The Shadow of a Gunman by Seán O'Casey
Characters Donal Davoren - a poet living with Seumus in the tenement. Some of the residents suspect he has an affiliation with the IRA. Seumus Shields - a lazy pedlar of about thirty five disillusioned over the nationalist cause he supports who wishes the conflict will end. Tommy Owens - a younger man of twenty five that is enamored with the Republican effort. Adolphus Grigson - an alcoholic resident of the tenement; a self-proclaimed "Orangeman", Grigson's Protestantism exemplified by his Bible and his picture of King William triumphant at the Battle of the Boyne hanging on the wall Mrs Grigson - Adolphus's wife. Minnie Powell - a woman of twenty three that fawns over Davoran by virtue of his supposed IRA connections; she is sardonically equated to Kathleen Ni Houlihan, the symbol of Irish nationalism. Mr Mulligan - the landlord of the tenement. Mr Maguire - an IRA volunteer and friend of Seumus. Mrs Henderson - a resident of a neighboring tenement and a champion of Mr Gallogher's plea. Mr Gallogher - a resident of a neighboring tenement seeking the IRA's help. An Auxiliary - a soldier of the Auxiliary Division
Summary Donal Davoren is a poet who has come to room with Seumus Shields in a poor, Dublin tenement slum. Many of the residents of the tenement mistake Donal for an IRA volunteer (gunman on the run). Donal does not refute this notoriety, especially when it wins him the affection of Minnie Powell, an attractive young woman in the tenement. Meanwhile, Seumus' business partner, Mr Maguire (who is a real participant of IRA) hides a bag full of Mills bombs in Seumus' apartment before participating in an ambush in which he is killed. The city is put under curfew as a result of the ambush, and Donal and Seumus do not discover the grenades until the Auxies (*auxiliary division) are raiding the tenement. Minnie Powell takes the bag and hides it in her own room. The Auxies find nothing of note in Seumus' room, but take off Minnie Powell, who is later killed trying to escape.
Main themes NATIONALIS M/PATRIOT OSM DISHONESTY WAR RELIGION LOVE POVERTY/S OCIETY
Setting The action of the play takes place in a Dublin tenement house. It opens in the room of Seamus Shields and Donal Davoren. Their room is poorly furnished and we become aware of a few symbolic objects in the room. The religious statues on the mantelpiece emphasise the centrality of Religion to the lives of the people at the time and the lack of furniture emphasises the poverty being experienced by these characters.
Characters: Donal Davoren An idealistic poet or a simple coward?
Minnie Powell The only sincere and faithful character?
Irony of the Tragedy Davoren’s NOT a gunman, BUT he is on the run – from noise and politics; Minnie’s sacrificing death for a “patriot” is all in vain; Minnie is the only true and sincere character among everyone’s selfishness. And only she suffers the actual death In the play.
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