The Plough and the Stars (play)
Encyclopedia
The Plough and the Stars is a play
by the Irish writer Seán O'Casey
first performed on February 8, 1926 by the Abbey Theatre
in the writer's native Dublin.
It is the third of his well known "Dublin Trilogy" - the other two being The Shadow of a Gunman
(1923) and Juno and the Paycock
(1924).
The Abbey most recently presented the play from July to September 2010, directed by Wayne Jordan.
, in April 1916.
Jack Clitheroe: a bricklayer and former member of the Irish Citizen Army.
Nora Clitheroe: housewife of Jack Clitheroe.
Peter Flynn: a labourer, and uncle of Nora Clitheroe.
The Young Covey: a fitter, ardent communist and cousin of Jack Clitheroe.
Bessie Burgess: a street fruit-vendor, and Protestant.
Mrs Gogan: a charwoman.
Mollser Gogan: daughter of Mrs Gogan, dying from consumption.
Fluther Good: a carpenter, and trade-unionist.
Additional Characters:
Lieutenant Langon: a civil servant, and lieutenant of the Irish Citizen Army.
Captain Brennan: a chicken butcher, and captain of the Irish Citizen Army.
Corporal Stoddard: a corporal of the Wiltshire Regiment of the British Army.
Sergeant Tinley: a sergeant of the Wiltshire Regiment of the British Army.
Rosie Redmond: a daughter of "the Digs," and a prostitute.
A Bartender.
An Upper-class Woman.
The Portrait In The Window: Widely accepted as being Padraig Pearse.
The act opens with Gossip by Mrs Gogan; a catholic charwoman. Some other characters introduced are: Fluther Good: a trade unionist and a carpenter.
"The Young Covey:" an ardent communist a fitter; Jack Clitheroe, The Covey's uncle and a former member of the Irish Citizen Army
, at that time led by James Connolly
.
There is also Nora Clitheroe; Jack Clitheroe's wife.
Later in this act, Captain Brennan knocks on the door of the Clitheroes' home and asks to see "Commandant Clitheroe,"which surprises Jack Clitheroe, as he was not aware he'd been promoted.
Nora begs him not to answer the door, but he does, and meets Captain Brennan; a chicken butcher
and a member of the Irish Citizen Army.
Captain Brennan hands Jack Clitheroe telling him that he and his battalion are ordered to join General James Connolly at a meeting.
Jack Clitheroe asks why he was not informed that he was made commandant.
Captain Brennan claims he gave a letter Nora Clitheroe explaining his new promotion.
The setting is the interior of a public house
. A political rally is in progress outside. From time to time an unnamed man is heard addressing the crowd. His words are taken from various speeches and writings of Patrick Pearse
. Rosie Redmond, a prostitute, is complaining to the barman that the meeting is bad for business. Peter Flynn, Fluther Good and Young Covey come in and leave again at intervals, having a quick drink during the speeches. Bessie Burgess and Mrs. Gogan also come in, and a fight breaks out between them. After they have left, Covey insults Rosie, leading to a row between him and Fluther. Jack Clitheroe, Lieutenant Langon and Captain Brennan enter the bar, in uniform and carrying The Plough and the Stars flag and a green, white and orange tricolour
. They are so moved by the speeches that they are determined to face imprisonment, injury or death for Ireland. They drink quickly and leave again in time to march their respective companies away. Fluther leaves with Rosie.
. Bessie gloats about the Rebels' imminent defeat. The characters loot the shops of Dublin. Brennan and Jack appear with a wounded rebel, but Jack ignores Nora's pleas to leave the fighting. She then goes into labour.
, while Nora has had a stillbirth
. She is delirious, imagining herself walking in the woods with Jack. Brennan arrives and tells the others that Jack has been shot dead. Two British soldiers arrive and escort the men away — civilians are suspected of aiding a rebel sniper. Nora goes to a window, calling for Jack; when Bessie pulls her away, Bessie is shot in the back, mistaken for a sniper.
's pacifist drama The Plough and the Stars, in reference to the "Playboy Riots" (The Playboy of the Western World
by John Millington Synge
): "You have disgraced yourself again; is this to be the recurring celebration of the arrival of Irish genius?"
, the play was adapted into a film
by American director John Ford
, starring Barbara Stanwyck
and Preston Foster
.
