Morality play is a form of drama that developed in the 1300’s and flourished in the 1400’s and 1500’s. The morality play evolved from the mystery play, which dramatized Biblical events, and the miracle play, which dramatized the lives of saints. Morality plays were essentially dramatized sermons. Their general theme was the struggle between good and evil for the allegiance of the human soul.
The style of the morality play was usually allegorical, with the actors portraying such figures as Virtue, Vice, Riches, Poverty, Knowledge, Ignorance, Grace, or the Seven Deadly Sins. The play was centered on an allegorical figure sometimes called Mankind or Humanity. The figure represented common people and their souls. The antagonist of the Mankind figure was usually the Vice figure, who sometimes appeared as the Devil or under several other names. Often Vice was a comic figure full of tricks and disguises. But despite his comedy, Vice represented eternal damnation for the Mankind figure foolish enough to be deceived by him. Unlike the mystery plays, which were performed by amateurs, morality plays were performed by professional and sometimes traveling actors. Everyman is the best-known morality play and the only surviving example still occasionally performed.
