The Mediaeval Stage, Volume 1 (of 2)

This volume opens a wide‑angle survey of the theatrical world that preceded Shakespeare, tracing how the grand stages of antiquity gave way to wandering minstrels and gleemen who performed for every stratum of medieval society. The author blends solid scholarship with vivid anecdotes about the “poverelli of letters” and the colorful life of minstrel folk, showing how economic and social realities shaped early performance traditions. By grounding the narrative in the everyday, the book makes the distant past feel immediate and relatable.

The work is divided into four sections. The first examines the collapse of Greco‑Roman theatre and the rise of itinerant entertainers; the second follows the village ludi, rooted in ancient rites yet evolving into primitive drama. The third explores how the Church appropriated theatrical elements for its own liturgy, giving birth to miracle‑plays, moralities, and pageants. The final section sketches the shift toward humanist literature and the socioeconomic changes that set the stage for the flourishing of Elizabethan drama.