Nazareth: a morality in one act

"Nazareth: a morality in one act" by Laurence Housman is a play written in the early 20th century. This theatrical piece delves into the life and moral lessons surrounding the youth of Jesus Christ in Nazareth, providing a contemplative view of themes such as love, sacrifice, and redemption within the context of everyday life. The work presents itself as a morality play that explores the human experience and the divine presence. The narrative unfolds in a carpenter’s shop in Nazareth, where Mary, Joseph, and their young son interact with their surroundings and each other. As they work together, Mary reads from the Book of Isaiah, foreshadowing the sadness and sacrifice to come in their lives. The child, representing a young Jesus, showcases wisdom beyond his years as he contemplates life, creation, and the implications of faith. The story poignantly captures moments of innocence amidst the inevitable approach of sorrow, culminating in reflections on love, loss, and the promise of redemption tied to the child's future actions. As the play progresses, visitors to the carpenter's shop resonate with themes of penitence and the quest for peace, creating a rich atmosphere of reverence and anticipation. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Laurence Housman was an English playwright, writer and illustrator whose career stretched from the 1890s to the 1950s. He studied art in London and worked largely as an illustrator during the first years of his career, before shifting focus to writing. He was a younger brother of the poet A. E. Housman and his sister and fellow activist in the women's suffrage movement was writer/illustrator Clemence Housman.