oth scriptural and non-scriptural. As far as the characters in the morality plays are concerned one could say that these characters, like for instance the Seven Deadly Sins, did only offer very limited opportunities for development. "Gluttony could hardly be other than a fat lout, Sloth a half- awake lounger, Luxury an overdressed woman, Avarice a grasping old man and Anger continually in a rage"( Kinghorn 1968: p.116).
             As far as allegorical formulations are concerned it has to pointed out that the morality play characters were always personified vices and virtues, producing a conflict of sorts and providing enough material for a plot. The Christian Virtues, the Seven Deadly Sins, Pride of Life, World, Flesh Youth, Age, Holy Church, Wealth, Health, Mercy, Learning and, of course, Mankind are just a few examples for personages which were made to behave as though they were human by the didactic aim of the author ( Kinghorn 1968: p.116), but all these characters are always contained within their own narrow definition. Since these allegorical personages were not characters but walking abstractions, they provided the playwright only very limited opportunities for development. Everything that was said and done by these characters showed clearly the moral truth which was of course the subject of the plot.
             The late medieval morality plays mark a well - defined movement away from the religious drama towards the completely secular drama in England. "What had been a religious aim gave way to a didactic aim free from theological purpose, so that a message such as 'learning is valuable' could be communicated dramatically"
             ( Kinghorn 1968: p.117). After this, something approaching realistic satire of everyday life developed and step by step the playwrights wished to create real – life characters, with a mixture of good and bad qualities. It is obvious from this statement that the Shakespearian drama is not...