SOCIAL CRITICISM IN THE FIRST SHEPHERDS’ PLAY AND THE SECOND SHEPHERDS’ PLAY i Çakır, İ. B. (2023, October 3-5). “Social Criticism in The First Shepherds’ Play and The Second Shepherds’ Play.” [Conference presentation abstract]. 9 th International NALANS Conference, Trabzon, Türkiye. The Middle Ages are associated with religious, economic, social, and political turmoil and developments. The controversies created by turmoil were reflected in the mystery plays especially after they were carried out of the Church. At first, the mystery plays were born in the Church and their main aim was biblical instruction but later on, contemporary and daily events and other elements were integrated into them, and they were performed outside the Church by the members of the medieval guilds. With the formation of feudalism, problems and controversies related to the feudal system were also included in these plays. In this regard, the Wakefield cycle plays The First Shepherds’ Play and The Second Shepherds’ Play touch upon these contemporary issues. This study is concerned with the criticism of society related to feudal problems between the lords and the shepherds. The Wakefield Master directs his criticism to the inequality between the lords and the shepherds and depicts the problems in these two plays through use of entertaining and worldly elements. Keywords: Wakefield cycle, mystery plays, criticism of society, The First Shepherds’ Play, The Second Shepherds’ Play