The Rising of the Moon Character Analysis of the Sergeant

Character Analysis of the Sergeant in “The Rising of the Moon”

OR

Sketch the character of the Sergeant as you find him in the one-act play “The Rising of the Moon” by Lady Gregory.

The Sergeant is the second important character in Lady Gregory’s one act play “The Rising of the Moon”. He remains on the stage throughout the play and grips the attention of the audience. From the psychological point of view, he is a fascinating character.

The Sergeant is an Irish man who accepted the job of a policeman and his duty requires him to against his own Country. He is a married man with a family to support. At the beginning of the play we find him in want of money. He is eager to get the reward of 100 pounds by arresting the Irish revolutionary. But is his youth, his only dream was to attain Ireland’s freedom. But he is now a loyal police officer of the foreign British Government. He helps to maintain ‘law and orders’ in the interest of this Government. He says that the whole country depends on us to keep law and order. He is keen on arresting the rebel leader even at the risk of his own life.

This trend in the character of the Sergeant under goes a slow change. As soon as the Ragged man appears on the stage, a conflict starts within the mind of the police officer. The Ragged man is mare courageous and intelligent than the Sergeant. The patriotic songs and words of the Ragged man rouse patriotism in the mind of the Sergeant. He is reminded of his young days when his only dream was to free Ireland from the shackles of the foreign rule. He has now divided his own self-his loyalty to the British Government and to his Country. It is his duty as a police officer to arrest a revolutionary. As an Irish man it is also his duty to help the Irish patriots. At the end of the play the Sergeant could not have arrested a rebel leader with the help of the two police man. But far from doing that he actively arranges for his escape in a boat. Thus he sacrifices his reward and a sure chance of promotion.

The Sergeant is mare intelligent than the tow police man. But his less intelligent than the Ragged man. The Sergeant is essentially good natured and true patriot. At the end of the play, he is easily transformed from a police officer to a patriot. After helping the revolutionary leader to escape and thus loosing a 100 pounds he asked himself “I wonder, now, am I as great a fool as I think I am?”

Perhaps from a worldly point of view he has been foolish; but in his heart of the hearts he realizes that he is no fool but a great patriot. It is a great sacrifice indeed on his part.

The Rising of the Moon by Lady Gregory Justification of the Title

The Rising of the Moon by Lady Gregory Justification of the Title.

Is the title of the play “The Rising of the Moon” justified?

The Title of the “Rising of the Moon”

Generally the title of work of art is the cream of it’s content. A title which runs parallel with the theme is called an appropriate title. “The Rising of the Moon” is not an exception to it. In fact the title is highly suggestive of the sub-matter of the play.

The word ‘Rising’ is suggestive word. It suggests the elevation from one stage to another.

Let us briefly analise the background of the play. The Ireland was being ruled over by the British Government. The Irish people had been persecuted by the British Government. When the persecution became unbearable the people of Ireland raised their voices and started a movement of their motherland. The Irish people wanted to deny the British rulers and to make Ireland free.

The word ‘Moon’ is also a suggestive word. The soothing rays of the moon cast on Earth, bring forth an environment free from irritation. The atmosphere of Ireland was vitiated by the renting of the British rulers. With the departure of the British rulers from the soil of Ireland, the unrest will be out and peace will be pervading in the air of Ireland.

So the expression “The Rising of the Moon” suggests the end of the British persecution. Freedom is going to take the place of bondage, independence to dependence. Hence title of the play is apt and appropriate, just and justified.

The Rising of the Moon Character Analysis of the Ragged Man

Character Analysis of Ragged man in “The Rising of the Moon”

OR

Sketch the character of the Ragged man as you find him in the one-act play “The Rising of the Moon” by Lady Gregory.

The Ragged man is an interesting character of the one act play “The rising of the moon” written by Lady Gregory. He is a rebel of heroic qualities. He is a clever man, a true leader, a psychoanalyst, a true patriot and a passionate lover of his country.

The man appears at the quay on the seaside in the guise of a poor ballad singer. He can sing ballads in the most appealing passion to touch the heart and the spirit of the ardent police officer. His make-up of a ballad singer is so perfect that even in the course of his conversation, smoking, singing and sitting together back to back on the barrel the Sergeant can’t suspect and detect him until he finally reveals his identity. He tries his tricks one after another to deceive intelligent and dutiful Sergeant.

At first the Ragged man sings a love song to please the Sergeant but he fails to fulfill his purpose. Then he tries his second trick to hold the Sergeant w9thin his intellectual grip. He reels off a number of fictitious stories about the unusual physical strength and also about his dreadful deeds. Thus he succeeds in exercising his wit and intelligence to be fool the dutiful Sergeant. He talks and smokes with the Sergeant in a very intimate and friendly manner. The charm of his lovely talks and magic spell of his patriotic song meet the hard heart of the Sergeant in the spirit of patriotism.  Finally he appeals to the patriotic feelings of the Sergeant hot to betray the friend, the Sergeant can not but turns himself into a friend of Ireland and allows to escape safely.

Right from the very beginning of the play we find the Ragged man on the top of his wit. He made friends among the jailors to come out of the goal; now he makes the Sergeant friend again to escape arrest and imprisonment. Thus he proves that he is really a wonder but he does not forget the help and association of the Sergeant. So before departure he expresses his gratitude to the Sergeant with an empathetic note of optimism, he will surely pay back the good turn done to him by the Sergeant when the rules of the day will of down and the ruled will come up at the rising of the moon.

