Christopher Mahon (Christy)

Characters Christopher Mahon (Christy)

When he first arrives at Michael Flaherty’s pub disheveled and tired,
Christy is the titular “playboy of the western world.” Prior to his arrival at
the pub, Christy lived a life of rural drudgery, working in the potato fields
under the thumb of his domineering father, Old Mahon. Fed up with Old
Mahon, Christy struck him with a loy and, believing his father was dead,
ran away. When he arrives at the pub, his question about the police
leads the men around him to question whether Christy has committed a
crime. Christy’s initial reluctance to share any details about himself
shows that he didn’t plan to deceive the villagers, but once he sees how
people are impressed by his story, Christy gladly takes advantage of the
situation. Christy embellishes his story, making his father seem cruel
and heartless while portraying himself as brave and heroic. Christy
basks in the attention, delighted to have suddenly become the man he
never was: fearless, brave, strong, and attractive.
Later, Old Mahon, who survived Christy’s attack, reveals that Christy’s
new reputation is at odds with his personality prior to Christy’s arrival in
the village. Old Mahon describes Christy as foolish, lazy, afraid to talk to
women, and unable to handle alcohol or tobacco. Such a description is
incongruous to the brave, strong, eloquent hero the people of the village
see. Despite being called out, Christy remains defiant, stating that he will
maintain the image of the heroic playboy that the village first saw.
Having had a taste of what life as a “playboy” is like, Christy refuses to
go back to how things were, therefore representing the ability of
individuals to change their lot in life.
Waiting for Godot, besides being considered one of the founding texts of
contemporary theatre, is certainly the best-known work of Samuel
Beckett. The play unfolds in two acts, but the scene is always equal to
itself. In the first act we see a street and a tree, and in the second Act,
the actors move within the same place.

All the characters have the same gestures, and they repeat the same
words. The staticness of Beckett’s comedy is evidently symbolic, and it
conveys the message about the futility of life of modern men without
any definite purpose. Estragon and Vladimir are two vagabonds who
express at the highest level possible the contemporary human condition.
Both Estragon and Vladimir have no history: in fact, they have few and
fragmentary memories of them. So they don’t seem to have a future
except maybe one: they are waiting for a man named Godot.

Estragon and Vladimir are anxiously awaiting the mysterious Godot, who
should give them a hand to find a stable paid employment opportunity.
But Godot never arrives, but he says he would come certainly tomorrow.
There were a lot of critics trying to unravel the mystery of Godot, often
interpreted as God, given the presence of the English word God in the
name of the elusive and always absent Beckett’s character; others have
seen Godot as the symbolic image of happiness always so elusive, and
others more generally attempted to find other strange solutions to the
problem. Beckett never explained what he considered to be the
enigmatic Godot, and he has always claimed that he “did not know” who
Godot was, adding perhaps truthfully that if he knew him “he would
reveal the mystery in his comedy.”

In essence, a vacuum expectation seems to dominate Beckett’s play. On

a street at the foot of a tree, Estragon and Vladimir called respectively
GoGo and Didi, await Godot. Day after day GoGo and Didi attended
yet, and they spend their lives on the street. And so the otiose wait of
Vladimir and Estragon is the symbolical image of the human condition
characterized by an existential vacuum. They are condemned to exist,
and their speeches sound absurd and without meaningless, full just both
of platitudes and paradoxes. Their conversation is only a parody of
communication, and it symbolically demonstrates the absolute solitude
of man and his substantial inability to enter into communication with the
others. The power of Beckett’s theatre comes mainly from the use that
he made of time and space; the characters are always in a wait without
projection, because time is static, and space is fixed. The characters live
in a situation of powerlessness, where there is no communication but
monologues without any sense.

