What is the symbolic significance of the sea in Riders to the Sea?

What is the symbolic significance of the sea in Riders to the Sea?

The sea stands for the main source and the life for the Islanders, but meanwhile the same generous sea turns out to be destroyer and life taking agent. The sea is the natural force which can be violent and fierce at times. It has taken many lives of the islanders, including all the male members of Maurya’s family.

What is symbolism and what do the white boards symbolize for in Riders to the Sea *?

The White Boards Symbol Analysis. The white boards that Maurya bought to build Michael’s coffin are onstage for the entirety of the play, and their presence is an omen of death that implies that another fatality will occur before the play’s close.

What does spinning wheel symbolize in Riders to the Sea?

What does spinning wheel symbolize in Riders to the Sea? A spinning wheel is a device used to spin flax and wool into thread. It is used in this story by the eldest daughter Cathleen, it is symbolic the difficulties of the life this family lived.

What is the symbolic significance of number nine in Riders to the Sea?

This overabundant presence of black and white also reiterate the suggestion of death with which the entire play is replete. the nuber nine is a constant presence in the play. Michael is lost for the last nine days, Bartley says he’d be back in 2 or 3 or 4 days(2+3+4=9).

What does GREY pony symbolize in Riders to the Sea?

The red mare and grey pony are symbolic representations. Red colour represents strength and virility and grey stands for death. It should be remembered that Bartley who was riding the red mare was knocked down to the sea by the grey pony that was following Bartley.

How did Bartley died?

Maurya’s relentlessly urging him to stay home, and the clear risk to his own life of going out to sea in a storm. He dies when he is thrown from his horse into the sea, directly after Maurya sees a vision of Michael’s ghost riding behind him.

What is the symbolism of riders to the sea?

The careful and effective use of the symbolism has made the play the best tragedy of J.M. Synge. The major symbol of the play is the sea, the source of life and at the same time the destroyer of the life. The people of the Island depend upon the sea for their survival by fishing.

What does the number nine mean in Synge’s riders to the sea?

Symbolism in Synge’s Riders to the Sea. The use of the number nine is another powerful mythological symbol in the play. The number nine is used as a sign of bad luck in the play. There is no news of Michael for nine days, Maurya keeps weeping for her dead son for nine days and when Bartley died in the sea some nine unknown women come to Maurya.

What was Synge’s philosophy in riders to the sea?

Spending his summers in the barren landscape of Aran imbibed in Synge the strong note of fatalism which enveloped the existence of the Araners. The consequent philosophy that he derived from this fatalism reaches us through the poetic medium of Riders to the Sea, greatly molded by the play’s symbolism.

Who are the riders to the sea in Greek mythology?

The Riders are another archetypal symbol – all men of the island are the riders to the Sea and consequently Death. Here, one recalls the Sea God Poseidon as the Death of Bartley is not unlike the death of Hippolytus.