The staging of a morality play

From the manuscript of The Castle of Perseverance (c. 1400).
By permission of the Folger Shakespeare Library.

The Castle of Perseverance, a medieval morality play written around 1425, survives in a 3700 line manuscript. This manuscript includes stage directions, together with an accompanying plan for staging in the open air.

• South is at the top of the diagram.
• The two concentric circles border the main playing area.
• In the center of this area is a castle raised on legs, with a bed below it.

The original writing is difficult to decipher: click to see what the instructions are.

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