Question: Tell about the Life of the islanders.
Introduction
“Riders to the Sea” is one of Synge’s moving plays that is acclaimed as a poetic drama. J. M. Synge (16 April 1871 – 24 March 1909) has given a minute and vivid picture of Irish life in the play. After getting guidelines from W. B. Yeats, Synge observed intimately on the simple and unsophisticated Irish rural life and has been able to create a local and universal significance about the struggling lifestyle of the lower-class people. The lifestyle of the Aran islanders is as follow:
- Agriculture based livelihood
- Mixed religious belief
- Pagan Superstitions and fears
- Mutual sympathy and co-operation
- Patriarchal society
- Fatalistic belief
More Notes of Riders to the Sea
Conclusion: From the light of the above discussion, it can be asserted that the life cycle of the Aran islanders bears locality and universality that is why “Riders to the Sea” is called a local and universal tragedy at the same time.
