Cathleen ni Houlihan: Yeats' Irish Play on Nationalism

Cathleen ni Houlihan: A tale of Patriotism and Sacrifice

About the playwright

W. B. Yeats is an Irish poet, playwright, and politician. He paved the way for the Irish Literary Revival. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1923.

About the play

● The play 'Cathleen ni Houlihan' is a one-act play that was written in 1902 by W B Yeats.

● It is an allegorical play in which the central character 'Cathleen ni Houlihan' represents Ireland.

● The play was first performed in St. Teresa's Hall, Dublin in 1902.

● The play depicts the impoverished condition of Ireland under colonial rule during the Irish Rebellion in 1798.

● The main theme of the play centers on the sacrifice of men for the country, Gaelic myth, money, and patriotism.

Word-Meaning:

Interior-inside of something, cheering-shouting to encourage, hurling match-a traditional Irish game like hockey, Come over-traveling from one place to another, grand-impressive, shearing-cutting the wool off, bothering-worrying, coming up-arriving, fortune-dowry, bargain-a formal business agreement, chimney-jamb-one of the sides of a fireplace opening, trying-testing, indeed-in truth, vexed-angry, bangs-hits, Ballina- a town in North county Mayo, Ireland, running through-wasting, steady-balanced, comely-pleasant,

Summary

Peter Gillane lived in a cottage with his wife and two sons -Michael Gillane and Patrick Gillane. Peter talked to his wife, Bridget Gillane about Michael's wedding clothes. Michael was going to marry Delia Cahel. So Peter was so curious to get a hundred pounds dowry for Michael's marriage, and Patrick expected to have the greyhound pup as a gift Delia Cahel promised him to give. In the meantime, an old woman entered their home. She shared how her land was captured by strangers. Listening to her, Peter told Bridget to give her milk and Bridget persuaded Michael to give her a shilling. Then the old woman told many stories of sacrifices the youth had made for her. She promised Michael how all the martyrs would be rewarded for their selfless service to Ireland. Gradually Michael was captivated by her words., and refused to marry Delia Cahel. Suddenly the old woman left their home, and Michael followed her. Peter asked Patrick if he had seen the old woman going down the path. Then Patrick replied to his father that he had seen a young girl walking like a queen.

Theme

The play Cathleen ni Houlihan centres on the events of the 1798 Irish rebellion against British rule in Ireland. The main theme of the play is Ireland's long-lasting struggle for Independence, the blood-sacrifice of the youth in the name of their motherland, and Irish nationalism. In this play, Gregory and W.B. Yeats not only demonstrate the impending and never-ceasing restlessness of Irish people and their desire to rebel against British rule but also regard Ireland as a mother figure, who calls her sons to save her.

The play also explores various themes such as money in the form of dowry, marriage, cultural pride, national identity, poverty, the hard life of Irish peasants in the small cottage, the attachment to the parent's love of family, mistreated land, and sacrifice of personal desires. The glory of martyrdom is presented when the old woman promises Michael that the young men who pursue Irish Independence against their ambitions "shall be remembered forever". At the end of the play the theme of metaphysical transformation is depicted when the old woman is turned into a young girl along with the walk of a queen.