The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-05-10
THE ORIGIN OF THE
ENGLISH DRAMA
BY GRACE PIPER,

The main body of the modern DRAMA,
OF which the English is a branch laden
with fruit, springs. as far as its begin
nlngs are known, from popular religious
worship.
English literature, however, did not
exist before the Norman conquest, al
though, from previous time, we have
dialogues which form link, perhaps, to
the latter mystery drama. After the
Norman conquest England was invaded
by minstrels These included actors,
singers and entertainers.
About the thirteen century the mys-
teries of the church We're acted for the
benefit of the people. The clergy were
the actors and the functions of the peo-
pie consisted of lyrical responses to the
particular passages eyoking them.
After this came the miracle plays, and
then the moral plays. The mysteries
dealt with gospel events only. Miracle
plays are more especially concerned with
incidents derived from legends of the
saints of the church. Morals teach and
illustrate the same religious truths by
categorical means.
At first these plays We're given in the
church only, but afterward they We're
held outside where there was more room,
and, being so far removed from the
church, they began to present more
trivial things. Lastly, a company was
formed that moved from place to place
in caravans. The first part of the play
was given at one point by the members
of the first caravan, and when they ha 1
finished they moved on to another place,
while the second caravan moved up and
gave the second part Of the play and SO
on until the end. Thus, in the course of
each day, as scaffold after scaffold
passed from station to station, the
crowd gathered at the different points
had an opportunity Of witnessing the
whole sequence of the series presented
and comparing the efforts of the tanners
with those of the plasterers those of the
hosiers with those of the spicers, ETC.
The caravans or scaffolds were much
like two-story houses, but were open on
the top. In the lower part the actors
dressed and in the upper part they
played. The movable stage was, at
times, insufficient to meet the demands
of action, and often the street had to
serve as a sort of supplementary scene,
as, for instance, when the actors had to
appear mounted.
That the stage should throw itself with
eagerness into the political and religious
agtations of the times was unavoidable,
and in the earliest days of it's flower it
was at once the instrument and subject
of ardent and bitter controversy. -,
The one thing needed was that literary
genius should apply itself to this form
of literary composition.
Every stimulus. theoretical as we'll as
practical encouragement, combined to
bring about this result. The great OPP
portunity was seized, and in Selling it,
our first great Elizabethan dramatist,
addressed themselves to national task,
as men understanding their age, It's signs
and it's needs.
Had it been otherwise: had the crea-
tive activity of Elizabethan genius failed
to find in dramatic composition it's most
attractive and most appropriate sphere,
our literature would have been shorn of
it's most splendid and peculiar growth
and our national history and national
life would have missed their most faith
full. most complete and most effects:e
Interpretation.