Theatre of Exorcism: Evoking the Past to Control the Present

Sulaiman, Nahidh Falih

	Theatre of Exorcism: Evoking the Past to Control the Present
Journal of Language Studies
Volume 3, Issue 1, December 2019, Pages 176-192 PDF (708.47 K)
Document Type: Original Article
Author
Nahidh Falih Sulaiman
Department of English Language, College of Education and Humanities, University of Diyala
Abstract
The paper will investigate the dramatic treatment of conjuring in the past theological and demonological texts of one of the English Renaissance plays. Exorcism is widely discussed and scientifically tackled during the twenty-first century theatrically and cinematically which is seemingly reflecting the out-off-heavenly thorough needs for eternal happiness. The paper is mainly divided into two parts. It starts with an introduction about the terms that are concerned mainly with the theme of the study. The first part is entitled ‘Readings in Exorcism and the Spiritual Challenge of Religion and Science’. It sheds light on various dimensions of exorcism in religion and science and deals with certain Classical Perspectives. The second part is entitled ‘Demonic Possession of Staging Exorcism’. It deals with some selected classical and modern plays that exemplify the significance of exorcism during the middle ages, and the increasing demand for exorcists in most updated dramatic adaptation of the 21st century. The second part illustrates the medical horror drama caused by exorcism set in a catholic hospital of a modern Korean drama Priest (2018) written by Moon Man-Se. This part is also concerned with a modern play which was dramatized in two acts by Tim J. Kelly entitled The Hunchback of Notre Dame(1992) as to be the main focus of the present study.
Keywords
exorcism; possession; extreme behaviors; mental illness; theatre of exorcism; demonic authority

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