The Playboy of the Western World by J.M. Synge| Meg02 |British Drama | Irish |ignou | characters|ba

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"The Playboy of the Western World" is a three-act comedic play by John Millington Synge. The play was first performed on January 26, 1907, at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. It tells the tale of Christy Mahon, who believes he has killed his father, whom he claims was a violent and cruel man. Christy is treated as a hero by the villagers until his father shows up very much alive and Christy tries to kill him again. The play opened amid much controversy over its use of crude language and its portrayal of Ireland. Irish nationalists felt that Synge's play used foul language and fed into negative stereotypes of the Irish people, and the first performance of the play gave rise to booing and hissing bordering on riot in the third act. "The Playboy of the Western World" explores the nature of heroism, the power of language, the concept of manliness, and the illusory appeal of violence.

CHARACTERS
Christopher Mahon (Christy): A young stranger in town who initially wins the admiration of both men and women by declaring that he murdered his father. Christy is meek and woebegone at first, but quickly transforms into the manly specimen the people of Mayo believe him to be.

Old Mahon: The father whom Christy mistakenly believes he has killed. He is a tough and harsh man who has always considered his son a pitiful wretch.

Michael James Flaherty: The owner of the public house where the action of the play unfolds and the father of Pegeen Mike.

Margaret Flaherty (Pegeen Mike): A young woman who falls in love with Christy upon learning that he murdered his father.

Widow Quin: A woman of around thirty who is rumored to have murdered her husband. She is also interested in Christy, and she demonstrates her cunning in cutting deals for both Shawn Keogh and Christy in exchange for promises.

Shawn Keogh: A timorous young farmer who is engaged to Pegeen Mike at the beginning of the play. Shawn quickly becomes fearful that Christy will displace him in Pegeen's affections, and rightly so.

Philly Cullen and Jimmy Farrell: Friends of Michael James, who accompany Michael James to a wake after welcoming Christy and hearing his tale.

Sara Tansey, Susan Brady, and Honor Blake: Village girls who stop by to flirt with Christy after hearing rumors of his impressive, patricidal ways.