Staging Sin in Medieval Paris

Abstract

The major source of knowledge of French miracle plays is the Cangé manuscript, which features forty Miracles de Nostre Dame par personnages. All the plays in the manuscript are arranged in chronological order from 1339 to 1382. They were written and produced for the St. Eloy chapter of the gold and silversmiths guild of Paris and performed at the guild’s annual assembly on or around St. Eloy’s Day (December 1). This address analyses a cluster of seven plays composed for performance between 1368 and 1379. All seven plays place the conflict between saints and sinners on the medieval stage by juxtaposing a falsely accused heroine with an antagonist whose deeds reveal the Seven Deadly Sins. Central to each of the plays is the miraculous intervention of the Virgin Mary, to whom the innocent woman prays for deliverance from her tormentors. Mary’s descent and presence on stage dramatically demonstrate her role as intercessor in the struggle between good and evil.