The rich tapestry of medieval belief, morality, and manners, shines through this comprehensive anthology of the twenty-four major plays that bridge the dramatic worlds of medieval and Tudor England. Here are the plays that paved the way to the Renaissance and Shakespeare. In John Gassner's extensively annotated collection, the plays regain their timeless appeal and display their truly international character and influence.

Medieval and Tudor Drama remains the indispensable chronicle of a dramatic heritage - the classical plays of Hrotsvitha, folk and ritual drama, the passion play, the great mortality play Everyman, the Interlude, Tudor comedies Ralph Roister Doister and Gammer Gurton's Needle, and the most famous of Tudor tragedies, Gorboduc. Mr. Gassner's introductions and notes tell a tale of excellence and evolution too easily forgotten. The texts have been modernized for today's readers and those composed in Latin have been translated into English.