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The Chester Mystery Plays
Paperback
Literary CriticismGeneral ChristianityPlays
ISBN13: 9781025543772
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 94
Weight: 0.32
Height: 0.19 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Chester Mystery Plays offers a comprehensive exploration of one of the most significant and well-preserved cycles of medieval English drama. These plays, which were traditionally performed by the various guilds of Chester during the festival of Corpus Christi, represent a vital bridge between religious liturgy and popular entertainment in the Middle Ages. In this scholarly overview, Godfrey W. Mathews examines the historical origins, the theatrical staging, and the enduring literary importance of the Chester cycle.
The work delves into the structure of the twenty-four plays, tracing the biblical narrative from the Fall of Lucifer to the Last Judgment. Readers will discover the unique characteristics that distinguish the Chester plays from other contemporary cycles, such as those of York or Wakefield, including their specific didactic tone and their integration of local civic pride. By analyzing the craftsmanship and the social context of these performances, Mathews highlights how the mystery plays served as a central pillar of community life and spiritual education. The Chester Mystery Plays remains an essential resource for students of medieval history, drama, and religious expression, providing deep insight into the cultural heritage of pre-Reformation England.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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