Marina Carr - By the Bog of Cats PDF

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Notes on contexts, characters and themes in Marina Carr's By the Bog of Cats....

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By the Bog of Cats Context 90’s - Land ownership, livestock, community structure, the role of outsiders, the role of women, marriage, family, religion, folklore and superstition all came under extreme pressure from the dramatic economic success known as the Celtic Tiger era. Collapse of the power of the Catholic Church – Eamon Casey (1992), Fr. Michael Cleary (1993) both fathering children. Child sex abuse scandals, Fr. Brendan Smyth. Distrust grew. X-case 1992 established the right of Irish women to an abortion if a pregnant woman's life was at risk because of pregnancy, including the risk of suicide. Movements for gay rights, David Norris involved. Homosexuality decriminalised in 1993. 1990’s – Mary Robinson 1st Irish female president. ‘Rock the system, not the cradle’ End of 90’s, Ireland was fastest growing economy in the world. 1994, Celtic Tiger coined. 1994: Riverdance, commodification of Irishness as a valuable global product. Lines of dancers akin to taylorist/Fordist model of mass production and consumption – reification of Irishness for profit. Katie Roche revived at the Abbey (94’) Garry Hynes becomes 2nd female artistic dir. at The Abbey and 1st woman to win Tony award for dir. Valiulis; Idealisation of Irish womanhood/motherhood – unavoidable and exaggerated by Irish nationalistic pride? *Motherhood in the constitution – Article 40 ‘fundamental rights’ Unborn life > Mother’s article 41.2.1/41.2.2 – the family as a moral institution HESTHER SWANE Proud and strong willed, living in a community that doesn’t fully understand her traditions and won’t accept her for who she is. She can see the artifice and greediness behind how the people of the town treat each other and is not afraid to comment on it – she is the ‘other’ of whom they are scared. Longing for the return of her mother breeds the quiet, jealous rage within her that fuels her passionate and violent acts and creates the tragedy of the play. Hester represents isolated, rural, Pagan Ireland, as represented by Hester, and its struggle to maintain its traditions against the new conventions of universal modernity, as represented by her community. As the majority of the characters try to separate themselves from this older conception of the space in which they live, Hester embodies all the outmoded traditions that they are working against. therefore, BtBoC illustrates the struggle between the traditions of Ireland and the recent national movement towards the European normalcy ‘I was born on the Bog of Cats and on the Bog of Cats I’ll end me days. I’ve as much right to this place as any of yees, more, for it holds me to it in ways it has never held yees’ ‘as for me tinker blood, I’m proud of it. It gives me an edge over all of yees around here, allows me to see yees for the inbred, underbred, bogbrained shower yees are.’ CARTHAGE KILBRIDE Carthage#s betrayal of Hesther makes him the villain, but her need for his love gives him an opportunity for redemption. He chooses the younger, non-traveller Caroline. His bond with Hesther goes so deep that only returning to her could truly save her (and Josie) for their tragic fates.

Carthage represents a culture that is moving away from its heritage and roots in favour of modernity and comfortable narrative. Hester’s way of life represents a time of raw survival, a history of violence and endurance that is easier to know from a distance. He rejects his past. “You’re sellin’ me and Josie down the river for a few lumpy auld acres and notions of respectability” Hester to Carthage ‘I’m up to me neck in another life that can’t include ya anymore’ MRS. KILBRIDE proud, vain woman. She sees wealth as the only true indication of a person having succeeded in life and is horrified that her son’s relationship with Hester has tied her through blood to a traveller. Like most arrogant people she is also desperate for attention and is constantly talking about herself or criticizing others. She shows up to her son’s wedding in a white dress and insists on giving a speech about how much he loves her. Mrs. Kilbride is a terrific comedy character because it’s impossible to take her self-importance seriously. ‘I’ve had the measure of you this long time, the lazy shiftless blood in ya, that savage tinker eye ya turn on people to frighten them’ JOSIE KILBRIDE A typical seven year old, eager for her mother’s attention and excited for any chance to dress up. She is a happy child and enjoys the freedom that growing up on the bog affords her. With the exception of Mrs. Kilbride – whose pettiness makes her mean towards her granddaughter – the characters in the play treat her with care and affection. Josie is named after Big Josie Swane and is the next link in the chain of mothers and daughters that forms the heart of the play ‘Mam, I want to be where you’ll be [...] I’d be watchin’ for ya all the time ‘long the Bog of Cats. I’d be hopin’ and waitin’ and prayin’ for ya to return’ – This is why Hesther kills Josie, to save her from what she herself suffered. CATWOMAN She lives a rugged life on the bog and survives by her own rules. Her blindness seems to afford her an inner sight, the ability to speak to ghosts and an instinct for seeing the future. The people of the town respect and fear her so she is always invited to special events to offer a blessing. From the start she seems to understand that the day will end in tragedy. She tries her best to get Hester to leave the bog but even her warnings fall on deaf ears. ‘I know everythin’ that happens on this bog. I’m the Keeper of the Bog of Cats in case ya forgotten. I own this bog’ MONICA MURRAY Hesther and Josie’s neighbour, she watched them both grow up. The most classically motherly character. She is Hesther’s link to her mother. ‘They’ll skin ya alive, Hester, I’m tellin’ ya, they’ll kill ya... I stood up for ya as best I could.’ CAROLINE CASSIDY Opposite to Hesther. Lives a sheltered life of wealth and privilege. Her innocence and youth offer Carthage an opportunity to start again. When her wedding day arrives, she is filled with naive

