most English commoners were illiterate.

大多數的英國平民都是文盲

Since they had no way to learn the Bible,

由於他們無法閱讀、了解聖經

the clergy came up with an inventive solution:

神職人員們便想出了 一個創造性的解決方案：

they'd create plays out of certain Bible stories

他們把一些聖經故事寫成劇本

so even people who couldn't read could learn them.

讓文盲也能學習聖經

These were called mystery plays

這些戲劇被稱為神秘劇

because they revealed the mystery of God's word.

因為它們揭示了神的話語的奧秘

At about the same time,

大約在同一時期

the clergy also developed plays

神職人員也發展出一套

about the saints of the church,

有關教會聖徒的劇作

called miracle plays.

它們被稱為聖蹟劇

In the beginning,

剛開始的時候

the clergy members acted out Bible stories

神職人員在大教堂的臺階上

on the steps outside the cathedral.

表演聖經故事

The audience reacted so well

由於觀眾的熱烈迴響

that soon they needed to move out to the street

很快地，他們必須搬到

around the town square.

市鎮廣場附近的大街上演出

By building moving carts to put on each play

藉由移動推車的搭造

and by lining up one after the other,

以及成排的接續演出

they could put on cycles of stories,

他們可以連續演出一系列的故事

which would take the viewer

觀眾得以從

from Genesis

創世記

to Revelation.

一路觀賞到啟示錄

These movable carts, called pageants,

這些稱為露天劇 (Pageant) 的移動推車

looked like huge boxes on wheels.

看上去就好像有輪子的巨箱

Each was two stories tall.

每輛車都有兩層樓高

The bottom story was curtained off

底層被遮蔽起來

and was used for costumes, props, and dressing.

用於服裝、道具、和梳妝

The top platform was the stage for the performance.

頂部平臺用來演出

Spectators assembled in various corners of the town,

觀眾聚集在市鎮的不同角落

and the pageant would move around in the cycle

露天劇便在鎮上移動，循環演出

until the villagers had seen the entire series.

直到村民們看完整個系列為止

Soon, the plays required more actors

很快地，這些戲劇必須招募更多演員

than the clergy could supply.

比神職人員還要多的演員

So, by the 13th century,

所以到了十三世紀時

different guilds were asked to be responsible

不同的行會便被要求負責

for acting out different parts of the cycle.

這些循環故事中不同部分的演出

The assignments were meant to reflect

而這些演出得要反映

the guilds' professions.

行會的專業

For example, the carpenter's guild might put on

比如說，木匠行會可能得

the story of Noah's Ark,

呈現《諾亞方舟》的故事

and the baker's guild might put on The Last Supper.

麵包師傅的行會可能要 演出《最後的晚餐》

Can you imagine what might happen to the story

你能想像屠夫行會演出 《耶穌受難記》

if the butcher's guild put on The Crucifixion of Christ?

他們會如何表現耶穌釘十架的故事嗎？

Yes, without the clergy,

是的，少了神職人員的參與

the plays soon started changing

這些劇目便很快地

from their true Bible stories.

脫離原本的聖經故事

By the end of the 14th century, a new form of drama,

到了十四世紀，便發展出一種新形式的

called the morality play, had evolved.

被稱為道德劇的戲劇型態

Faith,

信仰

truth,

真理

charity,

愛心慈善

and good deeds

好人好事

all became characters on the stage.

全變成了舞臺上的角色

And, at the same time, the opposite virtues

同時，道德的對立面

of falsehood,

虛假

covetousness,

貪婪

worldly flesh,

世俗肉體

and the devil

和魔鬼

became the antagonists.

皆成了反派

The morality plays were allegorical stories

道德劇是一種寓言故事

in which these characters battled for the control of the soul.

這些角色們 為了爭取靈魂的控制權而大動干戈

Audiences loved the immoral characters,

觀眾們不但喜歡背德的角色

and spectators were encouraged

還可以熱情地

to interact with the actors.

與演員進行互動

Throwing rotten food

投擲腐爛的食物

and even getting into scuffles with other spectators

或觀眾相互群毆的場面

became very common.

變得相當常見

The character of the devil

魔鬼的角色

often would roam through the crowds

往往漫遊於人群之中

and pull unsuspecting watchers

拖拉毫無戒心的觀眾

into a hell that was depicted as a dragon's mouth.

到畫作為龍口的地獄之中

The virtuous Biblical stories had morphed

聖經的道德故事，從原先的擬仿

into crude and sometimes comic stories.

轉變為野蠻混亂的 時而滑稽的故事

The clergy intended to teach against immorality.

神職人員原本打算 以此教育人民對抗邪惡

How ironic, then, that the morality plays

諷刺的是，道德劇催化惡行

actually encouraged vices as more popular than virtues.

惡行比美德顯得更受歡迎

By the mid-15th century,

到了十五世紀中

the church started to outlaw these performances.

教會開始禁止這類表演

Town charters required that any theater

市鎮的憲章規定，任何劇院

must be built outside the city wall.

都必須建立在城牆外頭

One of the first theaters

其中一個劇院

was built like a larger version of a pageant,

被打造得像個 大版本的露天劇

with tiers of gallery seating

劇場還有一排排樓座

encircling a grassy area in front of the stage.

包圍舞臺前的草地

Sound familiar?

這聽來很熟悉嗎？

A young William Shakespeare

年輕的威廉 · 莎士比亞

developed his craft here at the theater

就在這劇院裡打造他的劇作

that was eventually renamed The Globe.

它最終更名為環球劇場 (The Globe)

The medieval morality play had led to Renaissance playwrights

中世紀的道德劇成就了 文藝復興時期的劇作家

who were inspired by the inner struggles

道德劇中那些涉及內心掙扎 困索、以及人類良知的環節

and the conscience of man.

啓發了文藝復興劇作家

And that, in essence, is how drama emerged

戲劇，作為一種文學藝術形式

as a literary art form.

便由此而生了