Author’s and Stage Director’s Metatext in Medieval Dramatic Forms

The present paper tries to examine metatextual formula in the most popular medieval dramatic works. As a first case is analyzed an elegiac comedy, which performative status is still discussed. There are two types of metatextual commentaries: 1) structures with „hidden” dramatic potential and 2) metatextual commentaries on literary tradition. Another case is a prologue in passion plays, which creates a relationship among actors and an audience. And the last case refers to liturgical drama, where the metatext very often is signaling by the word quasi.