The Mother of God Visits Hell by Daniel Guyton
The Mother of God Visits Hell
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Here is the first scene from my full-length play The Mother of God Visits Hell. It is
based on a line from The Brothers Karamazov in which the Virgin Mary travels to
hell to comfort the souls in torment. Whilst there, she becomes so moved by their
plight that she pleads with God to forgive them. In my version, she actually trades
her soul for theirs, and a war erupts between Heaven and Hell, as the two forces
battle over good and evil.
It is written in Iambic Pentameter, but the tone is decidedly contemporary, with
exciting fight scenes, bawdy one-liners, and a sense of rhythm that never lets the
audience feel bored. For reviews and publicity, please visit my Press Page. For a
video, please visit my MOGVid page.
"The Mother of God Visits Hell by Daniel Guyton... is tightly structured with an amazing
premise... The story captivates you, it has a premise that is delectable to the nth degree..."
(What the Butler Saw theatre website)
"The Mother of God Visits Hell has my strongest recommendation. It holds out the hope that
American playwrights will move above realism. What's more, Mr. Guyton's talents as a poet
and a dramatist are stellar, and the script is a model for other dramatists." (Steve Capra,
producer for the Living Theatre in NYC)
To read the rest, please contact me at Dan Guyton. Thank you.
THE MOTHER OF GOD VISITS HELL
SCENE I. GOD’S DESIGN
(GOD enters, followed by his mother)
GOD: I must forbid it, mother. 'Tis rash.
MARY: 'Tis rash to salve the wounds that we inflict?
GOD: No, ‘tis rash to salvage wounds which worms inflict.
What weight have we with worms? With water bugs?
With moping yellow maggots and decay?
Nay, I say we stay up here in Heaven,
Whilst they betray the flesh of sinful men.
Thou and I and Seraphim shall play th’ harps
Divine, whilst vermin, scum and scavengers
Beneath the earth shall dine. I say again…
MARY: No need. I heard thee fine the other time.
Thou bad’ me not to go so I will stay.
GOD: Yea, ‘n haunt me for eternity with guilt.
MARY: Well, I am a Jewish mother. Adye.
GOD: No. Remain. Please. I wish to speak with thee.
Thou comest here with wringing hands and blurting
Nervously about a journey I
Must needs abhor. Wert thy request a little
Less unorthodox, it would be done,
Thou canst be sure.
MARY: (Bowing) Aye, certainly it would.
And if I’ve inadvertently, somehow
Just now offended thee, it wasn’t by
Intent. Thou art my father, and my soul
Divine. I aim to follow closely thy design.
GOD: What twist is this? Why call you me
Thy father? Of course I am thy son.
MARY: Aye,
‘Tis true enough. On earth thou wert my child.
I raised thee from a nursing babe to one
All men admired. But thou conceived of me
Full fifteen years ‘fore e’er I touched my womb
To feel thee kick. Thus, thou art my father,
And this is not a trick.
GOD: Ah, thou vexeth me.
I long to see thee smile. Come, stand next
To me, and let’s gaze upon the earth awhile. (She does)
For millennia I’ve reigned, as God
Above the men, with naught but cherubs
To amuse me. Unsatisfied and full
Of pride, incapable of pity. I cursed
The blessèd fools who durst refuse to bend
Their knees before me. And when I condescended
To be man, ‘twas in a blaze of fury.
For how could I have known the agony
And groans of life in my creation?
I knew the beauty only of my own
Design. But not the arrogance
And gumption of my celestial presumption
That man was but a servant in my mind.
‘Tis true, the old adage, of power
And corruption, yet ne’er would I believe
It of myself. ‘Twas thee who rescued me,
And all of man. Thy motherly affections,
That soft and tender hand, which taught me love
Above all other acts of mine. “To err
Is human, forgiveness is divine.”
“Judge not lest ye be judged,” all these passages
Were thine. I felt such strong compassion
When I cradled in thy arms, I could no
Longer punish as I once bethought I should.
I came to earth in anger, but ‘twas thee
Who gave me strength. Thus, thou art my mother,
And the holiest of saints.
MARY: (Dabbing her eyes) Thy words
Bring rivers to my eyes. Please, forgive
My imposition. I’ll not ask thee anymore.
GOD: Nay, but ask me more. Anything thou wisheth…
Save for one.
MARY: I have all a soul
Could ask for, in thy grace. My throne upon
The mantle made of gold, I dream in shiny
Sparkles and swim in silver lakes, and lay
Upon the surface of the clouds. My wont
Is not for riches, nor my own desires.
But to witness those who suffer in
The sepulcher of fire. To offer them
Compassion, though they err. I wish this not
For me, but for all humanity, for those
Who have to wallow in the mire. True,
All men have sin in them, and so, deserve
To perish. But worms can only swallow them
If thee they do not cherish. I know
My tongue is bothersome, so please, forgive
Me for my rants. But if thou hast affection yet,
So give my wish a second chance.