The Rising of the Moon by Lady Gregory Summary and Analysis

The Rising of the Moon by Lady Gregory – An analysis:-

“The Rising of the moon”, one act play by Lady Gregory was composed in about 1904. It was included in her book “Seven Short Play” (1909). It was first produced at the Abbey theatre on March, 1907.

“The Rising of the Moon” obviously indicates the background of the play. It is a moonlit night. An Irish rebel leader has escaped from a British prison. He comes to the sea side way and finally manages to escape with the help of the Sergeant.

“The Rising of the Moon” has a great symbolic meaning. The play is about the Irish freedom movement. The Rising of the moon signifies the rising of the moon of Irish freedom. The dramatist hopes for the freedom of her countrymen from the tyranny of the British rule. The poor Irish people will regain their liberty. The Britishers will have a mighty down fall. “When the small rise up and big falls down”…..then we all change places at the “The Rising of the Moon”.

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Questions and Answers, Effect of Speech of Antony

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Questions and Answers, Effect of Speech of Antony :-

Summarise Antony’s funeral speech.

What was its effects on the Roman mob?

After Brutus, Antony comes to the platform to say a few words to the Roman mob. Antony finds that Romans are completely on the side of Brutus. They now call Caesar a tyrant. But Antony goes on very cautiously. He goes step by step ultimately Antony wins the hearts of the common people.

Antony strikes the very keynote of his speech in the first line-“Friends, Roman countrymen, let me your ears…”. He addresses the Romans as friends. He calls Brutus noble. He does not say a single word against Brutus. He says that he has come to burry Caesar not to praise him. Then he goes on to refuse the charge of ambition against Caesar. He points out that Caesar has brought many captives home. Next he cites Caesar’s refusal of the crown offered by him thrice at feast of hupercalia. Caesar also felt for the poor in their sufferings. Antony cannot understand how this can be ambition. Antonym now stops for a while to see the effect of his address on the people. Antony then changes his attitude. He says that Caesar has left a “Will” for the people. The people now want to know the contents of the will. Antony goes a step further. Before reading the will he comes down from the pulpit. He shows to the people each of the words inflicted by the conspirators. The people now forget all about the will. They become violent. They cry out for the blood of the conspirators. But Antony has not yet done with them, he must be sure of them before he will let them off. Now he reads the will to them. Hearing the will the people have now become mad. They run out to fire the traitors’ houses.

The effect of Antony’s speech on the Roman mob is wonderful. His speech makes a lasting impression on the mind of the common people. He wins the hearts of the common people. Antony is a good orator. He knows how to win the mob. He appeals to feelings and sentiments of the people. He does not appeal to the reason of the people. He appeals to their hearts and not their heads. So he easily wins the hearts of the Roman mob.

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Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Questions and Answers, Effect of Speech of Brutus

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Questions and Answers, Summary and Effect of Speech of Brutus:- 

Give the substance of funeral speech delivered by Brutus in the forum. What was its effect on the Roman mob?

After the murder of Caesar, the people of Rome become very excited. They demand an explanation from the conspirators for the murder of Caesar. Brutus gives “public reason” for the murder of Caesar. He appeals to the reason of the common people. He tells them that Caesar was murdered for the good of Romans. He killed Caesar for the protection of Roman liberty. Brutus tells the mob that he killed Caesar less but because he loved Rome more. He had no ill feeling against Caesar. He admired Caesar for his leadership and great power. He honoured him for his courage and wisdom. He killed Caesar because he grew ambitious and wanted to make the people of Rome his slaves.

At first the speech of Brutus exercises a great influence on the Roman mob. The common people are superficially touched by Brutus’s patriotic sentiment. In fact, the “public reason” given by Brutus at first draws the Romans completely to his side. But the Roman people do not understand the real stand of Brutus. They do not know what liberty or patriotism is. They miss the main point of his speech. They want him to be another Caesar. This shows that the effect of speech of Brutus on the common people is temporary. When Antony speaks to the common people, they changed and at once call Brutus a traitor.

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Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Questions and Answers Explanations

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Questions and Answers Explanations:-

What impression of the Roman mob do you form the Forum Scene in Julius Caesar?

Or

What opinion do you form of the Roman mob from Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar”?

In Act-III Scene-II we find the Roman mob murderously setting out in search of the conspirators. When Brutus told the mob that yet inspite of his love and respect for Caesar, he had to kill Caesar, the dictator in the interest of the republic to save Rome. Some citizens shouted in praise of Brutus. One of them wanted Brutus to be Caesar. This shows the Roman mob did not imbibe the spirit of Brutus’s speech. Brutus thought that he has convinced them of the necessity of the Caesar’s murder, but he was mistaken.

When Antony began his speech the mob was rather hostile to him. Antony told the mob that he had come not to praise Caesar but to burry him. Then Antony refuted Brutus’s charge that Caesar was ambitious. Some of the citizens were now sure that Caesar was not ambitious. They thought that no man was nobler than Antony. There is no doubt about the ficklemindness of Roman mob. A clever like Antony could easily make fool the mob. Antony showed them Caesar’s Will but refused to read it our. Then he showed them Caesar’s deadbody to exite their pity for Caesar that Brutus whom they had praised a few minutes ago was now regarded by them traitor. Antony knew quite well that the Roman people were fickle minded and emotional. Antony read out the Will and the Roman people came to know that Caesar had given them money and his bowers and orchards. Now the Roman mob was so grateful to Caesar that Brutus and his confederates were now denounced by them traitors. The Roman mob was governed by passions, not reasons. So Antony could show the mob in whatever direction he pleased. The Roman people were so much besides themselves with passions, so irrational that Cinna, the poet was killed by them simply because there was a conspirator named Cinna.

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