Morality play [British Drama]

A morality play is a type of play that was popular in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. These plays are characterized by their use of allegory to convey moral lessons and messages to the audience.

In a morality play, the main characters are often personifications of abstract concepts or virtues, such as death, temptation, and repentance, and the play follows their journey and the decisions they make. The goal of these plays was to instruct the audience on the importance of making the right choices in life, and to show the consequences of making bad choices.

Morality plays often have a religious or moral message at their core, and they often present a stark choice between good and evil, heaven and hell. The characters in these plays are usually depicted as being in a state of moral crisis, and the play serves as a kind of allegorical trial in which the characters must choose between good and evil.

One of the most famous examples of a morality play is "Everyman," which was written in the late 15th century. In this play, the main character, Everyman, must come to terms with his own mortality and the importance of leading a virtuous life.

In conclusion, morality plays were an important form of theater in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries, and they served to instruct audiences on the importance of making the right choices in life and to present a stark choice between good and evil. These plays continue to have an impact on the development of theater and on the evolution of moral and religious storytelling.