The Plough and the Stars facts for kids

The Plough and the Stars is a four-act play written by the Irish author Seán O'Casey. It was first shown on February 8, 1926, at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. The story takes place in Dublin during the 1916 Easter Rising. The play's name comes from the Starry Plough flag, which was used by the Irish Citizen Army.

This play is the third part of O'Casey's famous "Dublin Trilogy." The other two plays are The Shadow of a Gunman (1923) and Juno and the Paycock (1924).

Understanding the Play's Story

The first two acts of the play happen in November 1915. At this time, people were hoping for Ireland to become free. The last two acts are set during the actual Easter Rising in April 1916.

Meet the Characters

Here are some of the main characters in the play:

• Jack Clitheroe: A bricklayer who used to be part of the Irish Citizen Army.
• Nora Clitheroe: Jack Clitheroe's wife, a housewife.
• Peter Flynn: Nora Clitheroe's uncle, who works as a labourer.
• The Young Covey: Jack Clitheroe's cousin, a fitter who strongly believes in socialism.
• Bessie Burgess: A woman who sells fruit on the street and is Protestant.
• Mrs Gogan: A charwoman, which means she cleans houses for work.
• Mollser Gogan: Mrs Gogan's daughter, who is very sick with tuberculosis.
• Fluther Good: A carpenter and a member of a trade union.

Other characters you will meet:

• Lieutenant Langon: A government worker and an officer in the Irish Volunteers.
• Captain Brennan: A chicken butcher and a captain in the Irish Citizen Army.
• Corporal Stoddard: A soldier from the British Army's Wiltshire Regiment.
• Sergeant Tinley: Another soldier from the British Army's Wiltshire Regiment.
• A Bartender: Works in the pub.
• The Figure In The Window: An unnamed person who speaks words from Patrick Pearse.

Act I: Life in Dublin Homes

The first act shows what everyday life was like for working-class people in Dublin in the early 1900s. We meet most of the main characters here. The act begins with Mrs Gogan, a Catholic charwoman, sharing local gossip.

Other characters introduced include Fluther Good, a carpenter and trade union member. We also meet "the Young Covey," a fitter and strong believer in communism. Jack Clitheroe, the Covey's cousin, was once part of the Irish Citizen Army. Nora Clitheroe is Jack's wife.

Later, Captain Brennan comes to the Clitheroes' home. He asks to see "Commandant Clitheroe," which surprises Jack. Jack didn't know he had been promoted. Nora begs Jack not to answer the door, but he does. Captain Brennan gives Jack his orders, telling him to join General James Connolly at a meeting with his battalion.

Jack asks why he wasn't told about his promotion. Captain Brennan says he gave a letter to Nora explaining it. This leads to a fight between Jack and Nora because Nora burned the letter.

Act II: Speeches and Arguments

This act takes place inside a public house (a pub). Outside, a political rally is happening. We can hear an unnamed man speaking to the crowd. Many believe this speaker represents Patrick Pearse.

Rosie Redmond, a woman, complains to the barman that the meeting is bad for business. Peter Flynn, Fluther Good, and Young Covey come in and out, having quick drinks during the speeches. Bessie Burgess and Mrs Gogan also enter, and they get into a fight.

After Bessie and Mrs Gogan leave, the Young Covey insults Rosie. This causes an argument between him and Fluther. Jack Clitheroe, Lieutenant Langon, and Captain Brennan then come into the bar. They are in uniform and carry the Plough and the Stars flag and a green, white, and orange Irish flag.

They are so inspired by the speeches that they are ready to face prison, injury, or even death for Ireland. They quickly drink and leave to lead their groups. Fluther leaves with Rosie.

Act III: The Rising Begins

This act is set on Easter Monday, the first day of the Easter Rising. Peter, Mrs Gogan, and the Young Covey talk about the fighting. The Covey tells Mrs Gogan that Patrick Pearse came out of the General Post Office to read the Proclamation of Irish Independence.

Bessie is happy about the rebels' likely defeat, but the others ignore her. Nora arrives with Fluther. She had been looking for Jack during the fighting but couldn't find him. Mrs Gogan takes Nora inside to rest.

