History YMMV / ThePloughAndTheStars

** This is actually a stealth example of Historical SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped. The Easter Rising in 1916 had failed as a military operation, but the execution of its leaders by the British led to a widespread surge in nationalist sentiment. This in turn led to the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921), which in turn led to the Irish Civil War (1922-1923). By the time ''The Plough'' hit the stage, Ireland was technically independent and was in the early stages of a fragile peace. It was in the interests of the Irish establishment to promote the whole idea of not-fighting, so that they could get on with building up the new Irish state and its institutions. This is one reason why O'Casey's plays were first produced; their heavy scepticism about Irish patriotism and nationalist bravado was exactly what the Irish establishment wanted to promote. The Abbey Theatre was (and is) a state institution, being the first state-subsidised theatre in the English-speaking world. So, this is why O'Casey's plays are so negative about independence: he was personally disillusioned with nationalism, and the new state needed to drop a few anvils about the danger of permanent revolution.

* The Woobie: Mollser, a teenage girl [[spoiler: dying of TB]] who functions as OnlySaneMan in her very brief appearance. [[spoiler: By Act Four, she's dead.]]

** This is actually a stealth example of Historical SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped. The Easter Rising in 1916 had failed as a military operation, but the execution of its leaders by the British led to a widespread surge in nationalist sentiment. This in turn led to the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921), which in turn led to the Irish Civil War (1922-1923). By the time ''The Plough'' hit the stage, Ireland was technically independent and was in the early stages of a fragile peace. It was in the interests of the Irish establishment to promote the whole idea of not-fighting, so that they could get on with building up the new Irish state and its institutions. This is one reason why O'Casey's plays were first produced; their heavy scepticism about Irish patriotism and nationalist bravado was exactly what the Irish establishment wanted to promote. The Abbey Theatre was (and is) a state institution, being the first state-subsidised theatre in the English-speaking world. So, this is why O'Casey's plays are so negative about independence: he was personally disillusioned with nationalism, and the new state needed to drop a few anvils about the danger of permanent revolution.

** This is actually a stealth example of Historical SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped. The Easter Rising happened in 1916, and the execution of its leaders by the British led to a widespread surge in pro-independence feeling. This in turn led to the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921), which in turn led to the Irish Civil War (1922-1923). By the time ''The Plough'' hit the stage, Ireland was technically independent (having achieved Free State status) and was in the early stages of a fragile peace. It was in the interests of the Irish establishment to promote the whole idea of not-fighting, so that they could get on with building up the new Irish state and its institutions. This is one reason why O'Casey's plays were first produced; their heavy scepticism about Irish patriotism and nationalist bravado was exactly what the Irish establishment wanted to promote. The Abbey Theatre was (and is) a state institution, being the first state-subsidised theatre in the English-speaking world. So, this is why O'Casey's plays are so negative about independence: he was personally disillusioned with nationalism, and the state wanted anti-revolutionary propaganda.

* {{Anvilicious}}: You'd never think from this play that O'Casey was in favour of Irish independence. The Volunteer characters are depicted as pompous blowhards who are in it for the camaraderie and the loyal toasting, but the minute things look bad, they turn into gutless cowards (if they're not actually dying screaming.) Peter Flynn, the old republican, is a sentimental old fool and the Young Covey is a StrawmanPolitical. The other characters pay lip service to the cause of freedom until they're the slightest bit inconvenienced by the effort to achieve it, whereupon they can't be bothered. The most heroic character is a violently bigoted Protestant, and the most sympathetic characters are two English soldiers.

* Anvilicious: You'd never think from this play that O'Casey was in favour of Irish independence. The Volunteer characters are depicted as pompous blowhards who are in it for the camaraderie and the loyal toasting, but the minute things look bad, they turn into gutless cowards (if they're not actually dying screaming.) Peter Flynn, the old republican, is a sentimental old fool and the Young Covey is a StrawmanPolitical. The other characters pay lip service to the cause of freedom until they're the slightest bit inconvenienced by the effort to achieve it, whereupon they can't be bothered. The most heroic character is a violently bigoted Protestant, and the most sympathetic characters are two English soldiers.