

th • • ff~tlv.. Th. hu.band. of hi. play. do not h •• itat. to ua. "lov .... "hold d . . r", "b.loved" and ~o.panlon·

con-etm1n& th.lr viv... Iv_ when th.y b.ll!V. th.lr Viv •• to

b. d . . d or unfaitbful, they r~.ln .orrovlna vidov.r.. 'th.

'.

"1 .... ln tuI:1\ lU\ent .ny • .., ... tlon from th.t.r

'pOua"

and

. t . . dfa.tiy refu •• all camal COGltort vhlch ce ... l1 . . . . 0