Friday last, I saw Synge's Playboy of the Western World again, and as always happens, I saw different thing in the play since the last time i saw it.

Classically, the play is about the idea of violence being idealized, by people far removed from it, and it becomes abhorrent when viewed up close. (is was written in 1907, the beginning of the time know as "the troubles", leading up to Irish independence.)

The basic story is about one Christopher Mahon, (Christy) who arrives in a small town, and tell a story of killing his father. In the first act, he claims to be shy, not good with girls, a middling scholar, and so on… he seem honest enough in relating that he is, or thinks he is no special character.

But the small town embraces him, hails him almost as hero, all the girl are interested, from the 15 year old misses, to the 30-year-old widow Quinn.

By Act 3, his father has reappeared, not dead at all, and Christy is scorned as liar and braggart. A fight with his father again, and Christy is again lays a blow that fells his father. But now the town folks, seeing the violence up close, are repelled, and attempt to restrain him, and to turn him over to the law.

But like a bad penny, Old Da, reappears, not quite dead yet, and tell the folk he and son will be on their way. But, now, there is change in Christy. First seen a hero, then, as a monstrous villein, he realizes, his own power.

Seeing the play this time round, and knowing the classic theme of violence near and far, and how each is accorded, I was free to see other themes, most notably, how malleable, and effected Chrisy, (and all of us) are by others words..

Words that made him a man (the playboy of the western world), and words have made him a demon, words have changed him. And he goes off with his father, not as a reluctant child, but with himself in power. Hailed in the first act as "the playboy of the western world", later vilified, he is forever changed by how he hears other speak of him.

He proclaims:" Ten thousand blessings upon all that’s here, for you’ve turned me a likely gaffer in the end of all, the way I’ll go romancing through a romping lifetime from this hour to the dawning of the judgment day.

Milum, said my words changed him.. I know I have been changed by words. sometimes words said to me, sometimes by words I have read.. there are powerful words.

Some are prose, some are poetry? any set of words that come to mind?

Any you want to share?
For those who are unfamiliar with the play,
http:// www.bartleby.com/1010/






my other obsession