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Gyb
The third protagonist, Daw, is the youngest of the three shepherds and reports to Coll and Gyb. Daw is treated somewhat poorly by Coll and Gyb and is plagued by his constant hunger and poverty. He shows the widest emotional range throughout the play. At times, he acts with compassion and warmth, such as when he runs back to Mak’s house ahead of the other shepherds to give Mak’s newborn baby a present. Other times, he is solemn and deeply religious: he is the first to urge the other shepherds to embark on their journey to Bethlehem to see Christ, he admonishes Coll and Gyb for trying to humorously replicate the Angel’s song, and he notes how the nativity has erased their earthly suffering. However, Daw is also the most violent of the shepherds, shown when he vehemently calls for Mak and Gill to receive the death penalty for stealing their sheep. Daw’s wide emotional range reinforces that he is the youngest of the shepherds and reveals the way he gets swept up by his emotions.
Daw Quotes in The Second Shepherd’s Play
The The Second Shepherd’s Play quotes below are all either spoken by Daw or refer to Daw. 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 1
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We are so hammed, / Over-taxed and rammed, / We are made hand-tammed / By these gentlemen.
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There was never since Noah’s flood such weather seen. / …How these snows all drown / The fields and the town / And bear all down, / ‘Tis a wonder!
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Ere we go now, I would someone gave us a song.
So I thought, as I stood, to beguile us along.
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Let be! I’m a yeoman of the king / And a messenger from a great lordling / …I must have reverence! / Dare you ask, who am I?
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Manus tuas commendo / Pontio Pilato.
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Scene 6
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Oh, my belly! I die! / I vow to God so mild / If ever I you beguiled / Then I will eat this child / That doth in cradle lie!
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Sirs, for this deed, take my advice instead / For this trespass. / We will neither curse not fight / Nor dispute our right / We’ll tie him up tight / And toss him in canvas.
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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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Hie we thither right merry / If we be wet and weary / Still, we’ll find the child and lady, / We cannot lose.
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Scene 7
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And now he is born. / To keep you from woe / I shall pray him so, / Tell it forth, as ye go, / And mind on this morn!
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Daw Quotes in The Second Shepherd’s Play
The The Second Shepherd’s Play quotes below are all either spoken by Daw or refer to Daw. 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:
).
Scene 1
Quotes
We are so hammed, / Over-taxed and rammed, / We are made hand-tammed / By these gentlemen.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
There was never since Noah’s flood such weather seen. / …How these snows all drown / The fields and the town / And bear all down, / ‘Tis a wonder!
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Ere we go now, I would someone gave us a song.
So I thought, as I stood, to beguile us along.
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Let be! I’m a yeoman of the king / And a messenger from a great lordling / …I must have reverence! / Dare you ask, who am I?
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Manus tuas commendo / Pontio Pilato.
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Scene 6
Quotes
Oh, my belly! I die! / I vow to God so mild / If ever I you beguiled / Then I will eat this child / That doth in cradle lie!
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Sirs, for this deed, take my advice instead / For this trespass. / We will neither curse not fight / Nor dispute our right / We’ll tie him up tight / And toss him in canvas.
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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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Hie we thither right merry / If we be wet and weary / Still, we’ll find the child and lady, / We cannot lose.
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Scene 7
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And now he is born. / To keep you from woe / I shall pray him so, / Tell it forth, as ye go, / And mind on this morn!
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