Birth of the Irish Theater
At the close of the nineteenth century, Irish writers found themselves torn between two desires: expressing nostalgia for the heroic legends of their past and illustrating the beliefs and struggles of the home-rule movement. They converged in Dublin, where the city's theater became a stage for both the artistic portrayal of Irish country life and legends, as well as the political climate of the era.

In the 1890s, the Irish middle and upper classes sought literature that resonated with the nationalistic spirit of the time. They turned their attention to the heroic tales of Ireland's past, documented by folklorists like Douglas Hyde, who studied the Irish language still spoken by the inhabitants of the island's western coast. William Butler Yeats, already an established Irish poet, discovered a wealth of poetic material in these stories. Alongside Lady Gregory and Edward Martyn, Yeats founded the influential Irish Literary Theatre in 1899 to champion a national arts movement. After Martyn, an Ibsen enthusiast, departed, the remaining members renamed themselves the Abbey Theatre Company. Yeats envisioned a people's theater where writers and actors could draw from the native speech, customs, and rich mythology of Ireland. Later, Synge would join as one of the Abbey's directors.

The Irish Literary Theatre's first performance was Yeats's The Countess Cathleen, staged on May 8, 1899. However, Yeats's strength lay in lyric poetry rather than realistic drama. His early verse dramas featured beautiful language but lacked dramatic vigor. While he inspired the revival of the Irish literary movement, Yeats delegated the literary responsibilities to Lady Gregory, who wrote several plays for the group, and Synge, who became the Abbey's most renowned and controversial playwright.

Realism
In the late nineteenth century, playwrights began to move away from what they saw as the artificiality of melodrama, focusing instead on the everyday aspects of contemporary life. They rejected the flat characterizations and unmotivated violent actions typical of melodrama. Their work, along with much of the experimental fiction of the period, embraced the principles of realism, a new literary movement that took a serious look at believable characters and their often problematic interactions with society. To achieve this, realistic drama concentrated on the commonplace and eliminated the unlikely coincidences and excessive emotionalism of melodrama. Dramatists like Henrik Ibsen discarded traditional sentimental theatrical forms, documenting the strengths and weaknesses of ordinary people facing significant social issues, such as the restrictive conventions that oppressed nineteenth-century women. Writers who adopted realism used settings and props that reflected their characters' daily lives and crafted realistic dialogue that mirrored natural speech patterns.

Synge incorporated many elements of realism in his plays while also infusing them with poetic touches. This blend created a complex amalgamation of traditional forms arranged in innovative ways. In her introduction to Oxford's collection of Synge's plays, Ann Saddlemyer notes that Synge's study of the Aran Islands' inhabitants led to an ‘‘appreciation of their heightened sensitivity to the changing moods of nature and the harsh conditions they endured,'' which helped him cultivate ‘‘his own aesthetic, a blending of romantic pantheism and ironic realism.’’

In his preface to The Playboy of the Western World, Synge explains that he rejected the realism of Ibsen and Zola, claiming they "dealt with the reality of life in joyless and pallid words.’’ He insisted that "on the stage one must have reality, and one must have joy . . . the rich joy found only in what is superb and wild in reality.’’

Realism and Poetry
The play is a fascinating blend of realism and poetry. Synge's time spent on the Aran Islands, where he studied the locals, enabled him...

Beginning of the 1900s: In the late nineteenth century, realism became the leading literary movement in the Western world. By the century's end, symbolism and naturalism had also emerged as significant new trends.

Today: Broadway is dominated by musicals like The Producers and reality-based dramas such as Proof.

Beginning of the 1900s: In 1905, Arthur Griffith established Sinn Fein among Irish Catholics to advocate for home rule in Ireland. Protests, particularly in Northern Ireland, frequently turned violent as England struggled to maintain control over its colony.

Today: Although the conflict in Ireland has lessened, it remains unresolved. Northern Ireland continues under British rule, leading to ongoing violent clashes between Nationalists and those loyal to England.

