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Christ
The Angel is the heavenly being that appears to the three shepherds, Coll, Gyb, and Daw, between the comic subplot and the religious plot. The Angel sings “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” and explains the details and significance of Christ’s birth. The Angel encourages the shepherds to travel to Bethlehem to see Christ, thus shifting the story from comedy to religious pedagogy.
Angel Quotes in The Second Shepherd’s Play
The The Second Shepherd’s Play quotes below are all either spoken by Angel or refer to Angel. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Scene 6 Quotes
Rise, herdsmen, rise, for Christ is born / To rend that fiend that Adam had lorn / The Saviour of all, this night is he born. / His behests / To Bethlehem go see / Where lies this baby / In a crib full poorly / Betwixt two beasts.
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Explanation and Analysis:
After carrying the 140-pound sheep back to fields, Coll, Gyb, and Daw are more exhausted than before. The moment that they finally lie down to rest, the sky ignites with light and sound, as an Angel appears, singing “Gloria in Excelsis Deo.” The Angel tells the shepherds of Christ’s birth and urges them to depart for Bethlehem immediately. The Angel’s song, like all of the songs in the play, is transformative. In this instance, song transforms the mood of the play from comical and lighthearted (and, at times, absurd) to solemn and religious. The Angel’s song and accompanying commentary also Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam volu
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Angel Character Timeline in The Second Shepherd’s Play
The timeline below shows where the character Angel appears in The Second Shepherd’s Play. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Scene 6
...onto the grass to sleep when suddenly the skies explode with light and sound. An Angel appears, singing “Gloria in Excelsis Deo.” The Angel urges the shepherds to go to Bethlehem,...
(full context)
The Angel vanishes as suddenly as it appeared, leaving Coll, Gyb, and Daw to marvel at what...
(full context)
