The main theme of the play “Riders of the sea” is to represent conflicts between religion and nature. The sea is a representation of fate and tragedies in the play. It is a great factor for the people living on Aran Island. It is a source of living as it gives them a passage to the market on the mainland, where they buy and sell goods. The sea also represents supernatural powers in the play. It acts as a reminder that fate is the main hindrance of man that cannot be avoided. Suffering and death are not only subjects of the play but also a concern of all people at large.
Maurya had given birth to six sons during her life, and four of them are dead, including their father and grandfather. Their death is a result of the terrible storms that occur at sea. Her whole family is devoted to Catholics. Michael, who is one of her sons, is missing and has traveled through the sea. The most important thing for the family is the return of Michael’s body so he can have a proper catholic funeral. Cathleen says, “ You did not, mother; it wasn’t Michael you seen for his body is after being found in the far north, and he’s got a clean burial by the grace of God” (Synge, 8).
These tragedies transform women in the play, especially the mother, from happiness to misery. Loss is part of our lives, but it causes long-term damage. Maurya, who is the mother, states, “I’ve had a husband, and a husband’s father, and six sons in this house, though it was a hard birth I had with every one of them, but they are gone now” (Synge, 8).
Works cited
Synge, John Millington. Riders to the Sea. pp. 1-10.