The Digby Mary Magdalene
Like most morality plays, The Digby Mary Magdalene, uses allegorical exemplum form to relate moral material to the audience. The usual plot of morality plays is an allegorical challenge for the spiritual good of the mankind figure. Susan Haskins, in her book Mary Magdalene, Myth and Metaphor, states that the medieval period saw Mary Magdalene as a "metaphorical Everywoman" (Pg. 134). The play dramatizes the life of Mary Magdalene as it is told in The Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voraigne. With such a long cast list and such numerous scene changes which include a desert, a sea, a tavern and a burning temple, Coldewey says "It is no exaggeration to say that the Digby Mary Magdalene is the most extravagant play in the whole of Early English Drama" (Coldewey, Pg. 186). The Digby Mary Magdalene was written specifically with a Catholic audience in mind although it has been proven that most religions studied in western cultures have their own versions of the Magdalene persona.There can be no doubt that Mary Magdalene is an important figure in cultural, and more specifically religious, histories. More notably, she is an important female in this realm of history. Different cultural histories have provided themselves with their own my
This means that she has at best been unfaithful to one of them, at worst, she would be a whore, as depicted in lines 564-565, "A, God, be wyth my valentynys, My byrd sweting, my lovys so dere" (Coldewey, Pg. Mary comes to the rescue and restores life to the queen and keeps the baby alive during its mother's death. The dialogue between the four characters on stage (Mary, Curiosity, Lechery and the Taverner) contain sexual overtones and flirtation. Both sisters were afraid he would die, which he eventually did. Mary makes reference to having more than one lover. John the Baptist/Evangelist, another telling of her inheriting land and wealth from her father and on and on. This 'reformed' Mary certain shows us the importance the church places on its teachings concerning salvation. At line 925 we find the King flattering himself, his power, his good looks and those of his beautiful wife, Avantt! Avant the[e], onworthy wrecchesse! Why lowtt ye nat low to my lawdabyll presens,Ye brawlying breellys and blabyr-lyppyd bycchys,Obedyenly to obbey me wythowt offense?I am a sofereyn semely that ye se butt seyld!Non swyche onder sonne, the sothe for to say!Whanne I fare fresly and fers to the feld,My fomen fle[e] for fer of my fray!Even as an enperower I an [h]onored ay," (Coldewey, Pg. Christ then bids Lazarus to come forth from the grave. She went on her way and did what she considered the appropriate thing for her to dedicate her life to accomplishing after receiving a second chance from Christ himself. This is demonstrated at lines 885-888 of the play's text, "Ye, forsoth, the Prynsse of blysch! I beleve in cryst the Son of Sapyens, Whyche wythowt eynd ryngne shall he to redemyn us freell from ower iniquite!" (Coldewey, Pg. Like the fall of Mary in the first part of the play, the King displays behavior modivated by sloth, laziness and greed. I believe her popularity had a lot to do with her gender and the fact that Christian women had few female figures who received such notoriety in biblical times.
Common topics in this essay:
Mary Magdalene,
Coldewey Pg,
Ancient Asian,
Suddenly Mary,
Taverner Lechery,
Internet Evalgelists,
Cybele Pg,
Haskins Pg,
Magdalene Castle,
Mary Eve,
mary magdalene,
coldewey pg,
digby mary magdalene,
digby mary,
king queen,
digby text,
section play,
haskins pg,
thi god,
pg 202,
mary eve,
mary makes reference,
seven deadly sins,
coldewey pg 202,
mary magdalene woman,
|
Acceptance Essays