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
by the Irish writer Seán O'Casey
Seán O'Casey
Seán O'Casey was an Irish dramatist and memoirist. A committed socialist, he was the first Irish playwright of note to write about the Dublin working classes.- Early life:...
first performed on February 8, 1926 by the Abbey Theatre
Abbey Theatre
The Abbey Theatre , also known as the National Theatre of Ireland , is a theatre located in Dublin, Ireland. The Abbey first opened its doors to the public on 27 December 1904. Despite losing its original building to a fire in 1951, it has remained active to the present day...
in the writer's native Dublin.
It is the third of his well known "Dublin Trilogy" - the other two being The Shadow of a Gunman
The Shadow of a Gunman
The Shadow of a Gunman is a 1923 play by Seán O'Casey. It centers on the mistaken identity of a building tenant who is thought to be an IRA assassin....
(1923) and Juno and the Paycock
Juno and the Paycock
Juno and the Paycock is a play by Sean O'Casey, and one of the most highly regarded and oft-performed plays in Ireland. It was first staged at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in 1924...
(1924).
The Abbey most recently presented the play from July to September 2010, directed by Wayne Jordan.
Plot
The first two acts take place in November 1915, looking forward to the liberation of Ireland. The last two acts are set during the Easter RisingEaster Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
, in April 1916.
Characters
Residents of the tenement house:Jack Clitheroe: a bricklayer and former member of the Irish Citizen Army.
Nora Clitheroe: housewife of Jack Clitheroe.
Peter Flynn: a labourer, and uncle of Nora Clitheroe.
The Young Covey: a fitter, ardent communist and cousin of Jack Clitheroe.
Bessie Burgess: a street fruit-vendor, and Protestant.
Mrs Gogan: a charwoman.
Mollser Gogan: daughter of Mrs Gogan, dying from consumption.
Fluther Good: a carpenter, and trade-unionist.
Additional Characters:
Lieutenant Langon: a civil servant, and lieutenant of the Irish Citizen Army.
Captain Brennan: a chicken butcher, and captain of the Irish Citizen Army.
Corporal Stoddard: a corporal of the Wiltshire Regiment of the British Army.
Sergeant Tinley: a sergeant of the Wiltshire Regiment of the British Army.
Rosie Redmond: a daughter of "the Digs," and a prostitute.
A Bartender.
An Upper-class Woman.
The Portrait In The Window: Widely accepted as being Padraig Pearse.
Act I
The first act is a representation of normal working-class life in early twentieth century Dublin. The Majority of major characters are revealed.The act opens with Gossip by Mrs Gogan; a catholic charwoman. Some other characters introduced are: Fluther Good: a trade unionist and a carpenter.
"The Young Covey:" an ardent communist a fitter; Jack Clitheroe, The Covey's uncle and a former member of the Irish Citizen Army
Irish Citizen Army
The Irish Citizen Army , or ICA, was a small group of trained trade union volunteers established in Dublin for the defence of worker’s demonstrations from the police. It was formed by James Larkin and Jack White. Other prominent members included James Connolly, Seán O'Casey, Constance Markievicz,...
, at that time led by James Connolly
James Connolly
James Connolly was an Irish republican and socialist leader. He was born in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh, Scotland, to Irish immigrant parents and spoke with a Scottish accent throughout his life. He left school for working life at the age of 11, but became one of the leading Marxist theorists of...
.
There is also Nora Clitheroe; Jack Clitheroe's wife.
Later in this act, Captain Brennan knocks on the door of the Clitheroes' home and asks to see "Commandant Clitheroe,"which surprises Jack Clitheroe, as he was not aware he'd been promoted.
Nora begs him not to answer the door, but he does, and meets Captain Brennan; a chicken butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
and a member of the Irish Citizen Army.
Captain Brennan hands Jack Clitheroe telling him that he and his battalion are ordered to join General James Connolly at a meeting.
Jack Clitheroe asks why he was not informed that he was made commandant.
Captain Brennan claims he gave a letter Nora Clitheroe explaining his new promotion.
Act II
This act was originally a single-act play, called The Cooing of Doves.The setting is the interior of a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
. A political rally is in progress outside. From time to time an unnamed man is heard addressing the crowd. His words are taken from various speeches and writings of Patrick Pearse
Patrick Pearse
Patrick Henry Pearse was an Irish teacher, barrister, poet, writer, nationalist and political activist who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916...
