Purgatory by William Butler Yeats
The play “Purgatory” is a religious play that has been written by Irish writer William Butler Yeats. There are four main characters: two are real people like the old man and his son whereas two are ghosts of the old man’s father and mother.
SUMMARY
W.B. Yeats’s play “Purgatory” depicts the restlessness of spirit after the death and bothers the living beings. Purgatory refers to the place or state into which the soul passes after death to become purified of pardonable sins before going to heaven. In the play, there are two characters as an old man and his son. Besides that, there is a dead spirit who hovers here and there for his part. The play basically concerns with the sorrow of the dead and the consequences of the crimes of the dead upon the living ones. The father of the old man committed a great crime by wasting the property by drinking and destroying the honourable house and deprived his son (the old man) of education and inheritance of the property. As a result, the old man, when he was sixteen, murdered his own father. In the play, the ruined house is often visited by the remorseful spirit of the old man’s father and mother. The suffering spirit is not purified to enter heaven because of its crimes and sins alive.
The groom (one who looks after the horse) marries a rich lady and the couples have a son. The lady dies after the birth of a child and the groom wastes her property by spending a lot and drinking. When the son becomes 16 years old, he murders his own father who burns the honoured house, wastes the property and makes his son deprived of education and inheritance (legal rights) of the property. The son has become old now and he has a bastard son (born out of wedlock). The scene of the play is a ruined house and a bare (naked) tree in the background. The old man and his bastard son stand in the moonlight before the house.
During the anniversary of the old man’s mother’s wedding night, the old man finds that the suffering spirit visits the house again and again in the ruined house. The old man sees the ghost of his mother and hears the hoof-beats (sound from animal feet) of his father’s horse. The boy sees nothing and calls his father mad. The old man discloses the history of the destroyed house to his son. The boy steals the bag of money from the old man and tries to run away. They fight for the money that is scattered (spread) on the ground. The boy threatens to kill the old man. Now the old man is afraid of his own son who has become 16 years old. The old man thinks that his son may repeat the disgraceful tradition of his father. The old man decides to stop the polluted tradition which may last for generations. In the meantime, the boy also sees the spirit of his grandparents and he becomes shocked. The old man suddenly stabs (kills by knife) his son to death to finish all the consequences. The stage is darkened and the bare tree appears “like a purified soul’ in the white light. The old man at the tree and explains why he has killed the boy. He wants to put an end to the chain of consequences, the polluted blood and its consequence. When he bends to pick up the scattered money, he again hears the hoof-beats of the dead spirit and sadly thinks that the consequence has not come to an end. He laments that he has killed his own father and son without any obvious purpose. Finally, the old man prays to God to free the tormented soul and calm them.
Important Questions and Answers:
1. What is the theme of purgatory?
Ans: Purgatory is a story of remorseful of a departed soul that committed mistakes on itself while being alive. In order to purify itself, it is undergoing suffering in purgatory. It is also concerned with the living beings who suffer the consequences of the sin committed by the dead people while alive and the help rendered by the living beings to get the soul released from purgatory.
2. What is the motive (aim) in murdering his son by the old man?
Ans: The old man believes that by murdering his son, he has stopped the boy to have a son of his own who would kill him after attaining 16 years of age, thereby breaking the endless cycle of violence. He also believes that by killing his son, he helps his mother’s soul to get released from purgatory.
3. Why did the old man kill his own son and his father? Explain how this drama is connected with religious belief. (2071 Long)
Answer: The old man killed his own son and his father to end the chain of violence. Many years before, he had killed his father because his father had done various misdeeds. His father had emptied all the wealth of his mother. His father had even burnt the only houses in which his mother and he lived. The old man’s mother had died only because of his father’s misdeeds. The old man’s father hadn’t sent the old man to the school. Due to all these reasons, the old man killed his father while he was 16 years old. Later on, when the old man’s son became 16 years old, he thought that the cycle of violence would be repeated. He had a kind of fear about his son. He found out the same revolt in his son as he had done with his father at one time. To end that crime cycle, he killed his son too.
Here in this drama, the old man is fearful about the future consequences. He feels that his mother’s restless soul is still tormented in the purgatory (A place between heaven and hell). He wants to release the tormented soul of his mother. To fulfil his desire, he ends the chain of violence by killing his son. This drama stands on the basis of religious beliefs. Many things related to heaven, hell, purgatory, soul etc are mentioned in this drama.