optimism but also knows that a bond remains between Carthage and Hester. Visiting Hester on the bog to beg her to leave is as brave an act as Caroline could attempt but Hesther’s passion wins. Represents at least an aspect, perhaps the worst aspect, of modern Ireland. She seems to have no interest in the farm or the land. She is not interested in anything with substance and seems to be portrayed as a silly and frivolous character. She talks about the disappointment of her wedding and her hopes for how it was supposed to be: ‘’and the weddin’ was goin’ to be in this big ballroom, with a fountain of mermaids in the middle.” Carthage does not seem to respect her and certainly does not love her. Her own father says of her: “I don’t care for the whiny little rip that much (330) ‘You and Hester has a whole history together, stretchin’ back years that connects yees and that seems more important and real than anythin’ we have. And I wonder have we done the wrong thing.’ – foreshadows tragedy XAVIER CASSIDY Powerful man about town due to his land and money. His land is worth a lot of money and affords him reputation and influence over others. Most of his interests are business based but he has a callous streak that makes him unpredictable and sometimes violent. When he confronts Hester it is sexually threatening and alludes to his having been the reason her mother left. It was rumoured that Xavier once loved Big Josie Swane but he denies it here, describing how she neglected Hester, leaving her alone and unwashed. “It’s only your land and money and people’s fear of ya that has ya walkin’ free” – Hester to Xavier ‘There’s nothin’ besides land, boy, nothin’! A real farmer would never think otherwise.’ Fr. Willow An ineffectual spiritual leader for the local community and his frailty and confusion mean the church has less of an influence than it might. This leaves space for more pagan ideas to co-exist and fosters a connection with the spirit world through Hester and Catwoman. He’s not that devout, more interested in the pagan ways of Catwoman. THE GHOST FANCIER A clear omen that the day will end badly for Hesther. ‘Where there’s a ghost there’s ghost fanciers.’ GHOST OF JOSEPH SWANE Hesther’s brother who she killed, despite his innocence, on a paranoid notion that her mother preferred him. His lonely wanderings in death are paralleled by Hester who has been denied the only love she ever really wanted, the love of her mother. THEMES: THE OUTSIDER It is often the case in society that anyone seen as ‘different’ is met with fear and suspicion. We try to contain them, to control them, unsettled by the strangeness of their ideas and unpredictability. If they resist, we force them out. Travellers, because of people’s prejudice and fear, are forced to the edges of our society. They are proud of their heritage and can often be led by strong matriarchal

figures like the character of Big Josie Swane or Hester Swane. Hesther is an outsider because of her traveller blood. She lives on the bog and, even when Carthage builds her a house, stays close to the land and often sleeps in her caravan. This casts her as an ‘outsider’ and she often has to defend herself and her heritage. Hesther - Nothing is more important than her connection to her mother, her daughter and to the Bog itself. Her love for her family and a wilful need to be living where she needs to be are two strong traveller traditions. WOMEN’S ROLES The tension between old, traditional women’s roles and the new, modern women also exists in the institutions of the family and marriage. Three families are portrayed in the play, the Swanes, the Kilbrides, and the Cassidys. - The Kilbrides and Cassidys are both trying to be important pillars of their small community. In their outward appearance, Caroline’s family is the picture of modern conventionality. For one, they are up and coming land owners and are very concerned with showy materialism. All the families despite craving respectability are dysfunctional. Hester wants the old traditional institution of Irish family back, as described in the constitution almost. However, in 90’s Ireland this ‘moral institution’ is crumbling rapidly. Plays on expectations and conventions of motherhood. There’s resistance to the fixed roles of mother, daughter, wife. The bog is a vast and fluid space which reflects the fluidity and openness of these roles, a space associated with Hester who breaks these roles. An open space compared to the closed domestic space of the home. The bog is also between water/soil = life/death. Hester and Big Josie shows that motherhood isn’t natural and easy, it’s complex and challenging. Hester is isolated, depressed and drawn to death, which we don’t associate with archetypal mammy characters. Her love turns to destruction, turned inwards on herself. She destroys the family unit which is so valued by Ireland, the constitution and herself. So she destroys what she loves and craves (family), as well as Josie whom she loves, to protect her from what she has gone through herself. Caroline and Carthage’s wedding is a sham aimed at land and financial gain. Makes a mockery of the Catholic Church in doing so. Limanlity of Hester/bog – between worlds and gender roles Carr rewriting conventions to prove a point or to give herself authority amongst male playwrights. Place, identity and memory linked by constant naming of the bog of cats Brides: Collection of warring brides on stage communion dress – bride of Christ Marriage is a homosocial contract where the bride is an commodity/object of exchange amongst the patriarchy for land, wealth, status. Wedding brings discord not unity Dual function of white dresses – purity and innocence (ironic for some characters), and as sacrificial virgin. Hester makes herself a bride w/o any patriarchal authority – defies homosocial contract White dress is uniform, but all the women are different (difference/sameness)

Mono-drama; Jungian theory that everyone in a dream is yourself and everyone in the dresses could be elements of Hester. But this is a nightmare not a dream. Unconventional, unnatural women deemed a witch (the ultimate other) Hester, Big Josie, Catwoman Xavier – ‘you’re as mad as a lunatic’ ‘100 years ago we’d strap you to a stake and boil you til your guts exploded’ Hester and Big Josie accused of dabbling in some ‘black art thing’ for not conforming to prerequisites of social convention Witches have cats – association of cats throughout. Hard to tame, unknowable, ‘like herding cats’ Purgatory Joe Swane in purgatory, as is Hester. To be redeemed or condemned but by the end it’s hard to do either. Sacrifice of Hester for community – mock Christ Hester as a ghost between life and death. Ghosts are bodiless – body of woman not her own in Ireland Women as outsiders and marginalised in 90’s Ireland....