Theme Of Gille In The Play Of Noah's Flood

The second women that we can look at is Gill in the Second Shepherds Play. Through the play she is described as a women who has many children, makes fun of her husband, and does not participate in any domestic duties the way that she should. She is not looked at in a good way, she is looked down upon from her actions. From the play her husband describers her as, “Lies weltering, by the rood, by the fire, lo! And a house full of brood; she drinks well too; I’ll speed other good that she will do! But so, easts as fast as she can, and each year that comes to man, she brings forth a lakan” to the shepherds while is figuring out his plan to steel their sheep (Anthology pg. 162). Gill is not taking her role as she should in her house hold, and she …show more content…
What the play shows is that she tempts to disobey her husband which is going against the characteristic of submissiveness in the Cult of True Womanhood. Noah has her son get his mother, since she was being difficult coming on board, Sem say, Father I shall fetch her in, I trow, withouten any fail. Mother, yonder wend. Look up and see the wind for we been ready to sail (Anthology 223). In the play she says, “That will not for all your call but I have my gossips all (Anthology pg.223). There is also question on her piety and religion. It is discusses that God wanted to get rid of sin in the world, but it reappears after the flood. Noah’s wife may be the reason for this since she was too hesitant to get on the arch. She doesn’t fully support her husband who is listening to God’s word, so it seems that a part of her doesn’t want to listen what God has to say, just that she wants to keep living her life as is. The tradition is established that Noah 's relatives mocked at him while he was building the ark. The playwrights know the widespread tradition of the shrewish nature of woman and of the difficulties involved in the relations of husband and wife (Mill 1941). She may have been a good mother since her children were not going to let her stay on land. Also the fact that she did have friends and family showing that she was a part of the community. …show more content…
Even though they may have portrayed some aspects of true woman hood, there were actions that could be forgiven and making them become less of a true woman. The only woman that is considered the true woman is the Virgin Mary. She stays pure, doesn’t speak out of context, and is never portrayed in a way that is looked down upon. She contains all of the qualities of true womanhood, a good wife and mother, along with being pure, religious, and domestic. On the contrary Gill, Noah’s wife, and Eve are not considered true women. They all go against their husbands in one manner or another. There action cannot be forgiven, and the cult of true womanhood is having women and their husband judge them. All of their husbands had something said that is in a negative light to show how they are not a true woman. Noah’s wife was not wanting to leave her friends and family and not being supportive of Noah and having a hard time dealing with getting on the arch. She should have just listened to her husband and trust in God that it was the right thing to do. Gill makes gabs at her husband and being is very crude, showing that she is not following what a good wife should do. Finally Eve going against her husband and God’s word and conducting the first sin, and communicating with the Devil. Eve is considered a fallen