The Presentation of Death in 'The Flood' and 'The Crucifixion' Abi Bacon College

The York Mystery Plays were performed at the annual Corpus Christi feast which celebrated the body of Christ. The 48 plays, which represent sacred Christian history from The Creation to Judgement Day, aimed to entertain and educate people on the key events of Christianity. The theme of death is prominent throughout ‘The Flood’ and ‘The Crucifixion’, indeed, the death of Christ is seen as not only the centre of the York cycle, but remains as the most pivotal moment in Christian history to this day. Both pageants depict death as a punishment; something which is either widely occuring, or directed more personally at one victim. In ‘The Flood’ God is disillusioned with the sinful acts of humanity and seeks to cleanse the world of all people who have disappointed him, which demonstrates a wider aspect of death as a punishment. In ‘The Crucifixion’ a more personal level of punishment is looked into, as Christ is nailed and stretched to the cross as a result of his political and social disruption to society. The plays also utilise the presentation of death on stage in order to deter audience members from sinning and receiving the same fate as the supposed perpetrators in the plays. The Corpus Christi feast ensured that folk traditions...