ΤΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ ΩΣ ΕΡΓΑΛΕΙΟ ΠΡΟΩΘΗΣΗΣ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΚΩΝ ΔΙΕΚΔΙΚΗΣΕΩΝ ΣΤΙΣ ΑΓΓΛΙΚΕΣ ΠΟΛΕΙΣ ΤΟΥ ΥΣΤΕΡΟΥ ΜΕΣΑΙΩΝΑ

Abstract

During the 14th century, the English guilds managed to impose them selves in the civic councils and gain political and economic control over the urban communities, by promoting their influential members in the civic hierarchy. The redistribution of power from landlords to merchants, forced the majority of the world of labour to join in a guild in order to ensure their job positions, which were already threatened. Under these circumstances, artisans, craftsmen and daily labourers tried to make a living and also support their poor and underprivileged colleagues. During this period, political and economic antagonisms and struggles are noted between a) journeymen and masters, b) monarchy and the urban elites, c) the world of labour and the civic councils. The policies of the civic elites in conjunction with the crises of the 14th century led the world of labour to use drama and civic rituals as a means to assert new rights and maintain traditional privileges. This paper focuses, firstly, on the various strategies of transformation of the biblical and secular drama into a field of public debates. Secondly, it highlights their arguments on stage and in their workplaces. Thirdly, this paper examines the significance of the theatrical productions as an agent of the promotion of urban uprisings.