Skip to main content

John Millington Synge’s ‘Riders to the Sea’ : Ten Key Points


1. “It may be neat, compact and rigid; but it may also be wayward, expansive and flexible. So long as it does not conflict with the fundamental principles of drama, it may venture into a hundred different directions and exploit almost as many themes as the ingenuity and inventiveness of the author can suggest”- Herman Ould on one act play 

2. John Millington Synge (1871-1909)’s “Riders To the Sea” is characteristically so different yet great one act play. It is a one act play that discusses its natural setting, plot construction, characterization and overall impressions on life in a newly accomplish mood.

3. The plot centers around Aran Islands, also Arana Naomh, group of three small islands, western Ireland, in the Atlantic Ocean, at the mouth of Galway Bay. The islands, part of county Galway, are Inishmore, the largest, Inishmaan, and Inisheer. Fishing has always been the main industry, and some islanders still use the fishing methods of their ancestors. The rugged life of these island fishermen was the subject of the play Riders to the Sea (1904).

4. Radical experiments within a basically realistic framework were undertaken here by J. M. Synge who objectively observed and shown on stage the Irish lives and relationships to sea fully and accurately. Synge here also uses Hiberno-English which  combines English vocabulary with Irish syntax (sentence structure) and inflection.

5. The drama by virtue of being a one-act play necessarily limits Synge’s scope. Synge has to avoid all sorts of superfluities and unnecessary details. He has strictly adhered to the principles of compression, condensation and compactness.

6. Brevity in plot construction, characterization and dialogue is the hall mark of a successful one-act play. Synge has ruthlessly avoided subplot, multiplicity of characters and unnecessary happenings. The whole action is concentrated on a poor fisherman’s cottage. 

7. The scene-opens with Cathleen and Nora, the two daughters of Maurya talking about the restlessness and tension of the mother who is spending sleepless nights since Michael is missing in the sea. The two sisters talk in a coric mood.

8. Synge has built up the tragic atmosphere and prepared us adequately for the Catastrophe, namely the death of Bartley, the last surviving son of Maurya.  The main thread is never lost sight of- the deaths in the fisher family. An overwhelming sense of doom haunts us from the very start. 

9. The structural compactness in Synge’s drama reminds us of the same in the Greek tragedies. The dramatic unities are scrupulously observed here. The action takes place in a fisherman’s cottage and in one day. Synge has prepared the tragic background by reporting the past tragic incidents and not by making them happen on the stage. 

10. Synge’s ‘Riders to the Sea’ has duly been acclaimed by all as the most ideal specimen of one-act play that can only be compared to Lady Gregory’s “The Gaol Gate” in point of the conscience of Destiny.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Drop any query, suggestion or comment here.

Other Fat Writing

Popular posts from this blog

Dr. Samuel Johnson's "Preface to Shakespeare": Points to Remember

E ighteenth-century writer Samuel Johnson ((1709-1784) is one of the most significant figures in English literature. His fame is due in part to a widely read biography of him, written by his friend James Boswell and published in 1791. Although probably best known for compiling his celebrated dictionary, Johnson was an extremely prolific writer who worked in a variety of fields and forms. Chief Critical Approaches of Dr. Johnson are: Johnson tried teaching and later organized a school in Lichfield. His educational ventures were not successful, however, although one of his students, David Garrick, later famous as an actor, became a lifelong friend.
40 comments
Read more

Kinds of Poetry: Narrative, Lyric, and Dramatic

Introduction: Poetry is a form of literary expression that has captivated readers and listeners for centuries. It allows poets to convey their thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a condensed and artistic manner. While there are countless poetic forms and styles, poetry can be broadly categorized into three main kinds: Narrative, Lyric, and Dramatic. Each of these kinds has distinct characteristics, purposes, and examples that showcase the rich diversity within the world of poetry. Kinds of poetry :  There are three great kinds of poetic writing: Narrative, Lyric, and Dramatic. Narrative poetry: Narrative poetry tells a story with a plot, characters, and a setting. It  is one of the oldest and most straightforward forms of poetry. It tells a story, often in a chronological sequence, using poetic devices to create a vivid and engaging narrative. Some key points about narrative poetry include: Storytelling: Narrative poetry focuses on storytelling, using poetic language to c...
1 comment
Read more

Analysis of "Progress" by St. John Ervine as One Act Play

"Peace hath her victories No less renowned than war."- John Milton  (1608 - 1674)   Letters of State...Together with Several of his Poems ,  "To Oliver Cromwell" “Progress” by St. John Greer Ervine is a successful specimen of a one act play . It has not only a unity of theme (the abolition of war) the unities of time; place and action are also meticulously maintained. Thematically, “Progress”     is written against the background of the First World War in which thousands were butchered and many more became disabled for life. It left many mothers    childless and incredible number of widows and orphans. This insensible devastation has created diverse reactions in social thinking, and “Progress” by the Irish playwright St. John Greer Ervine is just the product of one of the strongest of these sentiments, namely the anti-war feeling of the post war modern age .  Through the basic conflict between two ideas- the point of view of ...
10 comments
Read more