Morality Plays Characteristics Analysis

This solution analyzes the provided characteristics of Morality Plays to determine the correct statements.

Analyzing Morality Plays Characteristics

We will examine each statement regarding the nature of Morality Plays:

• Statement 1: "They are dramatized allegories of the life of man."
  This is a fundamental characteristic. Morality plays use allegory to represent abstract concepts and the journey of a human soul. Correct.
• Statement 2: "They depict man’s temptation and sinning, his quest for salvation and his confrontation with Death."
  These themes are central to morality plays, focusing on the moral choices and ultimate fate of the protagonist, often representing Mankind. Correct.
• Statement 3: "Though the hero represents Mankind, the other characters are by no means personifications, of virtues, vices and death."
  This is incorrect. Characters in morality plays, such as Good Deeds, Evil, Death, and various virtues and vices, are indeed personifications of abstract qualities or concepts. Incorrect.
• Statement 4: "A character known as the Vice often plays the role of the hero, a predecessor of the Villain-hero in Elizabethan drama."
  While the 'Vice' character is significant, usually embodying sin and temptation, they typically act as an antagonist or tempter, not the primary hero. The hero is generally Mankind. Incorrect.

Identifying the Correct Combination

Based on the analysis, only statements 1 and 2 accurately describe characteristics of Morality Plays.

Therefore, the correct combination is that only statements 1 and 2 are correct.