Volunteers (Masterplots II: Drama, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Brian Friel
- First Published: 1979
- Type of Plot: Political
- Time of Work: The 1970’s
- Setting: Ireland
- Principal Characters: George, Mr. Wilson, Des, Knox, Butt, Smiler, Keeney, Pyne
- Genres: Drama, Parody, Political drama, Tragicomedy
- Subjects: 1970’s, Politics, Prisoners, Friendship, Ethics, Ireland or Irish people, Archaeology or archaeologists, Parole
- Locales: Ireland
The Play
Volunteers is set on an archaeological site in the middle of an Irish city, presumably Dublin, in the mid-1970’s. A parking garage and some houses have been razed to allow construction of a luxury hotel, complete with underground swimming pool. Workers have removed layers of Georgian cellars and Norman debris to reveal the foundations of a tenth century Viking house. These foundations and a Viking skeleton the workers have named Leif are the dominant features of the set, which remains unchanged throughout the play.
Because of the archaeological value of...
[The entire page is 2700 words long]
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