Wakefield Mysteries - Hanna A.

The Wakefield Mysteries were a comical set of short one act plays that certainly awoke me to the theological state of Europe during the medieval period. The character that interested and disturbed me the most was Mary the mother of Jesus. Though she only appeared in the last couple plays, her appearance theologically was fascinating because she very much reflected the chivalric ideal for women through her purity and “sinlessness” even within her marriage to Joseph.

Joseph himself was portrayed as an old man who could not have children. However, the bible makes it clear that Jesus had brothers and so the plays were obviously written either by people who were not biblical scholars, or there was a theological point being made through all the omissions and additions. One of the profound points being made to women is clearly that women should be submissive in everything, but particularly to God. Also, it is clear that God’s blessing only comes to those who are pure and “sinless” and so Mary is definitely the ultimate womanly version of good to be striving for. Another biblical mistake is that Joseph and Mary were betrothed, not married, but were already long married within the play.

Perhaps the most astonishing thing in the play is the position that Mary holds theologically. The way that she is portrayed in works like “Adam Lay Bound” made more sense after watching The Wakefield Mysteries. Mary is given the highest of positions, even so far as to be able to call God her “other husband.” This creates a multitude of theological problems with Trinitarian doctrine, but it is primarily interesting because it gives Mary such a powerful role societally; she is not only the mother of Jesus, but she is also the chaste wife of Joseph, the most beautiful woman around, and the wife of God. This indeed makes her the Queen of Heaven as she is described in “Adam Lay Bound.” It also gives her the power to have more than one husband, one of whom is God, which is surprising and unorthodox in and of itself.

The experience of watching The Wakefield Mysteries was educational and enlightening in that it brought to life many of the ideas and beliefs that have been discussed at length in class. It was definitely worth the experience to go to the play since it really did clarify some theological points of the time and clearly portray the theological manipulation that was central to the church at the time.