Argument with Evaluation
There are some talented authors who managed to portray life as they saw it with all the white and dark strips. One of such gifted natures is surely an Irish dramatist Lady Gregory. She was not interested in things and abstract ideas but preferred to depict the complicated inner life of people’s feelings and emotions. The Rising of the Moon is her remarkable one-act little play that was widely praised for its consummate dramatic technique. It was written in 1904 and proved that harmony and loyalty could be found in the most intense situations ever. Thomas Hogan named this literary work “the best-written single act play ever” extolling highly Gregory’s exquisite compression and depiction of details (Thomas 73). Another literary critic suggested that the play had aimed at presenting difficult political relationship between England and Ireland as well as the change of social norms and finding the inward self (Kopper 4). These critics really assist readers in understanding the major themes of the play and concentrating on its most important ideas.
The Rising of the Moon has a quite simple plot structure and includes only four characters. Thanks to its shortness the readers are able to seize each message in a direct and clear way. The basic conflict of the play is obviously the opposition of the social norms of the Sergeant and the Ragged Man. The first character represents law and order of the old English way. He stands for what is good and strains at maintaining the status quo. The second man, on the contrary, is considered to be a dangerous rebel who is mixed up in the Irish struggle for freedom and independence. He embodies the patriotism of all Irish citizens and is the great supporter of the New Irish Way. Kopper claimed that Lady Gregory had clearly presented here the theme of patriotism as that moving power capable of uniting the nation of the country (Kopper 6). Ireland was controlled by England for a long period of time and was now ready to liberate itself from the foreign rule. Though the idea was rather painful for all the Irish people and for two main characters especially, the author made them come to the right decisions. On the one hand, they could continue to keep the law of the dominant country and become the traitors of their own happiness. On the other hand, there was always a chance to carry a risk and make the tremendous change in history. The critic supported Lady Gregory’s belief that the deep longing for being the citizen of your own country was expected to be much more significant than the feeling of duty to some other foreign country.
The Sergeant was on the alert for the criminal and had to verify if the fugitive person would not pass by the harbour. The great award was put on the escaped prisoner’s head and the Sergeant strongly desired to get this money as well as do his professional duty. However, throughout the play his intentions were flatly changed and he let his patriotic feelings surpass his sense of duty and responsibility. The Sergeant refused to enrich himself and instead got even bigger reword. All this time he was attempting to become the best representative of law and honestly executed any orders. Unfortunately on this perpetual pursuit of justice, he actually forgot his true nature and put aside the ardent ambitions and aspirations of his youthfulness (Gregory 4). In the play it looked like the Sergeant helped the criminal to escape. However, Kopper was sure that Gregory just wanted to demonstrate the readers that in fact the Ragged Man saved the disappointed officer. He not only induced him to reconsider his life but also pushed him to step to the right track. The Sergeant underwent a change of heart and saved his soul too. The readers had a chance to trace his affecting improving from a blind duty man to the truly ambitious insurgent that was hiding behind the rules. Though the Sergeant lost his raise and reward, he managed to reveal his patriotism and it was worth of all the money. The critic’s suggestions proved completely correct. By manifesting sympathy for the same prisoner he was looking out, the Sergeant united with all faithful supporters of the country’s independence and created the harmony of the whole play.
Speaking about the Ragged Man, Hogan named Gregory’s character the embodiment of the incredible boldness and everlasting faith in the better future of the whole Irish nation (Thomas 75). It was exceedingly dangerous to pass by the three officers and did not be caught. The bold spirit though, dared to test his destiny and was not afraid of possible circumstances of his failure. He disguised himself as a ballad singer and consciously run himself to the risk. As the result the attempt was worth of trying and the man managed to overcome the difficulties that seemed for everybody just impossible.
The man, who later called himself Jimmy Walsh, saved his life with the help of simple songs. The patriotic folk ballads helped him to arouse the Sergeant’s nationalistic feelings and outweigh his sense of duty. From the very moment the Ragged Man began to sing, the Sergeant heart was slowly melting under its breathtaking melody and pathetic words. The play distinctly showed that the officer was especially touched by Walsh’s song, “The Rising of the Moon”. The ballad reminded the Sergeant of his youth and all the great ideas and plans he had as an ambitious revolutionist (Thomas 77). The passion for just was still there in his heart. He did not forget how he himself fought in first ranges against powerful men of the world and was ready to assert the rights of his country till the very end. It was a very dangerous game but he felt that he was doing the right thing and that thousands of people were supporting him on this thorny path.
The Sergeants had a chance to arrest the escaped prisoner and receive his deserved one hundred pounds. However, something stopped him from this obvious action. The dramatist knew that it was impossible to hidden true identity under any other titles and skillfully revealed officer’s real face. The Sergeant’s fate could also be that of a figurative person if he did not choose another life path. He even could stand now on the place of this ballad singer and his fate could also depend on the decision of some other officer (Thomas 79). The Sergeant put himself in the position of the Ragged Man and decided to give him one more chance. If he did not manage to do some patriotic deed for his country, he should at least let this daredevil make it. That’s why when the two officers returned the Sergeant did not say them anything about the escaped prisoner and consciously let him go.
So, thanks to the critics’ professional views every reader grasped the play’s implication that it was always possible to make a change. Sometimes it can be really hard to make a first step to frightening uncertainty and leave behind the stable commonplace. However, the person who never at least tries to overcome his fear will not be able to enjoy the life to the fullest. The Sergeant in The Rising of the Moon made a right choice. Though he lost what he was looking for at first, he managed to obtain much bigger prize. He had duty to the force but he also had sympathy with others. No matter how will the Sergeant behave after the man’s escape, he managed to change his one action and it was surely the beginning of other great changes in his life. Thus, Gregory succeeded to show the change of social norms and finding of inner self as well as opportunities for harmony in this rather complicated world.
Works Cited
Gregory, Lady. The Rising of the Moon, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc, 2009.
Kopper, Edward. Lady Gregory: A Review of Criticism. Modern Irish Literature Monograph Series, Butler: Kopper, 1991.
Thomas, Hogan. Theatre. Envoy 2, no. 5, UK: Smythe,1950.
