Point of View

As discussed throughout both the summaries and analyses, the essential point of view of the pageants in this collection is conservative and Christian. As the editor points out, the pageants were written to both remind audiences about, and instruct audiences in, the proper way to behave and believe. With that in mind, they are all, albeit to varying degrees, firmly anchored in biblical story and perspective, having been constructed from the core belief that the Bible is a manifestation of the infallible will and word of God. In this context, it is particularly important to note that the Christianity in the pageants is fundamentally Roman Catholic in perspective and tone; most of them were written before Protestantism in England took full hold in the larger population.

At the same time, however, and again as the editor notes repeatedly, the creators of the pageants wrote and staged...