Riders to the Sea Play Analysis
Riders to the Sea
Play Analysis
Veronica R. Aguinaldo
IV- Jose Rizal
Mrs. Mallari Settings * West coast of Ireland.
Characters
Maurya * An old Aran fisher-women. * She is a poor victimof dark fatality as represented by the unrelenting sea.
Bartley
* He is the one of the two riders in the play, the other being the ghost of Maurya’s fifth son Michael.
Cathleen
* The elder daughter. * She is more responsible and hardworking. * She taking care of the household.
Nora
* is a bit immature and innocent, serving as a link with the world out of doors.
Plot
Exposition: The play begins with Maurya, who has fallen into a fitful sleep. She is certain that her son, Michael, has drowned, even though she has no proof, and has been constantly grieving for nine days. Cathleen, her daughter, is doing household chores when Nora, another daughter arrives. She quietly slips into the kitchen with a bundle that had been given to her by a young priest. In the bundle are clothes taken from the body of a man who drowned in the far north. They were sent to Maurya's home, hoping that she would be able to identify the body.
Rising Action: Maurya begins to look as if she is going to wake up soon, so the daughters hide the bundle until a time when they are alone. Maurya awakes, and her fear for losing her only remaining son Bartley intensifies her grieving for Michael. Bartley proclaims that he is going to venture over to the mainland that same day, in order to sell a horse at the fair, despite knowing of the high winds and seas. Maurya begs Bartley not to go, yet he insists despite her pleas. In a flustered state of irritation, Maurya bids him gone without her blessing. Upon seeing these events unfold, the sisters tell Maurya, that she should go out and search for Bartley in order to give him the lunch that they he had forgotten to bring, and while at it, give him her blessing. Climax: While Maurya is gone the girls open the package. The
Play Analysis
Veronica R. Aguinaldo
IV- Jose Rizal
Mrs. Mallari Settings * West coast of Ireland.
Characters
Maurya * An old Aran fisher-women. * She is a poor victimof dark fatality as represented by the unrelenting sea.
Bartley
* He is the one of the two riders in the play, the other being the ghost of Maurya’s fifth son Michael.
Cathleen
* The elder daughter. * She is more responsible and hardworking. * She taking care of the household.
Nora
* is a bit immature and innocent, serving as a link with the world out of doors.
Plot
Exposition: The play begins with Maurya, who has fallen into a fitful sleep. She is certain that her son, Michael, has drowned, even though she has no proof, and has been constantly grieving for nine days. Cathleen, her daughter, is doing household chores when Nora, another daughter arrives. She quietly slips into the kitchen with a bundle that had been given to her by a young priest. In the bundle are clothes taken from the body of a man who drowned in the far north. They were sent to Maurya's home, hoping that she would be able to identify the body.
Rising Action: Maurya begins to look as if she is going to wake up soon, so the daughters hide the bundle until a time when they are alone. Maurya awakes, and her fear for losing her only remaining son Bartley intensifies her grieving for Michael. Bartley proclaims that he is going to venture over to the mainland that same day, in order to sell a horse at the fair, despite knowing of the high winds and seas. Maurya begs Bartley not to go, yet he insists despite her pleas. In a flustered state of irritation, Maurya bids him gone without her blessing. Upon seeing these events unfold, the sisters tell Maurya, that she should go out and search for Bartley in order to give him the lunch that they he had forgotten to bring, and while at it, give him her blessing. Climax: While Maurya is gone the girls open the package. The