The Theatre of the Absurd began in France, and the main feature of
these plays is the combination of absurd and illogical situations with a
realistic language. They reflect the meaninglessness of men’s life and
the incoherence of a world where people are unable to communicate
with each other and are consequently bound to live an isolated
existence. The leading figure of The theatre of the Absurd in England
was surely Samuel Beckett. He was born in 1900 in Ireland, and became
first know in France for his drama En attendant Godot, later staged in
England as Waiting for Godot.

Time presents a slew of problems in Waiting for Godot. The very title of
the play reveals its central action: waiting. The two main characters are
forced to whittle away their days while anticipating the arrival of a man
who never comes. Because they have nothing to do in the meantime,
time is a dreaded barrier, a test of their ability to endure. Because they
repeat the same actions every day, time is cyclical. That every character
seems to have a faulty memory further complicates matters; time loses
meaning when the actions of one day have no relevance or certainty on
the next.

Waiting for Godot is hailed as a classic example of "Theater of the

Absurd," dramatic works that promote the philosophy of its name. This
particular play presents a world in which daily actions are without
meaning, language fails to effectively communicate, and the characters
at times reflect a sense of artifice, even wondering aloud whether
perhaps they are on a stage.

Lucky is the only character in Waiting for Godot whose actions are
rational, rather than absurd.
[11/22, 2:53 PM] Samuel: Summary
T. S. Eliot's The Family Reunion is a two-act play composed in blank
verse. It was first produced in 1939 (following the comparatively
successful Murder in the Cathedral in 1935) and is set in the fictional
estate of Wishwood, where the ailing matriarch, Amy "Lady"
Monchensey is hosting a birthday party with the aid of her sisters, Ivy,
Violet, and Agatha, as well as her two brothers, Charles and Gerald
Piper. They are joined by Mary, a daughter of a deceased cousin of
Amy's, as well as a servant. Amy is very ill but awaits the arrival of her
three sons.It is a cold springtime at Wishwood (in Northern England) and
Gerald misses being a subaltern so that he could be back in the warmer
climes of the East. The group discusses differences between their
generation and their children's (claiming, for example, that the younger
generation is decadent). They look to Mary to ask for her commentary
on her own generation, but, feeling socially marginalized by virtue of
being nearing thirty and without serious marriage prospects, she
comments that she feels she belongs to no generation.

Finally, Harry arrives. Agatha (Amy's sister) suspects it will be hard for
him to adapt to the return, but his mother disagrees, as she is interested
in him taking over the estate. Before Harry's return, Amy insists that they
are lucky not to have met Harry's late wife, who died after falling
overboard on a ship at sea.
When Harry arrives, the family expects it to be John and is surprised to
see him. Harry is accompanied by creatures noticeable only to him—the
Eumenides of Greek tragedy who haunt the culprits of murder. Harry
insists that, contrary to his mother's wishes, they cannot act as if nothing
has changed. He suffers from intense feelings of guilt for having been
angry with his wife and thinking of killing her when she fell overboard.
Though Harry has an alibi and did not push his wife overboard, his
experience of guilt makes him question the reality of what happened.
Mary confesses to Agatha that she wants to leave Wishwood, though
she knows that Amy wants her to stay. Harry and Mary reminisce about
their childhood together but do not become romantically involved as
Harry's nearly dead mother would wish.

