Part 1 (Preface and Introduction) Summary

Preface - In his preface to this collection, first published in 1956, the editor describes how the process of scholarship and investigation of the Medieval Miracle plays has expanded beyond the initial, somewhat patronizing, premise that the plays were naïve and unsophisticated. He describes how, over the years, both perception and analysis of the plays have deepened, to the point where they are recognized and examined as valuable historical relics, as insight into the society of the time and as important stages in the development of theatre as a form of communicative art.

Introduction - In his introduction, the editor traces the development of the pageant (see "Objects/Places") as a form of entertainment and education, and describes how early creators of the pageants blend religious and non-religious elements to create a form of theatre with broad...