The Mothers of Martyrdom: Women in Early 20th Century Irish Drama
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published 30/05/2008
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SummaryIn the early quarter of the 20th century men of Ireland struggled for freedom; forming leagues and brotherhoods and secret organizations of resistance, unionizing labor and creating a more cohesive political resistance, arming themselves and training for armed conflict, eventually fighting the English starting in 1916 and later each other in the Irish Civil War until 1924. Even when not involved in some sort of political upheaval, the men of Ireland were seldom at home; if fortunate to find work, they slaved away and often times spent their evenings in pubs. Whatever the source, there has traditionally been a large amount of absenteeism on the part of Irish fathers and men in general. This leaves the mothers of Ireland to rear the children, keep the house and hold the family together through the unceasing barrage of crisis. Time and time again, they were left to sit by and watch as their brothers, sons and husbands went off to die for some reason or another.
Table of Contents
- In his famous play, Cathleen Ni Houlihan, W. B. Yeats evokes the recurring legend of the old woman in search of a king.
- Again the old woman represents Ireland and the sacrifice she has made as well as the mother who has lost all her men to war.
- After the Easter Rising which sparked the Anglo-Irish War came the Irish Civil Wars between Free Stater's and Republicans.
- Along with similarities of the names themselves (Mary and Maurya), the loss bsuffered creates a connection, regardless of the outcome.
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