GOD: And what about temptation? How wilt thou
Resist? The devil has a honey voice,
Yet venom on his lips. He’s known for his
Vexation of the holiest of wits.
MARY: Aye, Lucifer’s a troubled soul, and failed
At veneration. But I was borne
An empty palette with no sinful inclinations.
And though his words be full of lies
And powerful libations, I’ll not drink
A drop of them to keep me from salvation.
I’ll be well.
GOD: Alone in hell? And what
If he attacks?
MARY: Send an angel. My protector.
A worthy bodyguard.
GOD: Whom?
MARY: Michael.
GOD: Hmm. I do not like this plan.
MARY: Michael is
As capable as any.
GOD: Aye, and more.
The heartiest of angels. And surely he
Would place himself ‘twixt thee and any harm.
But danger lurks at every turn. The flames
Of hell are warm.
MARY: I’ll bring a fan.
GOD: No need.
Thy head is cool. And Michael’s sword
Is stronger than a thousand middling fools
In all of Satan’s army. Still, something could
Go wrong.
MARY: Thou art omnipotent.
GOD: Aye,
In my dominion. But little say have I
Inside his walls. And if any harm befalls
Thee, it should start a war. Wherewith all
The guards of Heaven shall with swords come swarming
Down. Cherubim shall arrows fling
Through his minion’s scalded hearts. Seraphim shall
Cease to sing…
MARY: Enough! I’ll not depart.
GOD: If this be thy desire, thou should go.
MARY: I desire friendliness and love. Peace betwixt
The Hell beneath, and Heaven up above.
My wont is not for massacres, nor war,
But to be ambassador ‘twixt thee
And Purgatory. But, if thou bethink’st
It treacherous, I will not move an inch.
I’ll stay within thy golden gates and linger
In thy glory.
GOD: Sweet, peace now, I implore thee.
(Calling out) Michael!
MICHAEL: (Entering.) My lord?
GOD: Guide my mother
Safely through the darkened underworld.
She longs to see the suffering of souls.
MICHAEL: ‘Tis dangerous.
GOD: I know.
MICHAEL: (To MARY.) Come, take my hand.
(She does, then looks at GOD)
MARY: My son, I cherish thee.
(Exeunt MARY and MICHAEL. GOD stares at earth)
GOD: At times like these,
I envy man. For who have I to pray to?
(Lights out. End of scene)
TO READ THE REST, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT Dan Guyton
based on a line from The Brothers Karamazov in which the Virgin Mary travels to
hell to comfort the souls in torment. Whilst there, she becomes so moved by their
plight that she pleads with God to forgive them. In my version, she actually trades
her soul for theirs, and a war erupts between Heaven and Hell, as the two forces
battle over good and evil.
It is written in Iambic Pentameter, but the tone is decidedly contemporary, with
exciting fight scenes, bawdy one-liners, and a sense of rhythm that never lets the
audience feel bored. For reviews and publicity, please visit my Press Page. For a
video, please visit my MOGVid page.
"The Mother of God Visits Hell by Daniel Guyton... is tightly structured with an amazing
premise... The story captivates you, it has a premise that is delectable to the nth degree..."
(What the Butler Saw theatre website)
"The Mother of God Visits Hell has my strongest recommendation. It holds out the hope that
American playwrights will move above realism. What's more, Mr. Guyton's talents as a poet
and a dramatist are stellar, and the script is a model for other dramatists." (Steve Capra,
producer for the Living Theatre in NYC)
To read the rest, please contact me at Dan Guyton. Thank you.
THE MOTHER OF GOD VISITS HELL
SCENE I. GOD’S DESIGN
(GOD enters, followed by his mother)
GOD: I must forbid it, mother. 'Tis rash.
MARY: 'Tis rash to salve the wounds that we inflict?
GOD: No, ‘tis rash to salvage wounds which worms inflict.
What weight have we with worms? With water bugs?
With moping yellow maggots and decay?
Nay, I say we stay up here in Heaven,
Whilst they betray the flesh of sinful men.
Thou and I and Seraphim shall play th’ harps
Divine, whilst vermin, scum and scavengers
Beneath the earth shall dine. I say again…
MARY: No need. I heard thee fine the other time.
Thou bad’ me not to go so I will stay.
GOD: Yea, ‘n haunt me for eternity with guilt.
MARY: Well, I am a Jewish mother. Adye.
GOD: No. Remain. Please. I wish to speak with thee.
Thou comest here with wringing hands and blurting
Nervously about a journey I
Must needs abhor. Wert thy request a little
Less unorthodox, it would be done,
Thou canst be sure.
MARY: (Bowing) Aye, certainly it would.
And if I’ve inadvertently, somehow
Just now offended thee, it wasn’t by
Intent. Thou art my father, and my soul
Divine. I aim to follow closely thy design.
GOD: What twist is this? Why call you me
Thy father? Of course I am thy son.
MARY: Aye,
‘Tis true enough. On earth thou wert my child.
