The Castle of Perseverance

The Castle of Perseverance
Drawing
Stage drawing from the only surviving manuscript of The Castle of Perseverance
Written byAnonymous
CharactersMankind

Belial (The Devil)
World
Good Angel
Bad Angel
Seven deadly sins (Pride, Anger [Wrath], Envy, Gluttony, Lechery, Sloth, Greed [Covetousness])
Seven virtues (Humility [Meekness], Patience, Charity, Abstinence, Chastity, Industry, Generosity)
Death
The Father (God)
Pleasure (Lust-Liker)
Folly
The Boy
Flesh
Backbiter
Confession (Shrift)
Penance
The Soul
The Daughters of God (Mercy, Truth, Justice [Righteousness], Peace)
First Standard-Bearer

Second Standard-Bearer
MuteBusiness
Date premiered1405-25
Original languageMiddle English
Genremorality play

The Castle of Perseverance is a c. 15th-century morality play and the earliest known full-length (3,649 lines) vernacular play in existence. Along with Mankind and Wisdom, The Castle of Perseverance is preserved in the Macro Manuscript (named after its owner Cox Macro) that is now housed in the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. The Castle of Perseverance contains nearly all of the themes found in other morality plays, but it is especially important (and unusual) because a stage drawing is included, which may suggest theatre in the round.