Riders in the sea-thematic analysis

"Riders in the sea" is a one act play written by John Millingtone Synge of Ireland. This presentation is regarding the themes of the play.

1. RIDERS IN THE SEA THEMATIC ANALYSIS Presentation done by V. Tony sam

2. The play has so many connotations to catholicism . There are Priests, blessings, Holy water, etc. Maurya acts like a pagan despite being a catholic. She listens to the power of the sea than the power of God. CATHOLICISM VS PAGANISM

3. Maurya represents tradition. Her children and the young priest represent modernity. The tensions between the two worlds impact Bartley. Modernity ultimately prevails. TRADITION VS MODERNITY

4. All of the characters resign to fate at the end of the play. Throughout the play, Maurya believes that it is her son’s fate to die Fate cannot be avoided. They are essentially fatalists. FATE

5. Superstitions like a ghost could cause the death of a loved one to assuage its loneliness. It was also believed that the dead minded other people wearing their clothes. SUPERSTITION

6. Maurya doesn’t give blessing because of superstition. The use of number nine is superstitious. The number nine is used as a sign of bad luck throughout the story.

7. The Industrial revolution changed everything so that people were unable to make a living in the traditional way. Bartley is caught between the devil and deep blue sea. The individual is pitted against society and the conflict results in death. INDIVIDUAL AGAINST THE SOCIETY

8. The sea is the most powerful element in the play. It represents opportunity as well danger. THE POWER OF THE SEA

9. In line with the Greek thought that one must suffer nobly and die a noble death. Maurya suffers all her life. NOBLE AND ETERNAL SUFFERING

10. Nora gives Michael’s stick to M aurya . Bartley’s search for rope. Maurya intensifies the irony. Tragic irony IRONY

11. Works cited: Greek elements in John Millington Synge’s Riders to the sea By Sister Mary Gabriela Klein de Notre Dame A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Creighton University in partial fulfillment of the requirments for the degree of master of arts in the department of English Omaha,1941