Back to results

Dominican University of California

A Reevaluation of the Croxton Play of the Sacrament

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>The purpose of this paper, then, is to reevaluate the Play of the Sacrament using the text to answer criticism which has been generally unfavorable. The majority of critics find a lack of moral purpose in the play due to an abundance of the grotesque. However, the presence of so much Christian Doctrine, particularly in the banns and throughout the third part of the play, indicates a definite moral purpose on the part of the dramatist. I suggest that the combination of grotesque and Christian elements reflects a particular technique of the dramatist. This technique is the presentation of a moral lesson styled to suit the taste of a fifteenth century audience whose religion contained an admixture of credulous beliefs and grotesque levity.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Arts
Level thesis:degree_level
Master's Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Humanities
Year
1968

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Sullivan, Mary Boniface

Subjects

dc:subject × 2

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:scholar.dominican.edu:humanities-print-theses-1118

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Dominican University of California
Base URL
scholar.dominican.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Sullivan, Mary Boniface. A Reevaluation of the Croxton Play of the Sacrament. Master's Thesis thesis, 1968. https://scholar.dominican.edu/humanities-print-theses/119