John Millington Synge was an Irish playwright, poet, and prose writer. He is best known for his plays, which are renowned for their lyrical language and portrayal of the lives of the rural Irish peasantry. His works include 'The Playboy of the Western World', 'Riders to the Sea', and 'In the Shadow of the Glen'.
John Millington Synge was born in Rathfarnham, near Dublin, Ireland, in 1871.
He studied at Trinity College, Dublin, and later at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
He met fellow writer, W.B. Yeats, who encouraged him to pursue a career in literature.
He wrote his first important work, 'Riders to the Sea', in 1904 and his most famous play, 'The Playboy of the Western World', in 1907.
He died of Hodgkin's disease at the age of 38 in 1909.
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and a key figure in 20th-century literature. He was a contemporary of Synge's and the two writers were friends and collaborators.
Sean O'Casey was an Irish playwright and memoirist. Like Synge, he wrote about the lives of working-class Irish people, but his work is known for its political and social themes.
Samuel Beckett was an Irish playwright and novelist, best known for his play 'Waiting for Godot'. Although he is often associated with the 'Theatre of the Absurd', his writing is varied and spans many genres.
Published in 1907, 'The Playboy of the Western World' is Synge's most famous play. Set in rural County Mayo, it caused controversy upon its debut due to its portrayal of Irish rural life.
Published in 1904, 'Riders to the Sea' is considered one of Synge's masterpieces. It tells the story of a family living on the Aran Islands, and their struggle with the sea.
Published in 1903, 'In the Shadow of the Glen' is Synge's first play. It explores themes of love, marriage, and betrayal.
Synge was known for his lyrical language and his ability to capture the rhythms and cadences of Irish speech. His plays are known for their depiction of rural Irish life, and his writing often explores themes of tradition and change.
The play caused controversy due to its portrayal of Irish rural life and its protagonist, Christy Mahon, who is initially viewed as a murderer but then becomes a hero to the local villagers. There were protests and riots during the play's debut, and Synge was even called out for a duel by one offended audience member.
Synge is considered one of the most important figures in the Irish Literary Revival, along with fellow writers like W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory. He helped to establish a distinctively Irish form of expression in literature, and his work has influenced generations of writers since.
Yes. He also wrote poetry and prose, including 'The Aran Islands', a memoir of his time spent living on the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland.
Synge was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease in 1907, but he continued to write and work until his death in 1909 at the age of 38. His illness may have been exacerbated by the harsh living conditions he endured while living on the Aran Islands.