Vision and Audience in Medieval Drama A Study of The Castle of Perseverance [Hardcover]

The earliest complete morality play in English, The Castle of Perseverance depicts the culture of medieval East Anglia, a region once known for its production of artistic objects. Discussing the spectator experience of this famed play, Young argues that vision is the organizing principle that informs this play's staging, structure, and narrative.

While recovering the experiences of individual spectators from this period is virtually impossible, Young's book draws on a wide range of evidence - the play text itself, the manuscript's staging diagram, modern 'historical' performances and the reviews they attracted, modern critical theory, practical experimentation, medieval art, and texts on optics and the theology of vision - to construct the dynamic of spectatorship which the play exploits. This is an imaginative and sustained piece of analysis, underpinned by extensive reading. - John J McGavin, Professor of English, University of Southampton, UK

Andrea Young is Lecturer at the University of Liverpool Continuing Education program.