"Juno and the Paycock" by Sean O'Casey

In 1920s Dublin, men were considered more superior than women. The men had to support their families as they were the main source of financial income. In working class families, women also had to work. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be able to pay the rent, or possibly not be able to feed their family. Women also had to look after the family and children, and had to do all of the housework. Men seemed to have control over women, who couldn’t do anything to stop them.

In “Juno and the Paycock”, Sean O’Casey paints a different picture. Although the men believe they are in control, it is really the women who are in the driver’s seat.

O’Casey believes that the women in his play are stronger, more enduring and unselfish than the male characters. O’Casey himself believed that women were “secretly in charge”. He had a very strong relationship with his mother, as his father died when he was only six years old.

He was also the youngest surviving child out of his other thirteen siblings. As he was brought up by his widowed mother, he sees that women are dominant and men are weaker. In “Juno”, we find that the Boyle family have come into a great deal of wealth. Almost immediately, “Captain” Jack Boyle spends most of it, hence, giving him the title of the “Paycock”.

Johnny Boyle, his son, has a secret, which gradually unfolds as the story progresses. It turns out that he has been a government informer; “you didn’t think o’ that when you gave him away to the gang that sent him to his grave”.

Get quality help now

writer-Charlotte

Verified

Proficient in: Other

4.7 (348)

“ Amazing as always, gave her a week to finish a big assignment and came through way ahead of time. ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

This ultimately leads to Johnny’s execution; “where were you when me darlin’ son was riddled with bullets”. Juno Boyle, Boyle’s wife, in the centre of everything, is feeling the burdens of life on her shoulders as she tries to keep her family together. Mary Boyle, Jack and Juno’s daughter, has found a new boyfriend. He is Charlie Bentham, and is very rich.

We are later told that he has left Mary as she is now pregnant. We then learn that there was never any money for the Boyle’s. “There’s no money comin’ to us at all – the Will’s a washout!” Fed up, Juno, with a drunkard husband and a dead son, finally leaves Boyle, with Mary at her side. This is where Juno says to Mary about her baby, “It’ll have what’s far betther – it’ll have two mothers”. This is good for the child as Juno is responsible and will be able to use her own experience to her advantage. I expect that Boyle will be left on his own, possibly with his best friend, Joxer Daily, at his side.

Boyle has done nothing to help or support his family in any situation. Boyle is the head of the house, but it is Juno who seems to do all the work since Boyle would rather spend his time sipping lager and telling tales. Juno is very responsible and very reliable, while Boyle is completely undependable and irresponsible. Juno will protect her family with her life, but Boyle is plain lazy; “If it weren’t for the terrible pains in me legs… ” is always his excuse for not finding a job to help support his family financially. Johnny and Mary are the children of Boyle and Juno.

Johnny, who was injured fighting for Ireland, and Mary, who is on strike for the principle of it, are both still trying to grow up. Mary, the elder of the two siblings, is stubborn, saying that she will “stick to her principles,” and Johnny is trying to hide from his comrades. Johnny has recently become very sensitive and quiet. He is worried about the death of Robbie Tancred, an old childhood friend. Mary however, is still as outgoing as ever. She enjoys a social life, and does not seem at all phased about being on strike, and having an awkward family.

Mary and Johnny are both similar in the way that they both stand up for what they believe in. Mary is on strike, and Johnny stands up for his beliefs for Ireland. He lost an arm, and received a permanent limp from fighting during the Easter Rising. Johnny feels disgusted that Mary is pregnant and yet he hasn’t told anyone what he has done. “She should be dhriven out house she’s brought disgrace on!” He is being hypocritical. Mrs. Madigan, Mrs. Tancred and Joxer are all friendly with the Boyle family. Joxer is Boyle’s “butty” and drinking companion. Mrs. Madigan and Mrs.

Tancred are the Boyle’s neighbours. Mrs. Madigan and Joxer are both very friendly and wish to help out. Yet, Joxer is a lazy lay-about. Mrs. Tancred is in grief when we meet her, but speaks passionately about wanting no more deaths and killings. When Mrs. Madigan hears of the Boyle’s inheritance, she has nothing but good words for them. Though when she finds out that there is no money, she angrily confronts Boyle for money she lent him, and then takes his gramophone as payment. She seems very “two faced”, nice and friendly one minute, then the next she is biting off Boyles head.

Jerry Devine was Mary’s old boyfriend. He is still in love with her, but she has found a new boyfriend. He is called Charlie Bentham, a rich school teacher, now turning to work in law. Jerry doesn’t realize that Mary doesn’t want to be with him. He says to her; “Let me kiss your hand” when she refuses to go back with him. He is completely obsessed with Mary. Charlie is in love with Mary too and helps the Boyle’s with the will. However when Mary becomes pregnant, Charlie runs away to England, afraid of commitment and the results of his actions.

When Jerry comes to Mary again, he wants her to return with him, as he knows that Bentham has left. He doesn’t know that Mary is pregnant, and when he finds out, he leaves in shock. On the surface, Jerry and Charlie both seem to love and care about Mary, but when the worst comes to the worst, they quickly leave her to fend for herself. The women in “Juno and the Paycock” have many positive characteristics. They have strength, determination and are all friendly and caring.

They all have strength to get through hard times (eg. Juno supporting her family; Mrs. Tancred during her bereavement). Juno is determined to make Boyle find a job and no matter what the situation, they are always loving (eg. Mrs. Madigan always wanting to help out). Women are completely different from the men. The men are lazy (eg. Boyle not finding any jobs, Boyle and Joxer in the “snug” all of the time), money wasters (eg. Boyle spending the money on a gramophone), and contradictive (eg. Boyle says he doesn’t like the church or Father Farrell, then saying that the country would be nothing without them). Women’s qualities outweigh their faults.

They are “stronger” and “better” than what their faults says about them. Their negative qualities say they are vain and stubborn, but this is nothing in comparison to their positive qualities of being strong, resilient, loving, caring and determined. During this period in history, women were made to feel that they were inferior to men. But, O’Casey’s play defies this. Juno stands her ground against the men, and when she has had enough of them, she leaves Boyle. Juno and Mary decide to make their own way in the world, and forget about Boyle. It’ll have what’s far betther – it’ll have two mothers”.

I feel that the baby will be better off with two mothers, especially if they are Juno and Mary. They are both wise enough not to fall into traps set by men, and know how not to raise the child. Juno was a good mother to Johnny and Mary, and so will be a great help to Mary and her child. They would raise the baby to be everything that Boyle was not. Yes, the women are more superior to the men. They are smarter and wiser. Although the men feel that they are in power, the women are “weaving their way through the woodwork”.