Beginning of the 1900s: Samuel Clemens referred to this period as "The Gilded Age," largely due to the industrialization of the West. During this time, a few large industries dominated the U.S. economy. Industrialists saw rapid increases in their fortunes, while the working class endured low wages and hazardous working conditions.

Today: There is growing public awareness of large corporations exploiting foreign labor. Many are concerned that the current drive for economic globalization will exacerbate the disparity between the wealthy and the poor.

The setting of "The Playboy of the Western World" unfolds in a tavern located in the untamed region of County Mayo on Ireland's west coast. This choice of location aligns with John Millington Synge’s critical portrayal of Ireland's rural poor, a perspective shaped by his Protestant upbringing and family landholdings in both County Galway and County Wicklow. The tavern, though secluded, is a hub of community life, perpetually bustling with activity and conversation. Its inhabitants have forged a life from their isolation, relying on news from the outside world through postal services and the ever-spirited discussions that take place within its walls.

Despite this sense of community, the tavern is enveloped in an aura of unease, populated by both real and imagined threats lurking in the surrounding darkness. These include madmen from Keel, tinkers hidden in the glens, and a militia permeating the countryside, along with the spiritual influence of the unseen Father Reilly. These elements contribute to a sense of foreboding that hovers over the tavern, where fear of madness, theft, conflict, or religious intervention keeps the community on edge.

Into this charged atmosphere steps Christy, a young man from eastern Ireland. He enters the scene carrying with him the complexities of the outer world. His arrival stirs the curiosity of the tavern's patrons, who perceive him as possessing a sharper intellect compared to the region's locals. Initially, Christy captivates them, temporarily embodying the role of a hero in their eyes. However, as the truth of his past emerges, the community's admiration swiftly turns into hostility. Facing a near-lynching, Christy is eventually spared and leaves the tavern transformed. Returning to the east, he carries with him newfound insights into his identity and the fleeting nature of heroism in the eyes of the rural community he leaves behind.

"Playboy of the Western World" was adapted for television by the BBC in 1946 and again in Ireland in 1983.

In 1962, a film adaptation of "Playboy of the Western World" was produced in Ireland. This version starred Siobhan McKenna and Gary Raymond, and it was directed by Brian Hurst.

SOURCES
Bennett, Charles A., ‘‘The Plays of J. M. Synge,’’ in the Yale Review, January 1912.

Corkery, Daniel, Synge and Anglo-Irish Literature, Mercier, 1931.

Coxhead, Elizabeth, ‘‘J. M. Synge / Lady Augusta Gregory,’’ in British Writers, Vol. 6, 1983, pp. 307-18.

Howe, P. P., J. M. Synge: A Critical Study, Martin Secker, 1912.

Podhoretz, Norman, ‘‘Synge's Playboy: Morality and the Hero,’’ in Twentieth Century Interpretations of "The Playboy of the Western World’’: A Collection of Critical Essays, Prentice-Hall, 1969.

Review of The Playboy of the Western World, in Freeman's Journal, January 28, 1907.

Review of The Playboy of the Western World, in Irish Times, January 28, 1907.

FURTHER READING
Bushrui, S. B., ed., Sunshine and the Moon's Delight, Colin Smythe, 1972.
Bushrui compiles several essays on Synge's plays, highlighting his use of language.

Greene, David H., and Edward M. Stephens, J. M. Synge, 1871-1909, rev. ed., Macmillan, 1989.
This essential biography offers minimal criticism of Synge's works but provides extensive information on his life and the influences on his writing.

Price, Alan, Synge and Anglo-Irish Drama, Methuen, 1961.
Price delivers insightful analyses of Synge's plays and situates them within a literary historical framework.

Skelton, Robin, J. M. Synge and His World, Viking, 1971.
Skelton's commendable work offers commentary on Synge's life along with pertinent historical context.