English Grammar Class: 4.2 The Rising of the Moon-Isabella Augusta Persse

4.2 The Rising of the Moon

Lady Gregory

1.Sergeant: The police officer, older than other two policemen. He is careless but brave

policeman. He is easily deceived.

2. Policeman B: He is a dutiful policeman because he follows whatever the Sergeant orders.

Moreover, he cares about the Sergeant when he suggests the Sergeant accept the lantern when he left him.

3.Policeman X: He is an obedient man and he respects the Sergeant.

4.The Ragged man: He is a courageous man because he has successfully escaped from jail

and he is an enough clever man to fool the Sergeant well.

The one-act-play ‘The Rising of the Moon’ is written by Isabella Augusta Persse who is also known as Lady Gregory. This one-act-play shows Lady Gregory’s skills of dramatic imagination and close observant of Irish characters. The title, ‘The Rising of the Moon’ is taken from the ballad ‘O’ Farrel’ is the symbol of revolt against the British government as England ruled Ireland from many years. This one-act-play also describes the political situation between England and Ireland and thus creates dilemma or predicament of the police officer, Sergeant regarding his duty and patriotism. The story of escaped prisoner and three police men narrated in this one-act-play has a comical tone.

The story is mainly about the escaped prisoner from jail and now he is absconder avoiding his arrest. The police officer, Sergeant along with his two assistants is appointed to circulate the pamphlets that offer a fascinating amount of hundred pounds and even promotion.

The one-act-play begins with the entry of the Sergeant along with his two assistants who are in the service of English government. The one-act-play opens with the dialogue of B policeman pointing to a large barrel and asks whether it is fair place to paste the pamphlet on the barrel. The X policeman responds that it would be good to ask our officer, Sergeant about it and calls the Sergeant. The Sergeant does not pay attention what B and X policemen ask him. But finally the Sergeant responds positively that this place is good for the posters to be pasted. The Sergeant reads the pamphlet that describes the escapee and forms the opinion that the escapee may move stealthily in this moonlit night to the landings that lead to water and his friends might come to visit him hoping to capture him for the reward of hundred pounds and even promotion. The policeman is of the view that the amount of hundred pounds offered by government is little enough but if the policeman from our department captures him will get promotion. Pointing to the steps of landings, the Sergeant opines that he will mind the place because the criminal might come to meet his friends who might wait for him at this place. If the man might pass quickly unnoticed due to large seaweeds, then it would be difficult to capture him. According to policeman X, the people of Ireland and our relatives may hurl abuse at us, if we catch the man. But the Sergeant is of the opinion that we are bound to perform our duty because the whole country depends on us to maintain the law and order. The Sergeant orders his two younger assistants to go with lantern to paste more pamphlets around the town and he himself decides to be watchful at the quayside and wait out on a quay if the escapee can be taken into custody. By sitting at a quay, the Sergeant ponders on the reward of hundred pounds he may have after capturing the escapee and all of sudden the unknown man arrives there. The man in tattered clothes attempts to move quietly telling that he wishes to sell some songs to earn money from the sailors. The ragged man tries to go ahead but the sergeant orders him not to go ahead. After making an enquiry by sergeant, the man identifies himself as ‘Jimmy Walsh’ a ballad singer. But the sergeant refuses to be familiar with this name. Then the man blames himself to be poor and remarks that the whole world is against the poor. The man also informs the sergeant with surety that ‘Jimmy Walsh’ this name is famous in the town Ennis. When asked the reason of his arrival, the man in torn clothes tells that for administrative purpose, the judges have come in this city and I also came in the same train along with the judges to sell ballad songs. Turning the page of sheets, the man attempts to interest the officer in his ballad songs to lower the intensity of sergeant’s protest. The man wants to sit on the step but the sergeant takes him by shoulder and shows the way to town the man is expected to go because the sergeant wants to keep the location clear so that he can catch the fleeing man.

The man in torn clothes just pretends to go to town and suddenly points to the pamphlet pasted on the barrel. He also admits that he knows the man well the sergeant is waiting for. In this way, the man succeeds in changing the mind of the sergeant who allows the man to stay with him to get more information about the prisoner. The ragged man provides the information about how the escapee makes use of different weapons and his muscles. He also gives the clues of murders of policemen on the moonlit nights exactly like the present one. The narration about the prisoner thrills and frightens the sergeant and accepts the ragged man’s stay with him. Sitting back-to-back on a barrel to have a full view of the area, the two men smoked pipes together to reduce the Sergeant’s stress. The Sergeant admits that policemen’s work is challenging, especially for family men, because the officers have to spend long much time on unsafe tasks.

The man in tattered clothes starts to sing a traditional, sentimental song about lovers and the beautiful Irish countryside. Then he begins a nationalistic ballad about a legend, oppressed old Irishwoman named Granuaile.

The Sergeant stops him, protesting that it is not suitable to sing about Irish oppression. The man responds that he is only singing the song to keep up his spirits at this unsafe time and lonely watch.

The sergeant permits the man to continue his ballad. The man sings about Irish martyr, Granuaile but this time the man commits a mistake in his lyrics. Quickly, the sergeant corrects the man and sings the suitable line. This correction made by sergeant is the indication of sergeant’s knowledge of a rebel song.

The ragged man skilfully examines the Sergeant’s memories of past life as a young man, the Sergeant must have sung several traditional Irish ballads, including “Granuaile”. Confidentially, the Sergeant admits that he had sung every patriotic ballad the Ragged Man mentions. The man suggests that the Sergeant and the escapee perhaps shared the same youthful memories; in fact, the escaped prisoner might even have been among the Sergeant’s close friends in their younger days.

When the Sergeant admits the possibility, the ballad-man creates imaginary sight in which the Sergeant had joined with friends singing to free Ireland. Therefore, the Ragged Man concludes that the sergeant would have been in trouble now. This possibility seemed so real that the sergeant begins to confuse his own identity.

Finally the ragged man boldly sings the rebel tune, ‘The Rising of the Moon’ as the hint to the rescuers on the water and takes off his hat and wig revealing himself that he himself ‘Jimmy’, ‘ballad-man’ is the escapee, prisoner with a hundred pound reward on his head.

At last when policeman B and policeman X were about to approach there, the ragged man reminds the sergeant of his love for Ireland to keep his presence secret. The ragged man hides himself behind the barrel whereas the sergeant hides the man’s hat and wig behind him. When the policeman B makes enquiry about arrival of somebody there, the sergeant declines that he has seen anyone. When both the policemen insist to be with the sergeant, the sergeant rejects their offer and sends them away with lantern.

After skilfully getting his hat and wig back, the ragged man slips into the rescue boat expressing thankfulness to sergeant for timely help. The sergeant thinks of the lost reward of a hundred pounds and wonders whether he has been a great fool.

Activities based on one-act-play

1. Describe the character of 'the ragged man'.

2 Describe the character of 'the Sergeant'.

3.- Choose the two correct statements that describe the theme of play.

a. The play is about the side of quay.

b. It is about the predicament of the police officer between his duty and patriotism.

c. It is the discussion between policemen about placing the notice.

d. It is the story of escaped prisoner and plans to capture him.

4. Choose the correct statements from the followings.

a. There are three policemen along with the Sergeant at the quay.

b. The escaped prisoner tries to go down the flight of steps leading to the water.

c. The ragged man tries to persuade the Sergeant to let him go down the steps.