HILDEGARD VON BINGEN: Play of Virtues

In Hildegard’s Play of Virtues, Satan does not sing, but __________.

Question

HILDEGARD VON BINGEN: Play of Virtues

In Hildegard’s Play of Virtues, Satan does not sing, but __________.

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

In Hildegard von Bingen’s Ordo Virtutum (Play of the Virtues) the Devil does not sing, but pantomimes his part.

1) Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Ordo Virtutum is a 12th-century liturgical morality play by Hildegard von Bingen in which the Soul and the Virtues sing elaborate monophonic melodies.
- Hildegard deliberately separates the celestial, musical voices (the Soul and the Virtues) from the figure of the Devil, who is excluded from the heavenly harmony.
- Historical performance practice and stage directions emphasize non-musical representation for the Devil (gestures, movement) to underline his disharmony with divine music.

2) Step-by-step reasoning
- Identify who sings: the Soul and the Virtues (female voices) perform all melodic material; the score contains numerous melodies assigned to these characters.
- Note the distinct treatment of Satan: Hildegard makes a point that the Devil cannot sing heavenly music.
- Infer dramatic implication: if the piece is structured around sung virtues, the Devil must be portrayed in a non-sung way to symbolize his exclusion.
- Compare this implication to the answer choices and select the option that matches a non-sung, theatrical representation.

3) Intermediate steps / evidence points
- The text and musical manuscript show melodies for each Virtue and the Soul, but no notated melody for Satan.
- Stage practice that aligns with Hildegard’s theological intent is to give Satan physical, non-musical action—pantomime—rather than melodic lines.

4) Why the correct answer is correct
- "Pantomimes his part" precisely captures the intended non-musical, visual portrayal of the Devil. Pantomime communicates the Devil’s presence and actions without participating in the sacred music, preserving the theological contrast Hildegard wanted.

5) Why the other options are incorrect
- "Plays the pan pipes" and "is heard offstage playing the viol" both imply musical participation, contradicting the explicit exclusion of Satan from sung music.
- "Shouts his lines" would still be an audible, vocal contribution; while some productions add speech, the canonical depiction emphasizes pantomime (silent gesture) so this option is not the best fit.

6) Conclusion
The explanation confirms the correct choice: the Devil in Hildegard’s Play of Virtues pantomimes his part, matching the provided answer.

HILDEGARD VON BINGEN: Play of Virtues In Hildegard’s Play of Virtues, Satan does not sing, but __________.单项选择题

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