The Playboy of the Western World by John Millington Synge detailed summary and analysis

 

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD

The Source of the Play

A story that Synge heard during his first visit in Aran Island (1898) inspired him to draft a play. The story tells about a man from Connaught who murdered his father with a spade. Ironically, he was not handed over to police but was hidden in a hole by his Aran relatives. A reward was announced for his arrest and despite the search that the police carried out, the man somehow managed to flee to United States. The reference of this story is also found in W.B. Yeats's account.

Reworking of a Previous Work

The Playboy of the Western World is a reworking of Synge's earlier play ‘The Murderer’ which Synge had roughly drafted in his note book. The plot is fairly similar to The Playboy of the Western World. It tells of a murder in Act I. Act II depicts the inflated ego of the murderer and his boastings. In Act III he is elected as a country counselor but his 'dead' father appears at the moment of jubiliation and denounces him as a liar. Though the core of the story is same, Synge in The Playboy of the Western World brought about some changes to make it work better on the stage. Contrary to the earlier version the murder does not take place on stage to restrict the action in and around one place and the audience also do not get the chance to witness the horrible enactment of the murder. In The Murderer, the old man is named Flaherty, in The Playboy of the Western World he gets the name Old Mahon and the pub-owner becomes Flaherty. Also the hero of The Murderer is presented boastful from the very beginning of Act II in the company of the people in the pub-house, whereas Christy in The Playboy of The Western World is a shaky, nervous fellow who makes his first appearance in a deplorable plight.

 

The present form of the play has been developed after numerous revisions by the playwright. The first act underwent seven revisions, the second act came out after nine revisions and the third act went through eleven revisions. It proves how painstakingly Synge wrote this play to give it a complete artistic shape.

 

The effect of the audiences after the staging of the play

The Criticism Generated in Ireland: The play is staged amidst the uproar from the Irish people. It was first staged in Jannary, 1907. It created sensation and agitation because some of the dialogues and actions Irish people found offensive to their moral values and religious beliefs. William Fay a nationalist and friend of Synge warrned him for some of the scenes that could have upset Irish audience. Lady Gregory did find some of them unacceptable but did not raise any objection since she believed in the writers' freedom of expression.

The trouble broke out on the very first show of the play. The audience turned violent and disrupted the show. The mention of the phrase "All bloody fools" and the offensive, dialogue of Christy, turned public violent.

 

CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY

CHRISTOPHER MAHON

OLD MAHON, his father, a squatter

MICHAEL JAMES FLAHERTY (called MICHAEL), a publican

MARGARET FLAHERTY (called PEGEEN MIKE), his daughter

WIDOW QUIN, a woman of about thirty

SHAWN KEOGH, her cousin, a young farmer

PHILLY CULLEN AND JIMMY FARRELL, small farmers

SARA TANSEY, SUSAN BRADY AND HONOR BLAKE, village girls

The action takes place near a village, on a wild coast of Mayo. The First Act passes on an evening of autumn, the other two Acts on the following day

 

AN OUTLINE STORY OF THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD

 

ACT I

The scene takes place in a public house situated near the coastal area, Mayo. The heroine of the play, Pegeen Mike, is seen writing something on the paper, is interrupted by the entry of a young man named Shawn. He enquires about her father and comes to know that he is going to attend a funeral wake. Shawn is worried how Pegeen would stay alone at the night. He states that after they are married he will never go to attend such ceremonies leaving her alone. On these remark Pegeen scolds Shawn saying why he is too much confident about their wedding.

 

As both of them are talking Michael James comes there along with his friend. Pegeen angrily remarks that his father is very careless not thinking how she will stay alone at night. Michael James suggests Shawn to spend a night there as he is her fiancée. In reply Shawn shows his helplessness in this matter because the holy priest may condemn him for this act. He is compelled again and again and ultimately he flees from there. But in a little time returns informing them that the man, who is earlier seen beside a nearby ditch, is coming in this direction.

A young man with strange looks and in wretched condition enters the shebeen, where he is given full attention by the people present there. On being asked the reason of his present state he arouses everyone's curiosity saying that he is wanted by the police for the crime he has committed. Everyone makes wild guesses about the crime he could have been involved with. Ultimately, Christy tells them that he has killed his father. Pegeen and the other are surprised to listen the gruesome fact and hold him in high esteem for what he tells them. They start to respect him for his daring act. Pegeen is so much impressed that she suggests his father to keep him as a pot-boy in the pub.

Michael James at once offers him the job of a pot-boy who will not only work in the pub but also give company to Pegeen when there is nobody in the house. Christy is happy to find a job and a safer place to live in.

