The theater of devotion : East Anglian drama and society in the late Middle Ages /

Not since F.M. Salter published Medieval Drama in Chester (1955) has a single volume provided such a richly informed study of medieval drama in a regional context. Centered in East Anglia, Gibson's work reflects years of research into social as well as dramatic and artistic history. Working with archival materials as well as printed texts of all kinds, Gibson (Davidson College) weaves a tapestry of analysis that incorporates her awareness of East Anglian economic history as well as the influence of wealthy patrons both on church architecture and on religious rituals of piety in Norfolk and Suffolk. The book essentially broadens the meaning of "theater" to include all forms of ritualized homage from pilgrimages to local shrines to the iconographic implications of the images of sculpture, painted glass, and altarpieces. Though Gibson's definition of "theater" seems at times slightly exaggerated, she supports her arguments with an astonishing wealth of evidence--not only from East Anglia but also from other English cities, such as Chester, and from European art and dramatic history. She establishes her credentials as a major historian of medieval drama. The book is beautifully illustrated and gracefully written; bibliography and notes contain a broad and detailed summary of research. Though its sheer detail requires a careful reading, it is recommended both for the specialist and the general reader. -M. B. Riggio, Trinity College (CT)