The Death of Cuchulain

Death of Cuchulain, The

    Author: W. B. Yeats

    First Performance: 1945, Dublin

    Published: 1939

    Genre: Drama in 1 act; blank verse with a prose prologue

    Setting: Ireland, 1st c. ad

    Cast: 4m, 4f, 3 musicians

After a witty prologue by an Old Man (the author), Eithne Inguba, Cuchulain's young mistress, comes to him with a message from his wife Emer: that he must go out and fight an invading force under Queen Maeve. Eithne also carries a letter from Emer cautioning him to await reinforcements, and Eithne fears that Morrigu, the goddess of war, put the false message in her mouth. Although suspecting that Eithne wants to send him to his death, Cuchulain goes out to fight. Returning wounded, he binds himself to a stake. Aoife, former enemy and lover, comes, and they speak of the past. The Blind Man appears, hoping for a...

[The entire page is 352 words long]

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