The Rising of the Moon – Summary
The Rising of the Moon is a one-act play written by Lady Gregory. It is an Irish nationalist drama that explores themes of duty, identity, and patriotism.
Plot Summary:
The play takes place at night near a harbor in Ireland, where a Sergeant and two policemen are searching for a fugitive, a rebel who has escaped from prison. A large reward has been announced for his capture. The Sergeant is tasked with guarding the area, while the other policemen go away to search elsewhere.
A ragged ballad singer appears, carrying a bundle of ballad sheets. He strikes up a conversation with the Sergeant, who initially sees him as an ordinary traveler. The singer asks about the escaped prisoner and tells the Sergeant that the fugitive might disguise himself as a singer like him.
As they talk, the singer sings patriotic songs about Ireland’s fight for independence. The Sergeant, who once had nationalist feelings in his youth, is reminded of his past ideals. The singer gradually reveals that he is actually the escaped rebel, but instead of arresting him, the Sergeant hesitates. The singer convinces him that they are both Irishmen and that their country’s freedom is more important than his duty as a policeman.
When the other policemen return, the Sergeant does not reveal the fugitive’s presence. He allows him to escape, choosing his national identity over his official duty.
Themes:
1. Nationalism vs. Duty – The Sergeant faces a moral conflict between his duty as a policeman and his loyalty to Ireland.
2. Identity and Transformation – The Sergeant changes from a loyal officer to someone who sympathizes with the rebel cause.
3. Persuasion and Influence – The rebel’s words and songs influence the Sergeant’s emotions and decisions.
Conclusion:
The Rising of the Moon is a powerful story about patriotism and moral choices. It highlights how personal beliefs can sometimes challenge professional responsibilities. The Sergeant’s decision to let the rebel go symbolizes a shift from being a servant of colonial rule to embracing his Irish identity.
Textual Activities on the Rising of the Moon
1.Find out the reason of the man for staying at the place.
Ans: To make a few shillings the man stayed at the place.
2. The stranger stays with the Sergeant. Find a way …… by him to allow him.
ANS: The stranger stays with the Sergeant by telling him that he would wait for sailors. The sailors would buy a ballad off him.
3. Write about the persuasive approach of the man?
Ans: The man wanted to stay at quay .He persuades the sergeant to allow him to sit on the steps .Then he tells the sergeant that he knows the man he is waiting for.
4.The man and the Sergeant need each other’s support. Find such examples.
Ans: The following conversation shows they need each other’s support
Sergeant : You know him? Come back here. What sort is he?
Man : Come back is it, Sergeant?
5. The man tries to enforce the Sergeant in favour of the criminal Find the sentence from the text.
Ans: I wouldn’t be in your shoes if the reward was ten times as much.
6. Find the life of the singer that is mentioned in the extract.
ANS : He is a poor man. He sings on the streets and in fairs. He walked through the hills to view rocks and streams.
7.The wavelength of the man and the Sergeant goes together find the evidences from the text.
Ans: The man sings patriotic songs. The Sergeant remembers the songs.
8. The discussion about patriotic songs goes on. Find the points from the extract.
Ans: When the man
9. There is a reference of a criminal. Find sentences in the context and write
Ans: breaking goal and hiding in the dark,
myself would be trying maybe to put a bullet in his head, or to take up a lump of a stone the way you said he did
BRAINSTORMING on the Rising of the Moon
(A1) There are some dialogues which are short, but quite effective. They give us enjoyment and add beauty to the main story. Find some more from the text.
(A2) Activities on Theme element of the Rising of the Moon
(i) Comment on the given statement after reading the given dialogue-
a. And if we get him itself, nothing but abuse on our heads for it from the people, and maybe from our own relations-you may begin like this
We do not think about society at large because people do not understand how difficult time we face in force. They abuse us even if we obey the orders.
b. It’s a pity some honest man not to be better of that.
c. I wouldn’t be in your shoes if he reward me ten times as much. People generally fall victim to incentives. Some people stick to values. They do not give importance to reward but the nationalism.
d. But when I saw a man in trouble, I could never help trying to set him out of it.
Its human to help others. Here the statement tells us that we should help the people in trouble to come out of it.
(ii) The priorities of the Sergeant are shifted. Complete the given table by using the given clues.
Priorities of the sergeant at the beginning Priorities of the sergeant at the end of the play
Find sentences from the play the rising of the moon related to the given points.
a. Loyalty in Irish Nationalism:
(1) May be Sergeant you’ll be on the side of the country yet.
(2) I am thinking it was with the people you were,
(3) In spite of your belt and your tunic, that it might have been as well for you to have followed Granuaile.
(4) Sergeant puts hat and wig behind his back.
b. Tension between different loyalties
(1) It’s little we get but abuse from the people, and no choice but to obey our orders.
(2) Indeed it’s a hard thing to be in the force, out at night and no thanks for it,
(3) But when I saw a man in trouble, I could never help trying to set him out of it.
(4) There’s many a thing a man might know and might not have any wish for.
(A5) The description of the character from the rising of the moon is given below. Identify the character from the play. Find some sentences which support your choice.
(a) He is a brave but irresponsible person.
Ans The character is the Sergeant. He is brave – I don’t want it. Bring it with you, He is irresponsible Sergeant (after a pause) – no one.
(b) He is a major character. He dominates in the story.
(1) Character : Man , A ballad singer : Jimmy Walsh a man who broke the jail
(2) A story is woven around the a ballad singer.
(c) He is smart as well as brave.
(1) Character: Man
(2) Proof : You might be standing there, looking out that way, thinking you saw him coming up this side of the quay (points), and he might be coming up this other side (points), and he’d be on you before you knew where you were.
(d) He is the centre of the play.
(1) Character : Man
(2)
(e) He is obedient and simple.
(1) Character : Sergeant
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