Constrained by Circumstance: The Influence of Poverty on Female Protagonists in J. M. Synge’s Triad The Shadow of the Glen, Riders to the Sea, and The Tinker’s Wedding

Abstract

ABSTRACT This thesis examines the melancholy effects of poverty on the female protagonists in the dramatic triad The Shadow of the Glen (1903), Riders to the Sea (1904) and The Tinker’s Wedding (1908) by Irish playwright John Millington Synge (1871–1909). In these plays, poverty is not only a lack of financial means, but also operates as powerful force that determines the female characters’ actions, emotions, perspectives and destinies. The protagonists, Maurya, Nora and Sarah, each belong to a marginalised group—fisherfolk, peasants and travelling tinkers—and represent three social statuses: widowed, married and engaged. Despite their differences, each woman is shaped by poverty, which manifests itself as a persistent force that isolates and disenfranchises them while also restricting their autonomy. While Synge’s portrayal of rural poverty and female marginalisation has been examined, a critical gap remains in the analysis of how poverty affects women differently according to their social status and emotional and economic conditions. This study fills this gap by examining how Synge depicts the emotional and existential struggles of impoverished female characters. It also shows how poverty functions both as an individual suffering and a structural mechanism of oppression. The role of nature is also explored, particularly how it simultaneously sustains and jeopardises the poor: a paradoxical reality evident in the struggles of Maurya, Nora and Sarah. Literary and character analysis is used to explore the experiences of the protagonists. Semiotic theory reveals symbolic representations of poverty, and ecocriticism illuminates the interaction between natural forces and human suffering. Additionally, theories of social exclusion, economic, social, psychological poverty and structural violence provide a comprehensive analytical framework. These perspectives reveal how economic hardship, social constraints and environmental forces jointly impact the lives of the female protagonists in Synge’s triad. The thesis argues that poverty is a driving force behind the emotional, physical and social isolation of these characters. In financial desperation, Nora is forced to marry an older man, leaving her emotionally detached and in search of outside companionship. Maurya is consumed by her grief as she loses her sons to the sea, which paradoxically sustains and destroys her family. Sarah’s inability to afford a marriage fee ruins her dream of marriage and reinforces her social exclusion, while her conflict with a priest highlights the rigidity of religious institutions that perpetuate social division. In each case, poverty robs these women of financial security and drives them into loneliness, emotional suffering, marginalisation and dependence on forces beyond their control. Through a close reading of Synge’s use of symbolism, characterisation and narrative structure, which illustrate the suffering caused by poverty, this thesis offers new insight into the emotional toll and structural effects of poverty on the lives of the female protagonists. This thesis demonstrates how economic hardship, emotional struggle, social marginalisation and forces of nature influence their experiences in these narratives. It contributes to Irish drama studies by deepening the understanding of how poverty and resilience are experienced and portrayed through the lives of Synge’s female protagonists.