4. Interpret the play ‘Purgatory’ from any perspective you like. (2069 Long)
Answer: The play “Purgatory” by W.B Yeats suggests that punishment for sin is necessary for renewal and growth. The main character in this play is an old man who is haunted by his sin. In the past, his father had destroyed his house and the life and property of his mother. He was a drunkard, gambler and spent money on women. So the old man had killed his father with the knife when he was sixteen. Then he burnt the dead body. Later he became a peddler. The old man says the entire story to his son in front of that burnt house. There the old man even sees the image of his dead parents, their lovemaking at wedding night. Later the boy fights with the old man for money. The old man thinks that the boy is the consequence of his sin and kills him with the same knife that he had used to kill his father. But by the end, he stills imagines that his mother is suffering in purgatory.
5. What is the main reason behind killing the boy?
OR
What is the old man’s motive in murdering the boy?
Answer: The main reason behind killing the boy is that the old man becomes so fearful about the chain of violence. He believes that the crime of the father will be repeated by his son. He does not want his son to be a murderer in the future. He wishes to end the chain of violence. He thinks that the murdering tradition would go on from generation to generation.
6. Why did the old man punish the boy? (Purgatory) (2072 partial, Short)
Answer: Here in this play, we find criminal acts done by the old man. The old man seems so brutal. He killed his father at the age of sixteen. After that crime, he became a peddler. Many years passed by. He happened to reach the same place where he had done a murderous act. He related the story about his past to his son just in front of his burnt house. After that, they involved in the fight. The old man punished the boy because he found out some hints of revolt within him. He thought about his revolt against his father and became so fearful about the chain of violence which would be repeated by his son too. This very concept made him feel fearful and punish the boy.
7. Sketch the character of an old man. (2063 Long)
Answer: In this play, the old man is haunted by his sins. In the past, his father had destroyed his house and the life and property of his mother. He was a drunkard and gambler who spent money on women. So, the old man had killed his father with a knife when he was sixteen. Then he burnt the dead body of his father. Later he became a peddler.
The old man says the entire story to his son in front of that burnt house. There the old man even sees the image of his dead parents, their lovemaking at the wedding night. Later the boy fights with the old man for money. The old man thinks that the boy is the consequence of his sin and kills him with the same knife that he had used to kill his father. So finally, he kills his son to end the chain of violence. According to him, crime would go on from generation to generation. After killing his son, he becomes quite confident about breaking the cycle of violence. But finally, he repents his misdeeds. He cries out to God with a strong pray to release his mother’s tormented soul from purgatory.
8. “We are always punished for our sins” Elaborate this statement. (2064 Long)
Answer: This statement is right. This statement presents the reality of life. Nobody can get an excuse for his/her crime. The punishment for doing a crime is certain. If we commit sin or crime, we will surely get punished for it. People mainly talk about the punishments for sinners only after death but I think it is completely wrong. The reality of life and death is somewhat different. Nobody knows about heaven and hell as well as the later punishments. These things are only the false beliefs of the people. But the reality itself shows its result. There is no proper place for punishment as heaven and hell. People get punishment here on this earth in their lifetime. After death, there is no punishment at all. People get punishment on earth for their sin or crime. The punishment of the old man can be taken as the best example. The old man gets punishment in his lifetime. He loses everything finally and repents for his misdeeds.
9. Explain how “Purgatory” explores the relation of human life to supernatural forces. (2066 partial, Short)
Answer: The play “Purgatory” explores the relation of human life to supernatural forces. Here in this play, a concept has emerged that when a person dies, his/her soul parted from the body first. After that, the soul reaches the place called purgatory between heaven and hell. To reach heaven, his/her soul is purified there. After crossing purgatory, there is free, painless and real life. Then soul goes to heaven and gets the divine quality. The soul in purgatory suffers and tested for new life.
10. Discuss the relation between the father and the son in the play “Purgatory”. (2070 Short)
Answer: In this play, both the father and the son have a weak relationship. Both of them are so greedy and selfish. The father of the boy has committed lots of crimes in his lifetime. He has burnt his house and killed his father at the age of 16. In this play, we can see that the boy tries to kill his father for being selfish. He wants to have a share of money from his father. When the father denies giving money to the boy, the boy attacks him in anger. Finally, the father kills his son to finish the chain of violence.
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