17 Questions
What is the name of the medieval mystery play cycle that includes The Second Shepherds' Play?
Wakefield Cycle
What is the characteristic of the 13-line stanza in The Second Shepherds' Play?
It has an ABAB CDDDC ABAB rhyme scheme
What is the main theme of The Second Shepherds' Play?
The power of religion in redemption
What is the name given to the unknown author of several plays in the Wakefield Cycle?
The Wakefield Master
Who performed the medieval mystery plays?
Guilds of craftsmen
What is the purpose of the medieval mystery plays?
To educate the masses about the Bible
What do the shepherds discover in the cradle at Mak's cottage?
A sheep
What is the central theme of this play?
Redemption through forgiveness and suffering
What do the shepherds bring to the baby Jesus?
Cherries, a bird, and a ball
Why do the shepherds humiliate Mak?
Because he fooled them initially
Who appears to the shepherds while they are resting?
An angel
What is the tone of the play according to the summary?
Entertaining with a didactic message
What is the main complaint of the second shepherd, Gib?
His wife's controlling nature and bad looks
What is the occupation of Mak, the thief, in the play?
Yeoman
Why do the shepherds allow Mak to sleep with them for the night?
He complains about his wife
What is the plan devised by Mak's wife to hide the stolen sheep?
To pretend it's a baby in a cradle
What is the biblical reference made by the third shepherd, Gill?
Noah's flood
Study Notes
The Second Shepherds' Play
- A medieval mystery play part of the Wakefield Cycle, written in stanzaic form with a 13-line stanza and a specific rhyme scheme.
- Performed during the Corpus Christi festivities by guilds, often with a direct link between the scene and their craft.
Plot Summary
- The play opens with three shepherds, Coll, Gib, and Gill, delivering soliloquies about their miserable lives, complaining about the cold, poverty, marriage, and hardship.
- The shepherds meet and go off singing together.
- A thief, Mak, disguises himself as a yeoman and is initially fooled by the shepherds, but eventually steals one of their sheep.
- Mak's wife comes up with a plan to hide the sheep in a cradle, pretending it's a baby, in case the shepherds search the house.
Themes and Redemption
- The play explores overt religious themes, focusing on redemption through forgiveness and suffering.
- The shepherds, despite their tough lives, ultimately achieve redemption through forgiveness.
- The play teaches lessons about Christianity, highlighting the importance of forgiveness and redemption.
Performance and History
- Mystery plays, like The Second Shepherds' Play, were popular during the 14th and 15th centuries, depicting stories based on the Bible.
- The play was performed by guilds on wagons or large platforms, traveling from town to town, entertaining audiences with a didactic message.
- The Wakefield Cycle, containing The Second Shepherds' Play, is one of four English mystery cycles, alongside Chester, Coventry, and York.
Test your knowledge about The Second Shepherds' Play, a medieval mystery play part of the Wakefield Cycle. Learn about the author, the manuscript, and its significance in the context of English mystery cycles. Explore the world of medieval drama and literature!
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