Agatha admits that when Harry was in utero, his father thought of killing
his mother, which Agatha prevented by dissuading him. It is announced
in sequence that neither John nor Arthur (Amy's other two children) will
be coming. Harry, too, announces that he is leaving, which his mother
first protests and then wishes to know why. She claims to her brother
that he is becoming a missionary in order to account for his sudden
departure. Amy also accuses Agatha of taking her son just as she took
her husband (though Agatha insists that she did not prompt Harry to
leave).
After Harry leaves, Agatha and Mary admit to having seen the
Eumenides, too. The chorus describes how humans are resistant to
changes in their lives. Amy dies, and Mary and Agatha pray around her
body while blowing out candles on her birthday cake.
repercussions of many characters’ behavior suggest a theme that might
be described as “what goes around, comes around.” In this regard as
well, Eliot draws explicitly on the Greek tragedy by including the
Eumenides, or Furies, who pursue those guilty of heinous—especially
capital—crimes. Initially, it is Harry who sees them, foreshadowing his
later admission that he believes he killed his wife. Because Agatha,
Amy's sister, and Mary, a younger distant cousin, also see the creatures,
Eliot suggests that they, too, may suffer under a burden of guilt.
Although Agatha and Amy initially seem close, it is revealed that Agatha
had an affair with her sister’s husband, Harry’s father; the husband had
turned so far against his wife that he had plotted to murder her. Although
Agatha had saved both her sister and the as-yet-unborn Harry, Amy
cannot forgive her. Yet Downing, the family servant, also sees the Furies
but is apparently innocent of all crime. It seems that guilt pervades the
family reunion: there are many instances in which the characters reflect
on their pasts and the repercussions they experience in the current day.
The Family Reunion unites a family in proximity and draws together the
consequences of the characters’ actions.
[11/22, 2:55 PM] Samuel: The Role of Destiny and Guilt
The negative inspirations for and repercussions of many characters’
behavior suggest a theme that might be described as “what goes
around, comes around.” In this regard as well, Eliot draws explicitly on
the Greek tragedy by including the Eumenides, or Furies, who pursue
those guilty of heinous—especially capital—crimes. Initially, it is Harry
who sees them, foreshadowing his later admission that he believes he
killed his wife. Because Agatha, Amy's sister, and Mary, a younger
distant cousin, also see the creatures, Eliot suggests that they, too, may
suffer under a burden of guilt. Although Agatha and Amy initially seem
close, it is revealed that Agatha had an affair with her sister’s husband,
Harry’s father; the husband had turned so far against his wife that he
had plotted to murder her. Although Agatha had saved both her sister
and the as-yet-unborn Harry, Amy cannot forgive her. Yet Downing, the
family servant, also sees the Furies but is apparently innocent of all
crime. It seems that guilt pervades the family reunion: there are many
instances in which the characters reflect on their pasts and the
repercussions they experience in the current day. The Family Reunion
unites a family in proximity and draws together the consequences of the
characters’ actions.
[11/22, 2:55 PM] Samuel: The Power of Place
The power of place is also a thematic undercurrent, as the physical
estate assumes outsize importance in Amy’s scheme, which the younger
characters variously endorse or reject. Amy attempts to “reunite” her
family as the title of the work implies. She does not appear to want much
more than physical proximity, however, as the birthday party quickly
deteriorates with familial conflict. It seems that even when everyone is in
one place, the family becomes less and less enchanted by Wishwood.
Harry is a prominent example of this decline. As the eldest, it is Harry
who is the acting Lord Monchensey. He will, presumably, rule over the
estate upon his mother’s imminent death. However, Harry is not
interested. He has experienced loss and no longer wishes to reside in
Wishwood, especially after several years of being removed from it. The
place itself lacks the ability to bring him in as Amy had hoped. Mary, too,
wishes to remove herself from Wishwood. It seems that just as Amy
wastes away in her old age, the appeal of the estate does, too.
[11/22, 2:56 PM] Samuel: Family Conflict
The primary theme that the playwright explores is family conflict. He
extends this theme to the dualistic love-hate relationships between
generations and among siblings of the same generation. The “reunion”
of the title, therefore, is ironic: although most of the family members are
physically united, their actions before and during the party push them
ever further apart. In addition, as Amy seems to be the family’s center,
her death at the play’s end signals the dissolution rather than the
reunion of the family and, by extension, of the Wishwood estate. No one
in the family arrives at this party in a picture-perfect manner. Amy’s two
youngest sons do not even show up to the estate—they have been
slightly injured in motor accidents. Harry is haunted by his wife’s recent
death. Mary is embarrassed that she is nearing thirty and remains
unmarried. Even Amy’s sister Agatha harbors guilt for an affair she had
with Amy’s husband many years ago. While seemingly picturesque, the
facade of the reunion crumbles quickly.
The Playboy of the Western World Summary
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Preface
In a short preface to his play, Synge emphasizes a link between the
imagination of the Irish country people and their speech itself, which is
"rich and living." He credits the Irish people for having such a "fiery,"
"magnificent" language, and further credits himself for having both the
presence of mind and poetic vision to recognize those virtues.

