The Riders to the Sea.

John Millington Synge is undoubtedly the most remarkable English speaking prose dramatist of the century. ( a short story ) He was an solitary man, and no one could follow him. Synge wrote many famous plays. “Riders to the sea” is one of them. Synge’s masterpiece “Riders to the sea” opens with the presence of sea in the back ground. ( a short story ) The sea is not only a background but also a living character and a symbol of fate.( a short story )

In this play all men are the domed riders to the sea. The sea is not visible for a single moment in the play, but its dominant presence in the life of the people of Aran Islands.( a short story )  The sea weaves the tragic net in which characters are caught.

In “Riders to the Sea.” Maurya  is a control figure. She is the tragic figure who suffers heavily for the loss of all her sons one after another. ( a short story ) She becomes a victim of a relentless fate presented here by the sea like Oedipus, she does not motivate the action of the play. When Maurya enters the stage, she already lost five of her sons.( a short story )  The play begins with the search for the dead body of the Michael who was drowned nine days ago. Maurya is a passive sufferer. Maurya tries to prevent Bartly from crossing the stormy sea. She is stronger as she offers resistance to fate by trying to hold Bartly back.( a short story )  But Bartly must go, because “it is the life of a young man to be going on the sea.

Bartly enters the stage to subdued spirit “quiet” and “sad”.( a short story )  Bartly, the only living son of Maurya, has to cross the sea to earn a living for the family. Bartly represents all young man who have to face the challenge the sea, nor does he show any arrogance of spirit. He is a victim of the sea or fate. After the Micheal’s death, he is the only earning son of the family. He is very dutiful, practical and brave. Bartly is hurled into the sea by the grey pony following to red mare.( a short story )  The gray pony is the instrument of the dark power. It is Fate working over men that brings about the tragedy. Maurya’s life time suffering is complete with Bartley’s death.( a short story )

In this way, the sea appears to be the dominant force of nature. ( a short story ) With the death of all the riders to the sea in Maurya’s family, Maurya becomes destitute. A new realization of the fundamental fact of life:

                                             “No man at all can be living forever.”

At the same time she wins over the predominant fate. Thus the tragedy in “Riders to the Sea” is based on men or character not on unbending fate.  ( a short story )