Saturday, October 16, 2010

J.M. Synge (1871-1909)

  • writings mainly concerned with world of Roman Catholic peasants of rural Ireland and what he saw as the essential paganism of their world view
The Playboy of the Western World
  • unflattering portrayal of working class Irish
  • set in a cottage in County Mayo
  • tells the story of Christy Mahon, a young man who supposedly ran away after having killed his father
  • Mahon arrives at the cottage and the locals are more interested in vicariously enjoying his story than in condemning his morality
The Shadow of the Glen

Characters:
  • Daniel Burke
  • Nora Burke
  • Michael Dara
  • Tramp
Plot summary
  • tramp seeking shelter in isolated Burke farmhouse finds Nora, a young woman tending to the corpse of Daniel, her elderly farmer husband
  • Nora goes to find Michael, a youthful shepherd
  • Dan reveals to the tramp that his death is a mere ruse
  • He plays dead again when Nora and Michael return, but leaps up in protest when Michael proposes to Nora
  • Dan kicks Nora out to wander the roads, and she leaves with the tramp, who promises her a life of freedom

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