Act I
The entire play is set in a public house (or pub) "on the wild coast of
Mayo," outside a village in Northwestern Ireland, circa 1907 (113).
Pegeen Mike, daughter to the alehouse owner, sits alone in the pub,
writing a letter to order supplies for her upcoming wedding to Shawn
Keogh. Her father, Michael James, has left her for the evening, while he
attends a wake.

Shawn Keogh enters, remarking upon the frightening darkness outside.

Pegeen asks him to stay with her, since the night makes her nervous as
well. Shawn refuses, claiming it would be improper for him to be alone
with her until they are wed. However, he offers to send the Widow Quin
to stay with her. Shawn then reveals that he heard a man outside,
wailing from a ditch.

Michael James enters, along with his friends Philly and Jimmy. They are
drunk, and have not yet left for the wake. Michael James demands
Shawn stay with Pegeen, but Shawn refuses, fearing the disapproval of
the parish priest. Shawn flees before the men can trap him, but quickly
returns to tell them that he saw a face looking up out of the ditch.

Christy Mahon, frightened and dirty, enters the pub. A shy young man,
he simply wishes to warm himself by the fire, but soon enough reveals
that he is on the run from the police. He tries to avoid talking about it, but
the men pester him until he admits that he killed his father.

The group is greatly impressed by this news, and to meet a man who
could kill his own father. Michael James offers him a job on the spot,
noting that Christy could keep Pegeen company this evening. Michael,
Philly and Jimmy then leave for their wake, and a very-intrigued Pegeen
chases Shawn away.

Pegeen admires Christy, complimenting him on his physique, his face,

his speech and his courage. Christy swells with unfamiliar pride.

Widow Quin appears, having heard about Christy from Shawn. The
widow tries to seduce him, but Pegeen insults and sends her off. As she
leaves, however, the widow refers to Pegeen’s impending nuptials with
Shawn. This news devastates Christy, since he has fallen for her.
However, she assures him she would never marry a coward like Shawn,
and then heads off to bed.

Before he falls asleep, Christy muses to himself that he would have

killed his father much sooner if he had known it would bring him such
respect and fortune.

Act II
Three village girls arrive the next morning to see the man they have
heard gossip about. They giggle and flirt with him until Widow Quin
arrives, announcing that she has registered Christy for a sports
competition being held later on the beach. The girls joke that the widow
and Christy would make a fine match.

As they eat breakfast, Christy tells more about the murder, about how he
rebelled when his father promised him to a widow whom he did not want
to marry. When his father lifted a scythe as their argument grew vicious,
Christy struck back with a spade, hitting the old man on the head and
killing him.

Pegeen enters, and chases the women out. Jealous, she accuses
Christy of flirting, which he denies. The two exchange kind, tender
words. They’re falling in love.
Shawn and Widow Quin re-enter, and alert Pegeen that her sheep have
wandered off. Pegeen rushes out, leaving them alone. Shawn offers
Christy a one-way ticket to America and all his fine clothes if he
promises to leave the village. Christy rejects his offer, but the widow
encourages him to try on Shawn’s clothes anyway. Christy agrees, and
leaves the room to change.

Once Christy is gone, Shawn promises to give the widow animals and
wealth if she can find a way to interfere with Christy and Pegeen’s affair.
The widow strikes a deal with Shawn, promising to lure Christy into
marrying her, not Pegeen. Content, Shawn leaves.

