Abstract The aim of this essay is to analyse the presence of nonhuman characters in late medieval religious play texts from the Crown of Aragon. Depending on the level of theatrical agency, i.e. the degree of participation and interaction with other characters, I distinguish five categories: nonhuman characters that function as a) an environmental anchor or a narrative marker; b) a theological symbol; c) a miraculous or divine agent; d) an emblematic opponent; and e) a full character with a speaking role. Using examples from Majorca, Catalonia, and Valencia, I focus on what nonhuman characters do in performance: how they participate in the dramatic event, shape audience and perception, and render divine action theatrically legible.
Lenke Kovács (Wed,) studied this question.