Eve in the English cycle drama: a feminist approach

The middle ages privileged a patriarchal view of women as having no independent role in society, functioning merely as adjuncts to the dominant men in the culture. In the cycle plays of N-Town, Chester, York, and Towneley the dramatists reveal varying versions of the Eve and Adam myth in an attempt to promote the Church's views toward women in general. Using studies and resources published since the 1970s, this thesis is an attempt to demonstrate that Eve is actually shown by the dramatists to be an intelligent, independent, and responsible woman.