The role of 'Sea' in the play "Riders to the Sea"
Q. The role of 'Sea' in the play "Riders to the Sea"
Answer: "Riders to the Sea" is a tragic one-act play. It is written by the Irish writer, John Millington Synge. It reflects the tragedy of a widowed woman Maurya and her family. The role of the sea in the play is very special. It becomes not only a natural element, but a symbol and character.
Sea: Center of life and death
Sea is a means of livelihood of the people of the village. He gives them a living by fishing. But the same sea repeatedly takes away their loved ones. All the male relatives of Maurya die by drowning in the sea. This makes the sea not just a nature, but a source of destruction.
Sea: A ruthless power
The play shows the sea as a cruel power. He repeatedly takes Maurya's sons. Her husband, four sons and finally Michael and Bartley are also killed in the sea. This shows that the sea does not understand anyone's feelings. He neither shows compassion nor pity.
Symbolic meaning of the sea
The sea is a symbol of many meanings here.
It is a symbol of luck.
It is a symbol of inevitable death.
It reflects the power of nature and the helplessness of man.
It is not possible to fight the sea. No matter how much humans try, his power is nothing in front of the sea.
Sea and Maurya relations
Maurya's life is associated with the waves of the sea. She knows that the sea has taken away everything from her. She gets scared even before Bartley moves to the sea. She knows that the sea is going to hurt again. Her concern and experience shows that the sea has become the grief of her life.
Sea: Representative of destiny
In the play, the sea can be considered a symbol of destiny. Whatever precautions do Maurya’s sons take, they do not escape the waves of the sea. This shows that a person cannot escape from his destiny. The sea is firm and harsh like destiny.
Sea and Society
The sea is not only the enemy of Maurya's family. The whole village struggles with this crisis. This is a social reality. Many people of the village have lost their loved ones in the sea. This shows that this problem is social, not personal.
Sea: A silent killer
The sea does not communicate in the drama. He is silent, but he has the most impact. There is no scene without him. This silent killer comes again and again and snatches away people.
Sea and final peace
At the end of the play, when Bartley also dies in the sea, Maurya says -
"Now there is no one else I lost."
It is clear from this statement that the sea has completely emptied it. Now she has nothing to lose. In this situation she finds a kind of peace - a sad peace.
The sea is not a simple watery in the play "Riders to the Sea". It is a symbol of a cruel destiny, harsh nature and inevitable death. The pain of Maurya and many families like her is associated with this sea. This drama tells us how helpless a person is in front of nature. The sea behaves like a character in this drama - which is silent but powerful and decisive.
📘 "Riders to the Sea" The role of 'Sea' – Interactive Quiz
Q1. What does the sea symbolize in the drama?
Q2. How many sons of Maurya die in the sea?
Q3. How is the sea depicted in the play?
Q4. What power does the ocean represent?
Q5. What does the sea represent at the end of the play?
Q6. What is the role of the sea in "Riders to the Sea?"
Q7. What is the biggest loss to Maurya due to the sea?
Q8. How is the behaviour of the sea depicted?
Q9. What emotion does the ocean evoke in Riders to the Sea?
Q10. Why is Maura afraid of the ocean?
Q11. What kind of characters can the ocean be considered to be?
Q12. What main theme emerges because of the sea in Riders to the Sea?
Q13. What is the main emotion associated with the sea?
Q14. What two things does the ocean symbolize?
*****
Read also:
👉 The Guide by R.K. Narayan | Brief Summary and Characters
👉 The Guide by R.K Narayan | Long answer type Questions and Answers
👉 The Mayor of Casterbridge | Detailed Summary and Characters
0 Comments
I'm pleased to hear from you. Without any hesitation, kindly leave your valuable words in the Comment Box