Ideology and Neurosis in Laurence Holder’s When the Chickens Came Home to Roost (1980) and John Millington Synge’s The Well of the Saints (1905)
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Date
2017-10
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Publisher
University Mouloud Mammeri of Tizi-Ouzou
Abstract
This Master dissertation is a comparative genre study which explores ideology and
neurosis in L. Holder’s When the Chickens Came Home to Roost (1980) and J.M. Synge’s
The Well of the Saints (1905). This study begins with an introduction, followed by Methods
and Materials as well as the historical context of each one of the two aforementioned plays. Its
discussion section includes two different chapters. In the first one, to discuss ideology in both
plays I explore Terry Eagleton’s theory of ideology as developed in his book Literary Theory:
An Introduction by focusing on the element of domination. As for the second chapter, to cope
with neurosis in both plays, I should like to throw light on Karen Horney’s theory of neurosis
as developed in her book Neurosis and Human Growth: The Struggle Toward Self-
Realization. My main objective behind the whole work, first and foremost, is to draw an
analogy between the two plays with regard to the exploration of the two abovementioned
concepts. The study reveals that in Holder’s play, Elijah Muhammad takes profit from
ideological beliefs, and Malcolm X supports the charge of those beliefs. In Synge’s play, the
study reveals also that Martin Doul and his wife support the charge of ideological beliefs, and
the other villagers take profit from them. It reveals, as well, that almost all the characters in
both works suffer from neurosis.
Description
57p.;30cm.(+cd)
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Citation
Arts Dramatiques et Lettres Anglaises