In modern “Western” culture we regard theatre as an autonomous art form possessing cultural and social prestige, and playwrights achieve the same status as other creative writers. This attitude of respect for dramatic literature, and by extension for theatre performance, is also found in major Oriental cultures, but did not exist during the European Middle Ages. Early authorities in the Christian Church disapproved of the theatre which they knew and regarded the whole activity with suspicion. Even community stagings of plays inspired by religion—such as dramatizations of Biblical stories or the lives of saints—were treated with some caution and their authors tended to remain anonymous. The rehabilitation of drama and dramatic literature can be traced back to innovations which…
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Citation: Andrews, Richard. "Italian Renaissance Theatre". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 27 February 2019 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=19533, accessed 23 November 2024.]
