Compare the twelfth century dramatic pieces of "The Holy Resurrection" and "The Conversion of Paul".

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Hutson  

Hutson, Makary        

Medieval Drama

October 27, 2003

        The evolution of drama in the twelfth century was highlighted by the introduction of innovative elements to improve upon traditional depictions of biblical stories, as well as further improvement of the techniques already in practice. Epitomizing these developments, “The Holy Resurrection” and “The Conversion of Paul” include characteristics of drama that were very modern in the period they were written while retaining preexisting dramatic elements. At the same time, the two plays differ in many respects, with the former being much longer and reflecting greater characterization then the latter. Both plays utilized sets that, to a certain degree, created parallel actions that would help to emphasize their respective themes. While varying in their respective content, both “The Holy Resurrection” and “The Conversion of Paul” make use of more sophisticated sets and increased characterization of traditional roles while, at the same time, retaining and utilizing elements from the plays that preceded them to more dramatically depict biblical liturgy for their medieval audience.

        One of the most notably effective dramatic effects used in both plays is the simultaneous presence of complementary settings. In “The Holy Resurrection,” the backgrounds of heaven and Jesus’ tomb are set on opposite from hell and the jail, creating a constant contrast between good and evil on the stage. By having these conflicting locations juxtaposed with one another on stage, the reoccurring medieval thematic concept of good versus evil is more pronounced for the audience. Similarly, in “The Conversion of Paul” the play relies on a clearly pronounced split between all that is holy and good in Jerusalem, and everything which is sinful and repressing in Damascus.  

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The use of contrasting locales and settings was not unprecedented at this point of medieval drama, probably because opposing forces play such a prevalent and recurring theme in the Bible. Even in “The Raising of Lazarus,” a piece nearly devoid of spectacle or movement, there is the fundamental basis for a comparison between Judaea, which is inherently bad, and wherever Jesus and his disciples are, which is holy and therefore good. The difference in these two plays from their predecessors, however, is the presence of the various scenes on stage for the entire duration of the play, a technique which ...

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