After Christy is appointed as a pot-boy, Shawn comes back to the shebeen and asks Pegeen if he could stay with her, but she does not allow him to stay there and sends him away. Pegeen flatters delighted Christy. Pegeen asks Christy how he has murdered his father. Christy is describing the event, when they are interposed by a knock at the door and Pegeen is angry to learn that Widow Quin has come to take away Christy to her house. The two women fight over Christy, but finally Pegeen comes out as a winner to keep Christy with her and she rebukes Widow Quin and sends her away with a harsh word. Christy is now provided with a comfortable bed to spend night in the bar and Pegeen retires to the back room.

 

Christy is working in the pub in the next day in absence of Pegeen. He is dressing himself while he listens a sound outside. He looks out and finds few girls coming towards the public-house. Seeing these girls he at once goes to the inner-room. Susan Brady, Honor Blake, Sara Tansey and Nelly enter the pub with lots of gifts in their hands. After his initial hesitation Christy comes out and all the girls give the gifts, which include-eggs, butter, freshly baked cake and a boiled chicken to "the man who killed his father." As the girls start talking with Christy, Widow Quin enters the place and requests him to tell his tale of murder to the girls. Christy tells how he killed his father with a spade because his father insisted him to marry an ugly widow of middle age. The girls after listening the full event start talking in much flattering tone, Christy grows more confident and swells with pride, then the girls compel Christy to hold Widow Quin by his hand. Pegeen at the moment comes back and becomes violent seeing Christy in the company of the girls and get rid of all the girls away.

After the girls have gone, Pegeen scolds Christy for being so intimate with those girls, who may inform his case to the policeman thus involving him in some problem. Hearing all these Christy decides to leave shebeen for his own safety. But, when he starts collecting his articles, he is told by Pegeen that she is merely trying to scare him so that he should never talk so frankly with the local girl in future. Christy's joy knows no bounds to know that he is out of danger. He tells her that he feels quite comfortable in her company. Shawn Keogh now comes in the company of Widow Quin. They tell Pegeen that her sheep are eating cabbages from Jimmy's field and thus may burst their stomach due to over-eating. Pegeen goes rushing out in order to save her sheep. Taking advantage of her absence, Shawn hands over a ticket to Christy and tells him to leave that place as soon as possible. Christy is totally confused but Shawn carries on with his gifts comprising a new hat, his breeches (trousers), his new coat and compels him to go from there. Christy understands the entire situation. Widow Quin also tells Christy that Pegeen will not marry him. Shawn now tries his best warning him about Pegeen's harsh, crude nature. He says that she is an ill-tempered lady who is unfit for the guy like Christy. Christy does not pay any attention to what they say and on the request from Widow Quin put on the clothes given by Shawn. But to their much surprise. Christy denies to leave that place, instead he moves ahead towards the door in order to help Pegeen to bring back her sheep.

 

As soon as Christy puts his step on the threshold, he comes back in a horrified manner and says that he has seen the ghost of his father. Finding no way to go he hides behind the door and Old Mahon enters. Widow Quin comes forward with handful of questions and comes to know that he is survived from a severe blow of a spade given by his own sin. It is also revealed that Christy was never a bold man rather he is a timid boy. Widow Quin enquires everything about Christy and then manages to send away Old Mahon with the lie that a boy having same features as told by him, is seen going to the pier (shore) in order to catch a boat. So old Mahon rushes towards that direction.

When the old man has gone Widow Quin turns to Christy and starts making fun of him because the story he has told to everyone has been proved to be a big lie. Christy is very depressed for such embarrassing disclosure. He is now haunted by the thought how he will explain this to all, particularly Pegeen. Window Quin tells him that Pegeen, if knows the truth, will throw him away of her house. She will not allow a petty schemer to stay with her. Christy is afraid of the upcoming situation and is totally confused how to come out of this.

 

Widow Quin comes forward with a proposal of marriage to Christy and she tries her best to convince him that they would be the happiest couple in the world and he would live with her much safely. But Christy rejects the idea saying that he is interested only in Pegeen and in nobody else. He then makes a humble request to her to suggest him some way to win the hands of Pegeen. The village girls appear and tell Christy to accompany them to the place where sports will be held, where Widow Quin have already enrolled his name.

