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The Second Shepherd's Play is a mystery text, contrasting spirituality and the materialistic world. Written at Wakefield at the end of the fifteenth century, it highlighted political, religious and economic differences.
Through the play, the anonymous author shifted the essence of earthly life into Christianity, that is, morality. The poor shepherds' Coll, Gyb and Daw represent the socially backward class who were used by the wealthy landowners. They had to face harsh winters, wind, family issues, hunger, etc.
The objective of the play was to bring out the role of charity on earth through the shepherds. However, the play wouldn't be successful without the role of Mak.
Mak is the antagonist in the play who lived with his wife, Gill and several children. He was a thief and he stole one of the sheep from those Shepherds. With the character of Mak, selfishness, pride and deceitfulness have been shown in men.
Mak knows that the act of stealing is a sin and a death punishment, yet he turns away from God to fulfil his self-serving will. In contrast, the three shepherds showed mercy on Mak when the act of stealing unfolded. The shepherds had faith in God and this led them to forgive Mak's sin, ultimately redeemed by Christ. Whereas, Mak lives with tumult throughout.
The thief (Mak) represents the pride, selfishness and immortality that exist in humans. At night, The Shepherds asked Mak to sleep in between them, symbolically, pride and immortality were between them without their knowledge.
As Coll, Gyb and Daw's economic status was somehow similar to Mak, the Biblical songs connected them between Earth and the spiritual world. They complain about their lives after the song (or hymns) ended, showing a break from the biblical world makes humans worry about their problems, lives, etc. In simple words, a connection with God (through songs in the play) removes all materialistic problems, but a slight pause may recollect the traumas and difficulties in earthly life.
Mak was poor like the shepherds. He had no food to feed his family, therefore he started stealing and became a thief. There is a contrast that Mak could also do a job like shepherds to earn a living (as mentioned in the play that the landowners wanted more shepherds to work for them), but stealing shows an act of turning away from God and becoming a sinner.
The theme of forgiveness runs in both subplots of the play. At first, The shepherds forgive Mak for stealing their sheep. The main reason for forgiveness was Mak's deteriorated condition of no food and money. The shepherds didn't give him the death penalty for stealing which is forgiveness and charity for well-being. This very act of forgiveness leads the shepherds to another plot in Bethlehem where they meet Christ.
All of Shepherd's pain, complaints go away when they get to know about the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. They didn't even care about the harsh weather or the miles of distance to walk and in the end, they attain the heavenly bliss where they were forgiven by Christ. It showed how the earthly sufferings of the shepherds ended with the power of Christ's birth.
Mak doesn't believe in God or his goodness but he is very well aware of others who believe in God. Therefore he uses his name to escape from danger or to show his loyalty.
When the shepherds came to his cottage, he swore that he didn't take their sheep. Moreover, he uses God as a sign of goodness in his lies.
Mak:
No sheep have I brought,
Neither heifer nor goat,
And Gill, my wife, rose not,
Here since she laid her.
As I am true and loyal, to God, here I pray
That this be the first meal I shall eat this day. (Scene - 5)
Mak is a selfish character who uses ill tactics and fails to accept goodness to attain God in the nativity. Both Mak and the shepherds were aware of the punishment of stealing sheep (death punishment). The shepherds who were crumpled with landlords and had to live in cold weather never sinned. In contrast, Mak knew about his wrongdoings, yet he committed them. Further, he used God's name to escape the danger. In this play, it has been shown that the better we do will bring goodness though in this life or later.
Mak failed to recognize the value of goodness, charity, Christian values and goodwill (forgiveness). The main theme of the play is redemption through charity and forgiveness which has brightened with the presence of Mak.
First Mak was offered friendship by those shepherds which he rejected. When he was caught stealing, he was given forgiveness by the shepherds which is a kind of charity. Moreover, they don't give him death punishment but forgive him with humiliation. These acts of charity led to the redemption of shepherds with the blessings of the angel. Mak failed to get any such blessings because of his deceitfulness, pride and selfishness.
Works Cited
Introduction, Joseph Gonzalez, THE WAKEFIELD SECOND SHEPHERD’S PLAY.
https://earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com/chapter/the-wakefield-second-shepherds-play/. Accessed 27 March 2022.
“The Second Shepherds’ Play.” THE WAKEFIELD SECOND SHEPHERD'S PLAY, text.
Weeks, Rachel. “The Second Shepherd’s Play Themes.” LitCharts.
https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-second-shepherd-s-play/ Accessed 27 March
