Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/346

328 been done in reference to the history of England by his great contemporary, Shakespeare. But he completed only six of these dramas: "Disa," "Svanhuita," "Signill," "Blancka- Märeta," "Christmannacomoedia," and "Gustaf I's comoedia," the last two in prison. They were received with great favor by his contemporaries, though they by no means show any great dramatic power. The most interesting part of these plays, which simply tell history in the form of dialogue, are the songs and scenes from popular life, the songs being written in imitation of the popular ballad. Among the successors of Messenius, (1590-1655) is the most remarkable. In his national dramas, "Olof Skott-Konung" and "En lustigh comoedia om Kong Gustaf then första," we find a certain satirical element, and they are also interesting on account of the pictures they contain of popular life.

Besides these secular dramas there were also comedies with allegorical characters, corresponding to the mediæval "moralities." In the course of the seventeenth century the school comedies disappeared more and more, as did also the other similar compositions, especially when Queen Christina introduced at the court the "ballads" (a medley of opera and ballet), which were presented with a wealth of scenery and according to French taste. The so-called "Processions" and "Värdskap," that is, a kind of processions and masquerades with verses and dialogues interspersed, were also gradually taking the place of the drama proper.

Upon the whole the poetical literature of the period of the Reformation was not of much account. As a matter of course the religious element played the principal part, for it was above all necessary to get the new doctrine firmly established, to which end the school-comedies were especially expected to contribute. Most of the other poetry consisted in spiritual songs, the majority of which were translated from