The Analysis of the Story “Riders to the Sea” by John Millington Synge

source

CONTENT

Plot

Exposition

The story begins by exposing the setting that is in the cottage kitchen where Cathleen is kneading cake. Then, her sister, Nora comes with a bundle under her shawl which it is given from a young priest that it has been taken from the body of an unidentified young man found floating off the coast of Donegal to the north. Cathleen and Nora decide to hide the clothes. They plan to examine them later to see if they are Michael’s before saying anything to Maurya, their mother.

Complication

The complication in this story begins when Cathleen and Nora have known from the priest that the bundle is Michael’s. The complication starts arising when Maurya has actually lost her husband, father-in-law, and his four sons, and also one of his son, Michael, has not come back from sailing in the sea and predicting to be drowned there, yet Bartly as the last son she has, passionately wants to go sailing.

Climax

The climax in this story is when Maurya prevents Bartley to go and Cathleen and Nora have told to their mother that the priest would not stop him. Cathleen and Nora have told to their mother that the priest would not stop their brother and Maurya does not give allowance and blessing for Bartley to go sailing because she has unlucky vision for her son if he still insists to go, yet Bartley still keeps going without her mother blessing.

Falling Action

Falling action in this story is when Cathleen and Nora 

ask their mother Maurya to chase Bartley to give food they forget to give and give blessing from Maurya to Bartley. In addition, while their mother goes, Cathleen and Nora check the bundle they hide before, and apparently they recognize the clothes and it is really Michael’s clothes after they check the knitted of it since they make it by themselves

Resolution

The resolution in this story is when men and women come to Maurya’s house and bringing Bartley’s corpse. Maurya returns home with worry because of a vision about her sons Bartley and Michael together riding horse with fine clothes, and she thinks it is a bad sign for Bartley since it might be sign of his death. Then, apparently Bartly is really dead since after that there are the men come to their house bring Bartley’s corpse.

Conflict

The conflict on this drama is the mother’s fear of losing her son because she is traumatic with the sea.

Kinds of conflict

The conflict belongs to external conflict, because the conflict happens between Maurya and the sea even though she is afraid to lose her son but the sea is always the trigger behind.

SETTING

Place          

An Island off the West of Ireland, Cottage kitchen, Sea.

Time

No explanation

Function of setting

The function of setting in this story as reinforcing the theme because there is a relationship between the conflict and the setting. 

• In this drama the conflict mother’s fear of losing her son. Because of some reasons related to the sea. First, in the story Bartley is the only living son in her family. Second, Bartley as the only one who earns the money in that family. The last is most of men in Maurya’s family were dead at the sea.

CHARACTER

Maurya

Maurya is an old woman and has three children. She had lost six sons, her husband and her husband’s father. She does love her children, especially her son, because she feels really traumatic about her past where she lost her son. Even though her son, Bartley, is rude, she is still patient towards him. She has a fear of losing Bartley, because the one and only living son of her family. She is also a religious woman since she believes in a priest’ power, God’s power to take human’s live, God’s kindness to the dead. Moreover, she has big heart in admitting the fact she lose her sons.

• Based on the main part or roles in this story, Maurya belongs to main or major character. Because the story focuses on Maurya and most of the story is talking about her from the beginning until the end of the story.
• Based on the personal traits, Maurya belongs to Complex or Round Character. Because she showed her depth personality in this story. 
• Based on the possibility to change, Maurya belongs to Dynamic character because at the beginning she prohibited her son to go and said an unlucky word to him, at last she agreed to track his son by bringing the meal and gives Bartney blessings as Cathleen’s suggestions.

Cathleen

Cathleen is the eldest daughter of Maurya. She is a rude and selfish girl. It is showed by the dialogue, yet she is also a religious one.

• Based on the main part or roles in this story, Cathleen belongs to Major character, because in this story her role is dominant in this story.
• Based on personal traits, Cathleen belongs to Flat Character because in this story, her personality is only described as a selfish girl and only thinks about herself or her own interest.
• Based on possibility to change, Cathleen belongs to Static Character because her personality and attitude remains the same from the beginning until the end of the story.

Nora

Nora is another of Maurya’s daughter, she is respectful to her mother and she is in a neutral side. She is also religious one.

• Based on the main part or roles in this story, Nora belongs to Major character, because in this story her part is dominant, together with her sister, Cathleen.
• Based on personal traits, Cathleen belongs to Flat Character because she is not on anyone’s side. She doesn’t support neither Cathleen nor her mother in this story. Her role in this story is just as mediator.
• Based on possibility to change, Cathleen belongs to Static Character because she is still on neutral side and she always does her sister’s commands and this condition does not change from the beginning until the end of the story.

Bartley

Bartley is the last son of Maurya who is still alive and he is the brother of Cathleen and Nora. He is stubborn that he did not obey her mother’s advice for not to go. Yet, he is an ambitious man to get his willing..

• Based on the main part or roles in this story, Bartley belongs to Minor character in this story, because he only appears in some part of this story. He doesn’t show himself up from the beginning until the end of the story.
• Based on personal traits, Bartley belongs to Flat character, because he show a simple personality in the story. He only concerns with his own interests and he doesn’t care about others.
• Based on possibility to change, Bartley belongs to Static Character because his personality and attitude remains the same in the story.

DIALOGUE

Function of dialogue

To characterize

• In this story, there are dialogues which highlight the characterization of the character.

Cathleen

It’s the life of a young man to be going on the sea, and who would listen to an old woman with, one thing and she saying it over? (Rude)

Bartley

(taking the halter) I must go now quickly. I’ll ride down on the red mare, and the gray pony’ll run behind me. The blessing of God on you. (He goes out) (Stubborn)

SYMBOL

• Red mare and gray pony : the symbols of the death.
• Sea: disasters. 

Kinds of Symbols

Symbol number 1 and  symbol number 2 belong to original symbols because the meaning of these symbols only exist in the story.

THEME

The themes of this story are:

• We should obey our parents advice.
• Sometimes we have to let go something in the past in order to have a better future

CONCLUSION

The Riders to the Sea is a complex family life story. The story is interesting since it potrays the different side of family since the family life  is still dependent on the men’s efforts in their family. We think, this is an old fashiond life of family when women can’t do anything for their family (like earning the money for eating and other family needs). Roles of the men in the story are very hard because in the story the family life can’t run well without men’s contribution . It’s also very pity to say since some of  the family members preference is the family life welfare rather than the safety of the family members (men). Even when the family lose their last son due to go sailing, they still think about their extended life than that will be pathetic without a man the one who is hoped to endured the family life. In our opinion, the family life shuoldn’t be so lame like this. The feeling of affection and safety of one member to another should be in the first place and being woman in the family should be independent in every circumtances.