Essays on festive drama - plays, pageantry and traditional ceremonies - of the European middle ages, with comparative material.

Festive drama, in these studies, includes processions and folk-customs as well as full-blown plays, from Spain, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Britain, Denmark, and Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). The main focus is the middleages, but style and approach are as relevant as time-scale, reflecting a culture in which there are no firm divisions between drama and pageantry and traditional ceremonies. Common themes emerge: the world turned upside-down of Shrovetide; the emotive power of religious celebration; and the links between commerce and the demonstration of civic pride. Festive customs are viewed as hidden agendas of popular culture, and performances are reconstructed. Thisis the obverse of art and power: the means by which the people, not the princes, rule the world.

Professor MEG TWYCROSS teaches at the Department of English at Lancaster University.

Contributors: PETER H. GREENFIELD, OLGA HORNER, SHEILA LINDENBAUM, CLAIRE SPONSLER, RONALD E. SURTZ, RAFAEL PORTILLO, MANUEL J. GOMEZ LARA, PAMELA M. KING, ROBERT POTTER, JOHN CARTWRIGHT, DAVID MILLS, JAMES STOKES, ALAN E. KNIGHT, MARJOKE DE ROOS, FEMKE KRAMER, TOM PETTITT, LEIF SNDERGAARD, WIM HÜSKEN, JEAN-MARC PASTRÉÉ, SALLY-BETH MACLEAN, MALCOLM JONES, CHRISTINE RICHARDSON, JARMILA F. VELTRUSKY, JOHN COLDEWEY.

Contributions by: Alan E. Knight, Bob Potter, Christine Richardson, Claire Sponsler, David Mills, Femke Kramer, James Stokes, Jarmila Veltrusky, Jean-Marc Pastre, John Cartwright, John Coldewey, Leif Sondergaard, Malcolm Jones, Marjoke de Roos, Mary C. Erler, Meg Twycross, Olga Horner, Peter Greenfield, Rafael Portillo, Ronald E. Surtz, Sally-Beth MacLean, Sheila Lindenbaum, Tom Pettitt, Wim Husken