In the transition from medieval to Renaissance drama, John Bale stands out as an influential figure who contributed significantly to theatrical conventions through his works. Drawing on the rich heritage of religious drama, Bale’s plays such as God’s Promises, Three Laws, and King Johan blend religious themes with political commentary, often reflecting his Protestant views. While his dramatic style may lack the refinement of later playwrights like Shakespeare, his plays offer a unique insight into the political and religious tensions of his time.

Theatrical Conventions and Religious Drama

To understand Bale’s contributions, it’s essential to grasp the theatrical context of his era. During medieval festivals, the common folk delighted in various forms of entertainment, including skits that satirized the nobility and clergy. Plays based on English folklore were popular, and a tradition of religious instruction through drama had developed as well. Towns frequently hosted cycles of plays dramatizing Bible stories, with productions that spanned three days and included plays from the creation of Adam to the Last Judgment. This tradition provided the backdrop for Bale’s foray into religious drama.

Medieval religious drama comprised three major categories: mystery plays, miracle plays, and morality plays. Mystery plays delved into the mysteries of divine intervention, often dramatizing episodes from the life of Christ. Miracle plays depicted events from the lives of saints, emphasizing faith in divine power, while morality plays personified virtues and vices to teach moral lessons. These forms were rich sources for Bale’s explorations in drama, allowing him to infuse Protestant ideology into traditional modes.

God’s Promises

Bale’s God’s Promises is an example of a mystery play, despite its focus on Old Testament and New Testament figures leading up to Christ's coming. This seven-act verse drama outlines biblical history as a preface to Christ’s arrival. Bale weaves a Christian vision of pre-Christian scriptures as prophecies of Christ’s earthly manifestation, encapsulating divine promises through conversations between the Heavenly Father and various biblical characters like Adam, Noah, and John the Baptist.

The play begins with a Trinitarian self-description by Pater Coelestis (Heavenly Father) and unfolds through acts detailing human failures and divine promises. Each act features a biblical figure who pleads for mercy, reflecting the Protestant emphasis on direct divine judgment and grace over ecclesiastical mediation. Bale’s interpretation of Adam’s Fall as a failure of reason rather than a temptation by Eve reveals his reformist stance, emphasizing rational thought and literacy.

Throughout the play, the themes of divine promise and human failing are reinforced by Bale’s commentary and the use of numerological symbolism. The incorporation of seven characters aligns with the perfect number, illustrating the unity of divine and mortal realms. The structure and intention blend biblical narrative with Protestant ideals, positioning the play as an educational tool against Catholic doctrines.

Three Laws

Three Laws, another of Bale’s works, utilizes the morality play format to reinforce Protestant themes. Baleus Prolocutor introduces the three laws: Lex Naturae (Natural Law), Moseh Lex (Law of Moses), and Christi Lex (Law of Christ). Each law corresponds to a historical era, culminating in the age of Christ, symbolically reaching the perfect number seven.

The narrative unfolds in acts where allegorical characters like Infidelitas (Infidelity) and various vices challenge each law. Natural Law debates with Infidelity, who questions divine order, and allies with demons to subdue it. Similarly, the Laws of Moses and Christ face challenges from vices representing Catholic corruption, leading to a dramatic renewal led by God’s Wrath. Bale’s play highlights themes of idolatry and clerical corruption, reflecting his criticism of Catholic practices.

Visual parodies enhance the thematic content, with characters like Sodomy and...