I raised thee from a nursing babe to one
All men admired. But thou conceived of me
Full fifteen years ‘fore e’er I touched my womb
To feel thee kick. Thus, thou art my father,
And this is not a trick.
GOD: Ah, thou vexeth me.
I long to see thee smile. Come, stand next
To me, and let’s gaze upon the earth awhile. (She does)
For millennia I’ve reigned, as God
Above the men, with naught but cherubs
To amuse me. Unsatisfied and full
Of pride, incapable of pity. I cursed
The blessèd fools who durst refuse to bend
Their knees before me. And when I condescended
To be man, ‘twas in a blaze of fury.
For how could I have known the agony
And groans of life in my creation?
I knew the beauty only of my own
Design. But not the arrogance
And gumption of my celestial presumption
That man was but a servant in my mind.
‘Tis true, the old adage, of power
And corruption, yet ne’er would I believe
It of myself. ‘Twas thee who rescued me,
And all of man. Thy motherly affections,
That soft and tender hand, which taught me love
Above all other acts of mine. “To err
Is human, forgiveness is divine.”
“Judge not lest ye be judged,” all these passages
Were thine. I felt such strong compassion
When I cradled in thy arms, I could no
Longer punish as I once bethought I should.
I came to earth in anger, but ‘twas thee
Who gave me strength. Thus, thou art my mother,
And the holiest of saints.
MARY: (Dabbing her eyes) Thy words
Bring rivers to my eyes. Please, forgive
My imposition. I’ll not ask thee anymore.
GOD: Nay, but ask me more. Anything thou wisheth…
Save for one.
MARY: I have all a soul
Could ask for, in thy grace. My throne upon
The mantle made of gold, I dream in shiny
Sparkles and swim in silver lakes, and lay
Upon the surface of the clouds. My wont
Is not for riches, nor my own desires.
But to witness those who suffer in
The sepulcher of fire. To offer them
Compassion, though they err. I wish this not
For me, but for all humanity, for those
Who have to wallow in the mire. True,
All men have sin in them, and so, deserve
To perish. But worms can only swallow them
If thee they do not cherish. I know
My tongue is bothersome, so please, forgive
Me for my rants. But if thou hast affection yet,
So give my wish a second chance.
GOD: And what about temptation? How wilt thou
Resist? The devil has a honey voice,
Yet venom on his lips. He’s known for his
Vexation of the holiest of wits.
MARY: Aye, Lucifer’s a troubled soul, and failed
At veneration. But I was borne
An empty palette with no sinful inclinations.
And though his words be full of lies
And powerful libations, I’ll not drink
A drop of them to keep me from salvation.
I’ll be well.
GOD: Alone in hell? And what
If he attacks?
MARY: Send an angel. My protector.
A worthy bodyguard.
GOD: Whom?
MARY: Michael.
GOD: Hmm. I do not like this plan.
MARY: Michael is
As capable as any.
GOD: Aye, and more.
The heartiest of angels. And surely he
Would place himself ‘twixt thee and any harm.
But danger lurks at every turn. The flames
Of hell are warm.
MARY: I’ll bring a fan.
GOD: No need.
Thy head is cool. And Michael’s sword
Is stronger than a thousand middling fools
In all of Satan’s army. Still, something could
Go wrong.
MARY: Thou art omnipotent.
GOD: Aye,
In my dominion. But little say have I
Inside his walls. And if any harm befalls
Thee, it should start a war. Wherewith all
The guards of Heaven shall with swords come swarming
Down. Cherubim shall arrows fling
Through his minion’s scalded hearts. Seraphim shall
Cease to sing…
MARY: Enough! I’ll not depart.
GOD: If this be thy desire, thou should go.
MARY: I desire friendliness and love. Peace betwixt
The Hell beneath, and Heaven up above.
My wont is not for massacres, nor war,
But to be ambassador ‘twixt thee
And Purgatory. But, if thou bethink’st
It treacherous, I will not move an inch.
I’ll stay within thy golden gates and linger
In thy glory.
GOD: Sweet, peace now, I implore thee.
(Calling out) Michael!
MICHAEL: (Entering.) My lord?
GOD: Guide my mother
Safely through the darkened underworld.
She longs to see the suffering of souls.
MICHAEL: ‘Tis dangerous.
GOD: I know.
MICHAEL: (To MARY.) Come, take my hand.
(She does, then looks at GOD)
MARY: My son, I cherish thee.
(Exeunt MARY and MICHAEL. GOD stares at earth)
GOD: At times like these,
I envy man. For who have I to pray to?
(Lights out. End of scene)
TO READ THE REST, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT Dan Guyton
| First cast reading of "The Mother of God Visits Hell" (Scene 1) in Athens, GA; directed by Patric Ryan, starring Sean Polite, Amy Dowdy, and Shanon Hays |
| Amy Laine Dowdy and Sean Polite as the Virgin Mary and God |
| Sean Polite as God |
| Amy Laine Dowdy as the Virgin Mary |
| Patric Ryan as the Archangel Michael |
| Sherelle Patisaul as Satan |