. Rosie Redmond, a prostitute, is complaining to the barman that the meeting is bad for business. Peter Flynn, Fluther Good and Young Covey come in and leave again at intervals, having a quick drink during the speeches. Bessie Burgess and Mrs. Gogan also come in, and a fight breaks out between them. After they have left, Covey insults Rosie, leading to a row between him and Fluther. Jack Clitheroe, Lieutenant Langon and Captain Brennan enter the bar, in uniform and carrying The Plough and the Stars flag and a green, white and orange tricolour
Flag of Ireland
The national flag of Ireland is a vertical tricolour of green , white, and orange. It is also known as the Irish tricolour. The flag proportion is 1:2...
. They are so moved by the speeches that they are determined to face imprisonment, injury or death for Ireland. They drink quickly and leave again in time to march their respective companies away. Fluther leaves with Rosie.
Act III
This takes place on Easter Monday, the opening day of the Easter RisingEaster Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
. Bessie gloats about the Rebels' imminent defeat. The characters loot the shops of Dublin. Brennan and Jack appear with a wounded rebel, but Jack ignores Nora's pleas to leave the fighting. She then goes into labour.
Act IV
This takes place later in the rising. Mollser, a local girl, has died of tuberculosisTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, while Nora has had a stillbirth
Stillbirth
A stillbirth occurs when a fetus has died in the uterus. The Australian definition specifies that fetal death is termed a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation or the fetus weighs more than . Once the fetus has died the mother still has contractions and remains undelivered. The term is often used in...
. She is delirious, imagining herself walking in the woods with Jack. Brennan arrives and tells the others that Jack has been shot dead. Two British soldiers arrive and escort the men away — civilians are suspected of aiding a rebel sniper. Nora goes to a window, calling for Jack; when Bessie pulls her away, Bessie is shot in the back, mistaken for a sniper.
Reaction
W. B. Yeats famously declared to rioters against Seán O'CaseySeán O'Casey
Seán O'Casey was an Irish dramatist and memoirist. A committed socialist, he was the first Irish playwright of note to write about the Dublin working classes.- Early life:...
's pacifist drama The Plough and the Stars, in reference to the "Playboy Riots" (The Playboy of the Western World
The Playboy of the Western World
The Playboy of the Western World is a three-act play written by Irish playwright John Millington Synge and first performed at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on January 26, 1907. It is set in Michael James Flaherty's public house in County Mayo during the early 1900s...
by John Millington Synge
John Millington Synge
Edmund John Millington Synge was an Irish playwright, poet, prose writer, and collector of folklore. He was a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival and was one of the cofounders of the Abbey Theatre...
): "You have disgraced yourself again; is this to be the recurring celebration of the arrival of Irish genius?"
Film adaptation
In 19361936 in film
The year 1936 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May 29 - Fritz Lang's first Hollywood film Fury, starring Spencer Tracy and Bruce Cabot, is released.*November 6 - first Porky Pig animated cartoon...
, the play was adapted into a film
The Plough and the Stars (film)
The Plough and the Stars is a 1936 drama film directed by John Ford based on the play of the same name by Seán O'Casey.-Cast:* Barbara Stanwyck - Nora Clitheroe* Preston Foster - Jack Clitheroe* Barry Fitzgerald - Fluther Good...
by American director John Ford
John Ford
John Ford was an American film director. He was famous for both his westerns such as Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and adaptations of such classic 20th-century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath...
, starring Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck was an American actress. She was a film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra...
and Preston Foster
Preston Foster
Preston Foster was an American stage and film actor, and singer. Foster entered films in 1929 after appearing as a Broadway stage actor. He was appearing in Broadway plays as late as October 1931 when he acted in a play titled Two Seconds starring Edward J. Pawley...
.
External links
- Sean O’Casey and the 1916 Easter Rising. from the International Communist CurrentInternational Communist CurrentThe International Communist Current is an international centralised left communist organisation which was formed in 1975 and which has sections in France, Great Britain, Mexico, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Venezuela, Brazil, Sweden, India, Italy, USA, Switzerland, Philippines and...
(Bordigist) - Academic play description