 

ACT III

Old Mahon who is sent by Widow Quin, returns with quite different attitude. He is now tired and hungry, in search of some refreshment. When he is describing the story of his murder which remained only a futile attempt the event of mule-racing starts at the sports below. Old Mahon takes keen interest in the game as he seems to identify Christy, though still being misguided by Widow Quin he manages to climb the bench to see it more clearly. But to his wonder he finds the boy cheered up by the spectator is no one else but his own son Christy. Bewildered by the fact, old Mahon jumps down from the bench and runs out of the door to catch hold of Christy. The Widow convinces him it can't be his son, for that man is going to marry the daughter of the publican and is the best sportsperson in the Western World. She tells him that severe injury over his head may have bad impact on his brain. Finally, Old Mahon, is taken in by her and he thinks that he has gone mad and so he should go from there. Widow Quin tells him how the mad people are treated cruelly by the local people. So, he runs away from there to avoid trouble. Philly sensing something wrong follows him. Later Christy comes triumphantly with others. Pegeen asks them to leave Christy alone so that he can take rest. Left alone with the valiant Christy, Pegeen proudly starts taking care of him.

Now, confident about his high self-esteem Christy dares to ask her whether she will marry him. Pegeen before giving him positive reply asks him about his future plan. She says that everybody thinks that very soon he would go back to his native place and would marry some other girl. He describes how he will love her on the slopes of the mountain and gives a very romantic picture in words. Pegeen completely overwhelmed by his words, gives her affirmation for the marriage.

Michael James comes with a sad news for Pegeen that Father Reilly has received the Pope's permision from Rome to perform the ceremony of marriage between Pegeen and Shawn. Pegeen sharply tells her father that she will marry Christy and no one else. Michael James is aghast at the unexpected reply of his daughter. He then asks Shawn to come to his aid. Shawn requests Pegeen not to deviate from her words but she does not consider him worthy of her and rebukes him for interference. Christy calls for a fight but he refuses in fear. Ultimately Michael James accepts that Christy is a brave fellow quite worthy of her daughter and gives permission to marry.

When everything is going well, Old Mahon suddenly comes in, followed by a large crowd and knocks Christy flat and starts beating him. He makes it clear to everyone that the boy is his worthless son. Knowing the truth, Pegeen turns quite hostile to Christy and asks the old man to take away his son. Christy gives several arguments in his favour but nothing works on the crowd. All turns against him and Christy, in rage, seizes a spade and chases his father from the pub. There is a great noise outside, followed by a loud cry of pain and perfect stillness. It seems to everyone that Old Mahon is murdered again by Chirsty.

 

When everything is over, Sara and Widow Quin try there best to persuade Christy to run from there but he does not pay any attention to them and is fully confident that Pegeen would marry him because of his bravery in murdering his father in front of several men. The Widow Quin thinks that Christy has gone mad and she goes out to fetch the doctor. Meanwhile Christy is tied with a rope when he sits not noticing others attempt to bind him up. He tries hard to escape from it but of no use. Christy tells Pegeen that he has killed his father in reality and thus proven his worth of marrying her. Pegeen, in reply, says that murdering anyone is a heinous crime and now she has come to know the difference of a heroic story and a dirty deed. All drag Christy towards the door in order to hand him over to the police. In the jostle Christy ultimately wreaks his revenge by biting Shawn's leg and Pegeen shows her extreme animosity when she burns Christy's leg with a glowing turf.

As they are dragging Christy towards door Jimmy notices Old Mahon is crawling in. Seeing Old Mahon alive Christy asks whether he wishes to be killed once again. The old man wants to know why Christy is fastened by rope upon which Michael apologises stating their helplessness at the hands of law. Old Mahon releases his son and makes a sarcastic comment upon the foolishness of the Mayo People.

 

Being released Christy now asserts himself telling his father that he will accompany him only on condition of living a free life. Ironically he displays a complete indifference to Pegeen and expresses his gratitude towards the villagers of Mayo for the role they have played in bringing about the transformation in his personality. Their affection, their consideration and finally their rejection all together is responsible for such evolution in Christy's personality. He now departs Mayo with a newly- acquired self-confidence and self-assertion as a true playboy, a champion, dreaming to pursue his romantic passion.

After Christy's departure with Old Mahon, everybody breathes a sigh of relief except Pegeen. As Shawn expresses his hope to marry Pegeen soon after recovering from the wound inflicted by Christy's biting, Pegeen gives a hard blow on his ear and breaks down in wild wailing for losing Christy, the true Playboy, for ever. Though belated she ultimately perceives Christy's greatness. Her dissociation from Christy is the only tragic implication of this otherwise happy comedy.

 

Selected university questions.

 1. Discuss The Playboy of the Western World as an extravagant comedy?

2. Discuss the farcical elements in The Playboy of the Western World.

3. The Playboy of the Western World is a play about the instinctive desire to rebel against tradition." Discuss.