Corpus Christi and Pageant Wagons Medieval Theater Corpus Christi and Pageant Wagons

On June 19, 1291 Catherine Writes: “It is Corpus Christi week and on Thursday the guilds of Lincoln will deck their wagons with flowers and herbs and pull them through the town to the cathedral square, where they will perform their plays about the wonders of Creation and the life of Jesus and I will be there to see!” pg. 159

Catherine’s diary entry leaves readers with a few questions: What is Corpus Christi? Why are there plays about Creation and the life of Jesus? What are guilds and what do they do? Why are wagons pulled through the streets of Lincoln?

What is Corpus Christi? Corpus Christi is Latin for “The body of Christ” Corpus Christi is a Catholic feast day which celebrates the Eucharist, or the Last Supper of Jesus, when he gave bread and wine to his disciples and said, “This is my body. This is my blood.” This event is believed to have happened on the Thursday before Easter, but because of the sorrow of Holy Week and Lent, the celebration takes place on the Thursday after Easter instead.

Why are there plays about Creation and the life of Jesus? Keep in mind that the majority of the population was illiterate in Latin, the language of the church, and therefore could not necessarily understand religious sermons. So, up until the year 1210, members of the church would perform religious plays for the public. The church would put on three types of plays. Morality plays – Depicted good and bad qualities, and they taught the audience lessons about behaviors that would lead them to heaven and hell. Miracle plays – Depicted events in saints’ lives. Liturgical plays (later called Mystery plays) – Depicted specific stories from the Bible.

Problems for the plays? In the year 1210, Pope Innocent III forbid clergy members from acting in public. The responsibility of putting on plays fell into the hands of community members, and in many cases, the guilds stepped up.

What are guilds and what do they do? Guilds were groups of skilled workers or craftsmen who gathered together to protect the “secrets” of their crafts and to stand up for the rights of their members. (Think of them as the first version of the workers’ unions we have today.) The Stonemasons is a famous group that is still around today but has its roots in guild tradition.

Make the Connection! These guilds and their purpose existed even in Shakespeare’s time! He referenced these guilds in several of his “play(s) within the play(s)”, like A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. To the left, the actors Snout, the tinker and Bottom the weaver act in the play within the play, Pyramus And Thisby

What are guilds and what do they do? The different guilds would put on Biblical plays that were somehow related to their trade. Shipwrights and carpenters put on Noah’s Ark Pinners (who made nails) put on the Crucifixion Bakers put on the feeding of 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread that occurred at The Sermon on the Mount. When the guilds became responsible for putting on the liturgical plays, the plays became known as “mystery plays”. Mysterium is the Latin word for “occupation”, and it was now a group of workers united by their occupations who performed the plays.

Problems for the plays? On the days of big feasts, there were sometimes as many as 48 plays being performed in one day! The audiences became so large and unruly that the guilds had to come up with a way to perform the plays without the huge crowds getting out of control. The solution they came up with was ingenious!

Why are wagons pulled through the streets of Lincoln? Pageant wagons were created! Rather than have crowds move from play to play, the guilds built their stages on wooden wagons, complete with scenery and props, and drove them from location to location throughout the city where the play would be repeated for a new audience. The play itself moved, while the audience remained stationary.

The York Cycle This is one example of the ways in which the wagons would travel through a city:

Catherine says… “The next day being Corpus Christi, we heard Mass and then followed a procession of priests and merchants into the cathedral yard to see them play the story of the Last Judgment. A two-tiered wagon held Heaven on its upper story and Earth below. At the side was the mouth of Hell, smoke and flames belching out, and the awful cries of the damned, suffering every kind of beating, roasting, and grilling. I hope to have nightmares from this for months!” pg. 161

…but what were the wagons really like? There is a lot of debate among historians as to how the wagons really looked. Here are a few different theories:

…but what were the wagons really like?

…but what were the wagons really like? Though historians aren’t sure whether the wagons were one or two stories, whether the wagons were single or used in tandem, or what types of special effects were used during the plays, it is certain that the shows that were produced would have been very entertaining for all who attended.

Please take out a piece of paper and something to write with… Answer each of the following questions in one or more complete sentences: What is Corpus Christi? Why are there plays about Creation and the life of Jesus? What are guilds and what do they do? Why were wagons pulled through the streets? When you’re done, make sure your name is on your paper, and turn it in as your exit slip.

Now that we know… What Corpus Christi was, Why plays were put on about Creation, Jesus, and other religious topics, What guilds were and what they did, and Why wagons were pulled through the streets, Let’s think about…

Did the message get through? It’s debatable whether or not the audiences paid close attention to the Biblical messages behind the plays or whether the plays were simply a spectacle to be enjoyed. Based on Catherine’s experience with the play she saw, what do you think? Let’s look at the passage on pg. 162 to decide for ourselves.