The Second Shepherds’ Play by The Wakefield Master is referred to the medieval period, where such topics as reincarnation and redemption were raised; the anonymous author tries to reveal the abhorrent picture of the world where people were suffering from constant pursuits of the church. The work also touches upon the specific issues for the late medieval society of England.
The events of the story are closely intertwined with the Biblical account of the stories about the three shepherds who were informed about the birth of Christ. Hence, despite the presence of the primitive farce in the play, there still exists a high religious ground. The events of the play take place in the fourteenth century, to the era of the rise of Christianity; this play is the manifestation of Christian Nativity. The play directly touches upon the religious dilemmas, thus disclosing the mystery of that period.