EXAMINED IN LIGHT OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION
Presented to
The Faculty of the Department of Television, Radio, Film, and Theatre
San Jose State University
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts
By
Michelle N. Russell
December 2006
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE: IntroductionÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ...1
1.1 SignificanceÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ4
1.2 Literature ReviewÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..É8
1.3 LimitationsÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ...17
1.4 MethodologyÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ18
1.5 Foundation from Current Scholarship.ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ20
CHAPTER TWO: Historical ContextÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.É.27
2.1 Reformation EnglandÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.27
2.2 YorkÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ...34
2.3 Corpus Christi Cycle PlaysÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ37
CHAPTER THREE: Textual ExaminationÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..46
3.1 XXVI. Conspiracy to Take JesusÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ50
3.2 XXIX. Peter Denies Jesus: Jesus Examined by CaiaphasÉÉÉ.57
3.3 XXX. Dream of PilateÕs Wife: Jesus Before PilateÉÉÉÉÉÉ69
3.4 XXXI. Trial Before HerodÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..76
3.5 XXXII. Second Accusation Before PilateÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ...86
3.6 XXXV. Crucifixion of ChristÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.93
3.7 XXXVI. Death of ChristÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ98
CHAPTER FOUR - ConclusionÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ.115
4.1 SummaryÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..115
4.2 Areas of Future StudyÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..120
BIBLIOGRAPHYÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ122
ABSTRACT
EXAMINED IN LIGHT OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION
by Michelle N. Russell
Coinciding with the Reformation and the schism within the church, the newly birthed Protestant movement abandoned the European theatrical tradition of Bible based performance. English Corpus Christi cycle plays portraying Bible stories from creation through the life of Christ are one example of plays included in this genre that did not survive the transition into Protestantism.
Recent scholarshiphas not painted a clear or definite picture of the cycles’ end. Their death has been attributed primarily to the changing religious beliefs brought to England by the Reformation and to a new age of theatre. In an effort to provide further examination of these plays, the research presented provides a historical and textual examination of the York Corpus Christi Cycle in light of the Protestant Reformation.
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