''The Well of the Saints'' is a three-act play written by Irish playwright

J. M. Synge Edmund John Millington Synge (; 16 April 1871 – 24 March 1909) was an Irish playwright, poet, writer, collector of folklore, and a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival. His best known play ''The Playboy of the Western World'' was poorly r ...

, first performed at the

Abbey Theatre The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the pu ...

by the Irish National Theatre Society in February

1905 As the second year of the massive Russo-Japanese War begins, more than 100,000 die in the largest world battles of that era, and the war chaos leads to the 1905 Russian Revolution against Nicholas II of Russia (Shostakovich's 11th Symphony i ...

. The

setting Setting may refer to: * A location (geography) where something is set * Set construction in theatrical scenery * Setting (narrative), the place and time in a work of narrative, especially fiction * Setting up to fail a manipulative technique to eng ...

is specified as "some lonely mountainous district in the east of Ireland one or more centuries ago."

Important Characters

*Martin Doul, an elderly blind beggar *Mary Doul, his wife, also blind *Timmy, a young blacksmith *Molly Byrne, Timmy's beautiful fiancee *The Saint, a wandering holy man

Plot synopsis

Martin and Mary Doul are two blind beggars who have been led by the lies of the townsfolk to believe that they are beautiful when in fact they are old and ugly. A saint cures them of their blindness with water from a holy well and at first sight they are disgusted by each other. Martin goes to work for Timmy the smith and tries to seduce Timmy's betrothed, Molly, but she viciously rejects him and Timmy sends him away. Martin and Mary both lose their sight again, and when the saint returns to wed Timmy and Molly, Martin refuses his offer to cure their blindness again. The saint takes offence and the townsfolk banish the couple, who head south in search of kinder neighbours.

Quotes

*"And that's the last thing I'm to set my sight on in the life of the world - the villainy of a woman and the bloody strength of a man." - Martin Doul *"The devil mend the old Saint for letting me see it was lies." - Martin Doul

References

*Synge, J. M. The Complete Plays. 1st. New York: Vintage Books, 1935.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Well Of The Saints 1905 plays Plays by John Millington Synge