Who is More Sexist: Mankind or God? Breanna Harris College

Who is More Sexist: Mankind or God?

All members of society, religious or not, at some point have heard the legendary tale of Adam and Eve. The Bible story has inspired countless retellings of mankind’s creation, each with their own unique interpretations and expansions. The Play of Adam was written in the twelfth century and provides detailed stage instructions and scripts for acting companies wishing to perform the story of Adam and Eve. The Play of Adam takes inspiration from the roughly fifty original lines from the Bible to create a sexist conviction of Eve’s role in humankind’s downfall that extends over nine hundred and sixty two lines. From the beginning of The Play of Adam, the author’s use of characterization, speeches, and stage directions emphasizes Adam’s superiority over Eve and present audiences with a narrative of a biased Creator.

The original story of Adam and Eve details almost nothing beyond the creation and downfall of mankind. The Bible story’s brevity lends itself to interpretation, which the author of The Play of Adam uses to create a sexist portrayal of Eve. In the very first speech God gives to Adam after the creation of Eve, God declares, “She is your wife, she’s your equal; / You ought to her to be...