Bessie leaves to get some bread and quickly returns, saying that people are looting everywhere. A well-dressed middle-aged woman enters. She asks the men to show her a safe way home because she can't find a taxi or tram. Fluther tells her any route is safe and leaves with the Covey to loot a nearby pub, not helping her.

Peter refuses to help her, saying he might get shot. He leaves her alone outside the building. Mrs Gogan tries to leave with a pram. Bessie runs after her, saying the pram's owner left her in charge of it. They argue, then agree to share what they find.

Brennan and Jack appear with a wounded rebel. Nora rushes to them. She tries to convince Jack to leave the fight and stay with her. She tells him she went looking for him when she heard no news. Jack is angry and embarrassed by her actions. He ignores Nora's pleas and pushes her away roughly before leaving with his friends. Nora then goes into labour.

Act IV: Tragic Endings

This act takes place later in the Rising. Mollser, a young girl from the area, has died from tuberculosis. Nora has had a stillbirth, meaning her baby was born not alive. Nora is confused and imagines walking in the woods with Jack.

Brennan arrives and tells the others that Jack has been shot and killed. Two British soldiers come and take the men away. Civilians are suspected of helping a rebel sniper. Nora goes to a window, calling for Jack. When Bessie pulls her away, Bessie is shot in the back. The soldiers mistook her for a sniper.

Attempts to Change the Play

After the play was first shown, there were discussions about changing some parts of it. Seán O'Casey agreed to change some words and remove a song by Rosie Redmond in Act II. Some people thought the song was offensive.

George O'Brien, a government representative on the Abbey Theatre's board, felt that a theatre receiving government money should support the country's values. He warned that not doing so could cause problems for the government's funding. Lady Gregory, a co-founder of the Abbey Theatre, wrote to O'Brien saying, "If we have to choose between the subsidy and our freedom, it is our freedom we choose." W. B. Yeats, another co-founder, agreed. He argued that changing any part of the play for reasons other than dramatic quality would go against their artistic traditions.

Audience Reactions and Riots

The play's first performance on February 8 was sold out. Many seats were saved for government officials. The play was well-received on its opening night. However, Lennox Robinson wrote that the audience was very excited, which made it "a bad audience to judge a play by."

The first sign of audience unhappiness came during the second performance's second act. Sighle Humphreys, a member of the Cumann na mBan (an Irish women's organization), started to hiss from the back. By February 11, the presence of Cumann na mBan and Sinn Féin members was clear. The women from Cumann na mBan at the show were often related to men who died in the Easter Rising. This created a tense atmosphere about the Rising from the start of the play.

The play showed a contrast between the ideal dreams of the patriots and the everyday realities of life. When Clitheroe, Langon, and Brennan came on stage in uniform, carrying the Irish flag and the Plough and the Stars flag, some saw it as an insult to those who died in the Rising. Some actors tried to tell the rioters that they were just acting. A voice from the audience shouted, "you have no right to earn your bread by insulting Ireland."

W. B. Yeats famously said to the rioters, "But you have disgraced yourselves again. Is this going to be a recurring celebration of Irish genius? Synge first and then O'Casey."

Later Performances of the Play

• The Plough and the Stars at the Internet Broadway Database
• In 1965, the Edinburgh Gateway Company put on the play. It was directed by Victor Carin.
• In 1984, Greg Hersov directed a production at the Royal Exchange, Manchester. It starred Liam Neeson, Dierdra Morris, Bernard Hill, and Val McLane.
• In 2016, the National Theatre worked with Bristol Old Vic to create a well-liked production. It was directed by Howard Davies and Jeremy Herrin.

Other Versions of the Play

Elie Siegmeister turned the play into an opera with the same name. He composed it in the 1960s. The opera was first performed in New York in October 1979 by the New York Lyric Opera.

In 1936, the play was made into a film. American director John Ford directed it, and it starred Barbara Stanwyck and Preston Foster. In 2011, BBC Radio 3 broadcast a radio version. Nadia Molinari directed it, with Elaine Cassidy as Nora and Padraic Delaney as Jack.