Second Shepherd Musing

I've been thinking a lot today about the "Second Shepherds' Play," especially since it seems so relevant to campus life right now. (I have a couple of friends who are working on the production.)Anyway, I realized that one of the main reasons why the play still confuses me is because I've been having a really hard time with one of the lines in the introduction. The Norton asserts that "by linking the comic subplot of Mak and Gill with the solemn story of Christ's nativity, the Wakefield Master has produced a dramatic parable of what the Nativity means in Christian history and in Christian hearts" (449). I definitely see parallels--such as the sheep and the shepherds and the baby--but how does Mak's story enhance the Christian story? How does it show "what the Nativity means" in a more personal, down-to-earth context?

At first I took this story as associative. The stolen lamb can be associated with Jesus, and Jesus is mock-"born" to Gill in order to help her and Mak get away with stealing. This is certainly strange--how is a crime in any way similar to the birth of Christ? How can Gill be associated with Mary? Why would Jesus be in a position where he was something to be fought over and taken? And why in the world would there be serious mentions of magic in such a religiously-centered play? This reading seemed amusing, sure, but way too removed from the truth of the story to represent a Christian way of interpreting the Nativity.

As I think about it more, though, I guess one narrative interpretation would be mainly to focus on the grace that the shepherds show Mak when they catch him. If Mak represents humanity, which (as Doug said in class) is at its lowest point when Jesus comes, then Mak's sheep-stealing could be a reflection of human sin. Since Mak actually steals the sheep, it's possible that his actions could also be compared to the crucifixion of Jesus. Then, the shepherd's mild punishment could be taken as a plug for the virtue of forgiveness, a large part of Jesus' mission. (Jesus even forgave his tormentors when he was crucified.) Magic could potentially represent the "flawed" or paganistic religions that some people followed before Jesus showed up. However, this feels kind of like I'm "stretching" and trying to make everything mean something. It's a comedy--it's supposed to be fun and funny and does not need to be beaten with a stick until meaning emerges.

Anyway, these are just some ways that I was thinking about the "Second Shepherds' Play." I certainly enjoyed it, but I wonder if it still feels like an accurate representation of what the Nativity means in our Christian hearts today. Part of the genius of these Mystery Plays is the way that they gave the characters "the appearance and characters of contemporary men and women" (Norton 449), but of course our society's changed a lot since then. Do the plays retain the same relatability and immediacy? For me at least, I'm not sure that they do. However, I'm really excited to go see the Wakefield Mystery Plays in just a few weeks--maybe seeing them acted will make it all make sense. Until then, I'll have to keep my mind open.