The Playboy of the Western World

The act begins with Jimmy and Philly at the bar discussing Christy’s victories in the sporting events. His winning has cost many men a great deal of money, and their tune has changed when they discuss him. Instead of calling Christy a hero, Jimmy and Philly are annoyed with him. They believe that his success in the sporting events must be luck and complain that he is constantly bragging about killing his father.

Old Mahon enters the bar shortly after and attempts to tell the story of how Christy tried to kill him. At that moment, Widow Quin walks in, and Jimmy and Philly tell her to attend to Old Mahon. This works out perfectly for Widow Quin, who is now trying to keep up Christy’s lie herself. She coddles Old Mahon and gives him a drink, then turns back to Jimmy and Philly. She tells them that Old Mahon was “raving from his wound to-day […] rambling tale of a tinker had him destroyed. Then he heard of Christy’s deed, and he up and says it was his son had cracked his skull” (57). In pretending that Old Mahon has been making up stories, Widow Quin effectively buries the truth and maintains Christy’s hero status. Widow Quin warns Jimmy and Philly that they must do something about Old Mahon, for fear of him losing control and causing harm to Christy. Jimmy and Philly, however, are not convinced.

There’s an uproar outside the bar. Christy is mounting a mule for a race, the next sporting event of the day. When Old Mahon asks who it is, Widow Quin tells him with pride that it’s the “Playboy of the Western World” (50). Old Mahon gets a better look and says that the man favors his own wandering son. He tries to leave, but Widow Quin stops him, so the group gathers at the window and watches the race from there. It’s an intense race, and Christy does eventually catch up with the mules in the lead. He wins the race, and as the crowd raises him up, Old Mahon recognizes Christy. Furious, he tries to charge out of the bar but is held back by Widow Quin, Jimmy, and Philly.

Old Mahon argues with Widow Quin, who keeps telling him that the man outside is not Christy. She says that the man they are cheering is a fine man who is engaged to marry Pegeen Mike, the bar owner’s daughter. Old Mahon finds this ludicrous, but Widow Quin is relentless. She repeatedly tells Old Mahon that he is “raving,” or acting irrationally and that he must accept that it isn’t Christy he saw. After all, she argues, “Aren’t you after saying that your son’s a fool, and how would they be cheering a true idiot born?” (61). This leaves Old Mahon stunned and he begins to think that maybe Widow Quin is right. This sends the old man into a spiral of worrying for his own mental health since he believes he is hallucinating his son.

Widow Quin warns him that the villagers don’t treat those with mental illness kindly, the last individual  having been pelted to death. This frightens Old Mahon, and he retreats from the bar. Philly scolds Widow Quin for teasing the old man and goes after Old Mahon to make sure he’s alright. Jimmy follows, leaving Widow Quin alone. As the men exit, another crowd comes in. It’s Christy, in jockey’s clothes, followed by a group of admirers. Among them are Pegeen Mike, Michael James, the village girls, and others. They are all congratulating him on his sporting success, and Pegeen urges them to leave Christy alone to rest before the last event of the day: tug of war.

When the crowd disperses, Pegeen Mike gives Christy her own congratulations for all the prizes he has won so far. Christy beams up at her and tells her the best prize he’ll win is after tonight, for Pegeen Mike has agreed to marry him if he wins the crowning prize. Pegeen Mike shies away from him, suddenly worried that he won’t be loyal to her. She fears that he will grow bored with his heroism in County Mayo and start to wander on the road again. Christy eases her mind with his sweet talk again, spouting words of poetry and beauty to win her trust. As they imagine their new life together, they agree that it seems fated that they should be together.

The couple is interrupted by the sound of drunken singing outside. Pegeen Mike’s father, Michael James, enters with Shawn. Michael James announces that the dispensation they’ve been waiting on has arrived, so Pegeen Mike and Shawn are to be married that day. This incites an argument between the four of them. Pegeen Mike tells her father that he’s too late; she intends to marry Christy now. This sends Michael James into a rage, and he turns to Shawn, asking why he isn’t reacting. Shawn meekly replies that he is too afraid to be jealous of a murderer like Christy. When Shawn insults Pegeen Mike for choosing such a lawless suitor, she smarts back that Christy, at least, has bravery and a love of words, two things that Shawn will never have.

