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A critical appreciation of "Riders to the sea"
Riders to the Sea is a play written by Irish playwright J. M. Synge. It was first performed on February 25,1904 at the Molesworth Hall, Dublin by the Irish National Theater Society. A one-act tragedy, the play is set in the Aran Islands, and like all of Synge's plays it is noted for capturing the poetic dialogue of rural Ireland. Only four characters are named: Maurya, an elderly Irishwoman, her daughters Cathleen and Nora, and her son Bartley.
This story begins with a young Irish girl baking and spinning in a cottage on the west coast of Ireland. Her sister comes in, carrying clothes of man who was drowned up the coast. They are waiting for their brother Michael to be found because he disappeared for over than week , and they have doubts that he is dead, though they are holding hope and they still trust that he is a live, hope never dies really until one knows for sure. After sometimes the girls knew that their brother is dead, and they finally have to tell their mother and that he got a decent funeral by the parish priest in a place in the north. Meanwhile, their younger brother has come. he was getting ready to go on a very dangerous journey to sell some horses at the Fair. His mother is angry with him for wanting to go in such a bad weather. The sisters send her out to give him some bread and her blessing, but the mother came back and said that she can't allow him to go , and that she saw her dead son, Michael, riding one of the horses .she kept telling how her other men died and that her heart is broken already. She can't stand for the idea of loosing another son. She had bought wood for Michael's coffin and at the end she use it for Bradley, whom he drowned in the sea too.
This play as I think has a deep meaning. I really enjoyed reading it though it's sad story. It got a good moral within it , No one can live forever in this world & everyone meant to die so we should believe in God's fate and be ready face it one day. And that everyone should listen to his beloved mother, after all she is the one who loves you most.
Summary
"Riders To The Sea"
This story begins with a young Irish girl baking and spinning in a cottage on the west coast of Ireland. Her sister comes in, carrying clothes of man who was drowned up the coast. They are waiting for their brother Michael to be found because he disappeared for over than week , and they have doubts that he is dead, though they are holding hope and they still trust that he is a live, hope never dies really until one knows for sure. After sometimes the girls knew that their brother is dead, and they finally have to tell their mother and that he got a decent funeral by the parish priest in a place in the north.
Meanwhile, their younger brother has come. he was getting ready to go on a very dangerous journey to sell some horses at the Fair. His mother is angry with him for wanting to go in such a bad weather. The sisters send her out to give him some bread and her blessing, but the mother came back and said that she can't allow him to go , and that she saw her dead son, Michael, riding one of the horses .she kept telling how her other men died and that her heart is broken already. She can't stand for the idea of loosing another son. She had bought wood for Michael's coffin and at the end she use it for Bradley, whom he drowned in the sea too.
This play as I think has a deep meaning. Since the son Bradley refuses to listen to his mother he did what he wanted and his death was the result. The view of life here is miserable, harsh, and horrible, where the only peace is death. To me it seems clear an merciless punishment of the son , everyone should listen to his beloved mother, after all she is the one who loves you most.
Quotations
"She's lying down, God help her, and may be sleeping, if she's able."
This quotation is quoted from" Riders to the sea" by J. M. Synge. This speech is said by Cathleen to her younger sister Nora in the cottage when she was knitting and cooking. In these lines she is referring to her mother whom was in a bad and a sad mood because she lost her husband and other sons, and in awful situation because her son Michael is missing. This is the first hint in the play which added suspense and tension to the events that the mother will face tragic problems later .
"Its hard set we'll be surly the day you're drowned with the rest. What way will I live and the girls with me, and I an old woman looking for the grave?"
This quotation is quoted from" Riders to the sea" by J. M. Synge. This speech is said by the mother Maurya to her son Bartley in the cottage when Bartley was about to leave. In these lines the mother is asking and appealing & pleasing her son to stay and not to go , she is telling him that he is important in her life and that he is the last male she got, if he drowned like the others she won't bear it. She is trying to catch his mercy & pity by saying that she is very old & near to die , she can't take care of two ladies whom doesn't have a male to look after or guard and protect them .
"No man at all can be living forever, & we must be satisfied."
This quotation is quoted from" Riders to the sea" by J. M. Synge. This speech is said by Maurya in front of her daughters & other villagers after she found out about Bartley's death. She is praying for all her male family members whom died in the sea. This line shade the light in Muarya's character , she accepted her fate and she realize the reality of life that No one can live forever in this world & everyone meant to die so we should believe in God's fate and be ready face it one day.
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