Sean O

’Casey And Suffering Essay, Research Paper

How does Sean O’Casey make the audience appreciate that the troubles of the world are caused by men and that women pay the price of suffering. In this essay, I shall be examining the character and actions of some of the males in the play. This will enable me to then assess the impact which each of them have on their female counterparts. I think that this quote summarises one of the main themes of the play – Act III line 722 Juno “Ah, what can God do agen the stupidity o’ men.” First of all, I shall examine the flaws in the character of Boyle, and how he affects the lives of Mrs. Madigan, Juno Boyle, and Mary Boyle. . . Boyle Boyle is constantly wears Juno down. He saps her strength, and makes her life a misery. Juno has to hound Boyle from the time when he arrives back from Always messing her about. Juno is never shore of when he will come waltzing in from off the street (drunk most probably) – Act I lines 49 – 50 Mrs. Boyle “Oh, he’ll come in when he likes; struttin’ about the town like a paycock with Joxer, I suppose.” The announcement that some money was entering the Boyle family prompted Bolyes selfishness to go into overdrive. Although the Boyle family had not received the first cheque, Boyle still continued to spend and splash out on expensive food and goods by borrowing off ‘friends’ and neighbours’. Juno though is a little more cautious and advises her husband to stop spending the money, just until the first cheque arrives. Later on in the play when Boyle realises the money is not gracing it with it’s presence, Juno is put under further emotional stress as one more trouble is piled up on the already disastrously huge heap. This all because of the stupidity of Boyle. Sensibly Juno after defending Boyle for many, many years packs up and leaves along with Mary. This leaves Boyle bearing the brunt of his stupidity, but that is another story. Due to Boyles laziness and stubbornness he will not gain employment and neither does he want too. This puts further strain on Juno and her wages as he drinks and maybe gambles it away. May be it is the drink that makes him like this. Only Sean O’Casey knows – Act I lines 413 – 414, 419 – 421, 423 – 424 Mrs. Boyle “It’s miraculous that whenever he scents a job in front of him, his legs begin to fail him!” Boyle “How d’ye expect me to be able to go up a ladder with these legs. An, if I get up aself, how am I goin’ to get down agen.” Mrs. Boyle “You can’t climb a laddher, but you can skip like a goat into a snug!” Boyle, uncaring to all of his disrespectful family, (I wonder why) especially towards Mary and Juno – Act III line 391 Mrs. Boyle “You’ll say nothin’ to her, Jack; ever since she left school she’s earned her livin’, an’ your fatherly care never throubled the poor girl.” At the only point in the play when Mary desperately needed support due to reasons relating to her pregnancy, Boyle had only spiteful words which were full of indifference and hatred. He had no positive thoughts for her. Most men would have seen Mary through this view, but unfortunately this was the way men thought in those troubled times. The two thousand pounds inheritance was most probably the catalyst which initiated Boyle’s selfishness in the latter half of the play. Either the inheritance making him feel good or bad it prompted some sort of stupid behaviour. From the point when Boyle learned that he was to inherit some money, to the time when he discovered the truth about the money, he was affected in a drastic way and he in turn, affected his family. Johnny Johnny uses his injuries and supposed “sickness” as an excuse to make other people run around after him and do things for him, such as his asking Juno for a glass of water when he could just have well got it for himself. – Act I lines 81 – 83 Voice of Johnny “Mother!” Mrs. Boyle “Yis.” Voice of Johnny “Bring us in a dhrink o’ wather.” Johnny is generally bad-tempered towards his mother, constantly asking her to do small tasks for him such as, – Act II lines 649 – 650 Johnny “Are yous goin to put on th’ gramophone tonight, or are yous not.” This wears Juno down, makes her more irritable, and ensures she is nearly always in a bad frame of mind. Johnny causes Mrs. Tancred a lot of grief, even though she doesn’t know he killed her son out of jealousy and spite. (Johnny was a quartermaster, and Tancred the Commandant ). – Act I lines 34 – 35, 50 – 60 Mary (looking at the paper) “On a little bye-road, out beyant Finglas, he was found.” — Mrs. Boyle . . .”I hear all about Mrs. Tancred’s son in this mornin’s paper.” Mary “The full details are in it this mornin’; severe wounds he had – one entherin’ the neck, with an exit wound beneath the left shoulder-blade; another in the left breast penethratin’ the heart, an’. . .” Johnny (springing up from the fire). “Oh, quit that readin’, for God’s sake! Are yous losin’ all your feelin’s. It’ll soon be that none of jous ‘ll read anythin’ that’s not about butcherin’!” Johnny is another man who relies on a woman to bring to him all that he needs. He relies on Juno to shield him from his own immense guilt when he imagines that he sees Tancred (Robbie) – the man he murdered), kneeling before the statue of St. Anthony in his room with the – Act II, lines 287-288, lines 288-289 Johnny . . .”wouns bleedin’ in his breast” “Oh, why did he look at me like that.” again, more guilt showing. “Mother o’ God, keep him away from me.” Notice Johnny doesn