Mankind, Paperback

Mankind is at once conventional in its adherence to morality and extraordinary in its effervescence and wit. The text is a morality play warning Mankind how it may be led astray by temptation, while simultaneously entertaining the audience with banter between the characters representing vice. In its small-scale staging, with a smaller number of actors and props, it was written for a theater troupe of the kind that foreshadows modern professional English drama. Presented with a gloss, notes, an introduction, and a glossary, this edition of the lively Middle English play is perfect for any level of Middle English instruction and invaluable to those who teach early drama.

Kathleen Ashley is Professor Emerita of English at the University of Southern Maine. Her research interests include medieval literature, autobiography studies, African-American literature, cultural theory, and contemporary women writers. Gerard P. NeCastro is a Professor of English at the University of Maine at Machias. His research interests include early Middle English drama, Chaucer, and healing in the Middle Ages. He is the founder and current secretary of Medica: The Society for the Study of Healing in the Middle Ages.