D.H.Lawrence (1971)
Source:
D. H. Lawrence (Auth.)
The Rainbow [Christmas Guysers Play]
Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1971, pp.140,279
The following passages in this novel briefly mention a Christmas Guysers'
play. The description was probably based on the author's childhood experiences
in Eastwood, Notts.
p.140; "The wake departed, and the guysers came. There was loud applause, and
shouting and excitement as the old mystery play of St George, in which every man
present had acted as a boy, proceeded, with banging and thumping of club and
dripping pan.
'By Jove, I got a crack once, when I was playin' Beelzebub.' said Tom Brangwen.
his eyes full of water with laughing. 'It knocked all th' sense out of me as
you'd crack an egg. But I tell, when I come to, I played Old Johnny Roger with
St George, I did that.'
He was shaking with laughter. Another knock came at the door. There was a
hush."
p.279; "Gradually there gathered the feeling of expectation. Christmas was
coming. In the shed, at nights, a secret candle was burning, a sound of veiled
voices was heard. The boys were learning the old mystery play of St George and
Beelzebub." ...
"In the cow-shed the boys were blacking their faces for a dress-rehearsal; the
turkey hung dead, with opened, speckled wings, in the dairy. The time was come
to make pies in readiness."
Index Terms:
| Locations: |
Notts.; Eastwood, Notts. (SK4646)
|
| Years: |
First Publ. 1915; Publ. 1971
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| Subjects: |
Christmas; Mystery Play; Guysers; St. George; Beelzebub; Novel; Play
|
| People: |
David Herbert Lawrence (Auth.)
|
| Archives: |
TDRG Archive, Ref. TD00070
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Last Updated Sep 2003 by Peter Millington.
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