LITERATURE QUESTIONS
INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY STUDIES
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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They involve the solving of a crime.
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They explore mysterious religious topics.
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They were written by medieval mystics.
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They were produced by medieval craft guilds, which were knows as “mysteries".
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Detailed explanation-1: -Often they were performed together in cycles which could last for days. The name derives from mystery used in its sense of miracle, but an occasionally quoted derivation is from ministerium, meaning craft, and so the ‘mysteries’ or plays performed by the craft guilds.
Detailed explanation-2: -It is known that the plays were being performed as a group in 1376, although there are earlier references to religious performances which predate this. The main purpose of the Mystery Plays were to glorify God. But it was also a great day out, and the guilds vied with one another to produce the best play.
Detailed explanation-3: -The mystery plays are sequences of performances, sometimes referred to as ‘cycle plays’ because they make up a cycle of 48 surviving short playlets.
Detailed explanation-4: -Mystery plays were dramatizations of both the Old and New Testament miracles. Another popular topic was Christ and his crucifixion and resurrection. In the beginning of the popularity of Mystery plays the parts in the performance were played by clergymen and other members of the church.