Christy struts back in wearing Shawn’s clothes, but staggers back when
he sees the spirit of his “murdered da” outside the window (142). He
hides just as Old Mahon, his father, enters.

Old Mahon, a bandage round his bloodied head, describes Christy and
then asks whether the widow has seen someone matching that
description. The widow sends Mahon off to the docks, claiming she saw
the boy waiting to board a steamer. Mahon exits.

Christy panics over his father's “resurrection” (144). Knowing that

Pegeen loves him for his murderous heroism, he worries she will leave
him. He begs the widow to help him, which she agrees to do in
exchange for privileges once he becomes master of the pub.

The girls who visited earlier arrive to lead Christy down to the beach for
the sports competition. Alone, the widow admits that Christy will
eventually turn to her once the truth comes out and Pegeen drops him.

Act III
Jimmy and Philly enter the empty pub, discussing how Christy has
dominated the competition. They also admit that his constant boasting
about his patricide annoys them.

Old Mahon re-enters the pub. Showing the men his wound, he asks
again after his son. Right as the men begin to grow suspicious, Widow
Quin enters and confides to Jimmy and Philly that Mahon is crazy, and
has co-opted Christy's story for attention. When the men try to
interrogate Mahon further, the widow interjects to distract them.

When the cheering from the beach reaches the pub, Mahon looks out to
widow to see the competition's champion: Christy. The widow convinces
him that he is seeing things because of his head injury, and he anxiously
leaves to admit himself to an insane asylum. Jimmy and Philly leave with
him.

Christy and Pegeen enter with the crowd, who celebrate Christy and
then leave to watch the final competition on the beach. Alone now with
Pegeen, Christy proposes marriage, and she accepts.

Michael James, still drunk from the wake, enters with Shawn. Now
perturbed about Christy's influence on his daughter, Michael insists she
will marry Shawn. Pegeen defies her father and announces her intention
to marry Christy, and Michael encourages Shawn to fight Christy for her.
When Shawn cowardly refuses, Michael decides to bless Christy and
Pegeen’s match.

Outside, a cry goes up as Old Mahon bursts into the pub, rushing at
Christy and knocking him down. When the older man reveals the truth,
Pegeen repudiates Christy. He then begs mercy from her and the crowd,
but they will not grant it.

Pegeen urges Mahon to take his son away, but Christy resists Mahon.
The crowd eggs on the fight between father and son until Christy turns
on them with a spade. He then chases his father from the pub, the
spade held high.

Everyone rushes out to watch. Offstage, there is a loud cry and then
silence. Christy stumbles back in, dazed. Widow Quin follows, urging
Christy to run, since the crowd has turned against him. But Christy
believes that Pegeen will take him back now that he has actually killed
his father.

He is wrong. From the doorway, Michael, Philly and Pegeen throw a

loop of rope around Christy, confining his arms and torso. Christy asks
Pegeen whether she will take him back, but she asserts there is a
difference between a “gallous story” and a “dirty deed” (164).

Writhing on the floor, Christy threatens to kill them and bites Shawn in
the leg. Pegeen burns Christy with a hot poker. Worked up, Christy
conjures the welcome he shall receive from Satan once he has been
hanged.

But then Mahon crawls back in, demanding to know why his son is
bound. He releases Christy, who then asks whether the man has
returned to be killed a third time. Old Mahon tells the group that he and
Christy will talk of County Mayo's villainy for years to come.

However, Christy will not leave peacefully with Mahon, whom he pushes
roughly, declaring that his departure is that of a “gallant captain with his
heathen slave” (166). Old Mahon is amazed and delighted by this
change in his son. They then leave together.

Shawn approaches Pegeen to remind her of their wedding engagement.

She boxes Shawn’s ear and sends him out. Crying wildly, she laments
that she has "lost the only Playboy of the Western World” (166)