What is Morality Play?

The morality was one of the early forms of drama. It developed out of the mystery and miracle plays and flourished during the Middle Ages, attaining much popularity in the first half of the 15^th century. In a morality playcharacters are generally personified virtues, vices or mental attributes. The theme of his type of play is generally the struggle between vice and virtue. Its structure was always loose and he plot centered round the main character allowing very little scope to minor figures. The purpose of this play was religious and ethical teaching. The most notable example of the morality play is Every man in which when the title character is summoned by death, he finds that only Good Deeds, though weak from his neglect, will accompany him on his journey towards judgment.