Sean O’Casey: The Plough and the Stars

Act/scene	characters	setting	action	atmosphere etc.	
Act I	Fluther Good (carpenter), Mrs. Gogan (charwoman), Peter Flynn (Nora’s uncle, a labourer), The young Covey (a fitter, Clitheroe’s cousin), Nora Clitheroe, Bessie Burgess, Jack Clitheroe, Capt. Brennan (a chicken butcher, capt. of the Irish Citizen Army, Mollser 	The living room of the Clitheroe flat in a Dublin tenement.
 	Fluther is repairing the doorlock, Peter is sitting at the fire airing a white shirt, Mrs Gogan comes in carrying in a parcel that’s arrived for Mrs Clitheroe, she opens it, it’s a new hat.
They chatter about the Clitheroes and the meeting later that night is being discussed.
Clitheroe is allegedly not going because he didn’t become a captain.
The Covey enters and winds up Fluther.
They talk about the picture of the sleeping Venus that’s hanging in the living-room.
The Covey winds up Peter they have a fight until Nora enters.
She tries to calm them down, prepares tea, Bessie Burgess appears at the door, she screams at Nora, scolding her for being poud and stuck-up, she grabs her by the shoulders and shakes her, Fluther helps Nora, Clitheroe arrives.
They have tea, Peter and the Covey leave.
They’re alone for a while until Capt. Brennan arrives. He informs Clitheroe that he was appointed Commandant and is to command a battalion of the ICA, he is required at the meeting and the next day a reconnaissance attack on Dublin castle is planned. A letter had been sent before but Nora has burned it.
Clitheroe leaves angrily.
Mollser enters to sit with Nora 	busy tenement
characters are being introduced
the Covey as a wannabe communist, Peter as a choleric,
the meeting  something about to happen
half-truths, envy, nationalist/patriotic feelings but playful as if not knowing the consequences
poor people, middle-class like Clitheroes  the picture of the Venus 
conflict Nora - Clitheroe: she wants him to care for her only, he is involved in the ICA	
Act II	a pub outside of which the meeting is being held	Barman, Rosie Redmond (prostitute), speaker, Fluther, Peter, the Covey, Mrs. Gogan, Bessie, Clitheroe, Lieut. Langon (Irish Volunteers), Capt. Brennan	Rosie and the barman are talking, then the speaker can be heard. He speaks in favour of war, says that bloodshed is necessary (cleansing and sanctifying), Rosie and barman seem convinced, Peter and Fluther enter, they discuss full of emotional passion, are moved and agitated.
The speaker is heard again, “we rejoice in this terrible war”, speaks of war glorifying it, 
the Covey talks to Rosie about communism, Rosie acts as if she’s interested to make a pass at the Covey, he runs out, Peter and Fluther come in again with Mrs Gaugan and her baby, rows Peter and Fluther, Bessie and Mrs. Gogan fight (Bessies son is in Belgium  war), speaker: speaks about war in Europe, war - exhilarating, heroism, Angel of God
Covey starts to talk about religion (Opium für’s Volk), Bessie and Mrs Gogan fight until they are chucked out, she leaves her baby, Peter runs after her with the baby
The Covey and Fluther have a row about Labour movement, Marx etc. (Fluther doesn’t know the first thing about it, Covey puts his knowledge to the test and outs him), Rosie helps Fluther, Covey calls her a prostitute, Fluther helps Rosie, Barman chucks the Covey out, Fluther and Rosie leave together
Clitheroe and Brennan enter with Langon, they discuss revolution
speaker: reminds of old times (tradition) Fenians
The three men are convinced: shout paroles	pub, aggression, the power of rethorics, half-knowledge (Covey: Boorzwawzee!), Fluther’s use of the words “derogatory” and “vice versa”, the speaker sequences: religious (cleansing and sanctifying, red wine, glorious sacrifice, redemption, Angel of God), virility (manhood, arms), national identity: homage of millions of lives gladly given for love of country, WWI: war as a game (adventure) exhilarating, heroism, tradition (Fenians, God, graves), freedom: slavery, unfree

reactions of the people: unity in a cause but a unity that is not actually there, everyone having rows with everyone, envy, ...	
Act III	The street outside the Clitheroe tenement