At the climax of the fight, Michael James hands Shawn a loy and orders him to fight Christy, but Shawn exclaims he won’t for fear of facing the gallows and runs out of the bar. Shawn’s cowardice causes Michael James to relent. He tells the couple that while he doesn’t approve of Christy, he values bravery and would prefer “strong” grandsons to the “puny weeds” that would surely be the offspring of Pegeen Mike and Shawn. In the end, it is more important to Michael James that his family be full of “masculine” (if immoral) grandsons as opposed to “cowardly” (if moral) ones. He gives Christy and Pegeen Mike his blessing and exits the bar.

As soon as one father is gone, another one enters. Old Mahon charges at Christy and begins to beat him. Pegeen Mike tries to get Old Mahon off Christy, but to no avail. She asks who he is, and Old Mahon tells her he is Christy’s father. Pegeen Mike is furious with Christy for his lies and lets the beating continue. A crowd gathers, and she tells them, amazedly, “And to think of the coaxing glory we had given him, and he after doing nothing but hitting a soft blow and chasing northward in a sweat of fear” (72). Christy, Pegeen Mike realizes, is no braver than Shawn. All of it was a lie. Christy pleads for Widow Quin to protect him, and she quips that she’s done everything she can for him. Desperate, Christy bemoans having to return to a vagabond life void of admiration and honor.

The crowd grows restless, ready to punish Christy for fooling them into thinking he’s a hero. Pegeen Mike also wants retribution and encourages Old Mahon to whelp Christy. The crowd starts placing bets on the winner, and Christy surmises that it is better to be “lonesome” than with “fools of the earth.” The uproar ends in a fight between Christy and his father, with Christy chasing Old Mahon out of the bar with a loy. The crowd follows them, and from off stage, a loud yell is heard, followed by silence. Christy walks back into the bar without his father. Widow Quin follows him, telling him that the crowd will want him hanged now that he’s actually killed his father. She urges him to run away while he still can, but he refuses to leave without Pegeen Mike.

Sara runs in and pulls off her petticoat and shawl, handing them to Christy. She tells him that he will surely hang, so he must disguise himself and leave County Mayo as soon as possible. Christy refuses to leave Pegeen Mike, and Widow Quin counters that there are plenty of other “sweethearts” for him. Christy rejects the prospect, citing that even a score of women in their underwear could not tempt him from Pegeen Mike. He believes he is a “proven hero,” and she will warmly welcome his affection. Exasperated, Widow Quin quips that he’s more fit for the “mad-house” than jail, and the women quickly dress him in the petticoat. They try to drag him out of the bar, but he threatens to strike them with a bar stool, so they leave him behind. He sits again, defeated.

Michael James, Philly, Shawn, and Pegeen Mike sneak into the bar and see Christy slumped by the fire. They walk slowly together and surprise Christy with a noose around his neck, with the intention of dragging him to the gallows themselves. Christy struggles against them, putting up more of a fight than he has the entire play. He pleads with them to let him go, but the group fears that they will be hanged themselves for abetting a murderer.

Suddenly, Old Mahon appears in the doorway. Christy boldly offers his father a third beating. When Old Mahon realizes the crowd intends to hang Christy, he announces that he and his son will be leaving them. He says, “[W]e’ll have great times from this out telling stories of the villainy in Mayo, and the fools is here” (80). Christy silences his father and declares that if they leave together, Christy will be the “master of all fights” (80). In parting, Christy thanks the crowd for helping him become the man he postured to be. He remarks that he will really be a philanderer. With that, Old Mahon and Christy leave the crowd, which is still in shock, behind them. Michael James asks Pegeen Mike to pour them a round of drinks. Shawn approaches Pegeen Mike and bashfully tells her how happy he is that Father Reilly can wed them after all. Pegeen Mike hits him on the ear and tells him to leave her alone. She looks longingly at the door and laments that she’s “lost the only Play of the Western World” (80).