The Steward of Christendom is a 1995 play written by Irish playwright Sebastian Barry. It focuses on Thomas Dunne, loosely based on Barry's great-grandfather, the former chief superintendent of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, now (1932) confined to a psychiatric facility. The play recounts Dunne's personal and public life throughout the 1910s and into the early 1920s.
The play opens in a county home (an inpatient psychiatric facility) in Baltinglass, Ireland in 1932, some years after Irish independence. In the opening scene, Dunne appears to be raving incoherently, reliving an episode of his childhood. As the play continues, Dunne slips from moments of lucidity to reliving parts of his career as a senior officer in the Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP), especially the handover of Dublin Castle to Michael Collins in 1922 after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. He also relives memories of his family, particularly his daughters, Annie, Maud, and Dolly. Dunne is also visited by the ghost of his son Willie, killed in WWI; Willie's ghost appears to him in the form a 13-year-old child but dressed in the soldier's uniform of his 18-year-old self.
These imagined visitations and reveries are interspersed by actual interactions between Dunne and two attendants from the county home, Mrs. O'Dea and Smith, who attempt to wash him and measure him for a new suit of clothes. Smith initially berates Dunne for his role in the DMP, particularly his ordering of the charge against the striking workers during the Dublin Lock-out in 1913 that left four dead; however, he warms up to Dunne after reading a letter written to him by his son from the battlefield. Mrs. O'Dea demonstrates more sympathy to him, eventually sewing some gold thread into Dunne's suit, as he frequently pleads for.
The play mainly alternates between the dramatized memories of 1922 and Dunne's present, mentally deteriorated state at the county home in 1932. It does, however, contain one actual visit from Annie and Dunne's son-in-law, Matthew. It consists largely of monologues from Dunne which serve to explain his past loyalties and decisions, before ending with the depiction of the traumatic event that started Dunne's downward spiral into madness: he brandished a sword at Annie and destroyed various pieces of furniture in her house after hearing of Michael Collins's death and the increased violence in the country due to the Irish Civil War. The play concludes with Dunne recounting a story from his childhood about the family sheepdog killing and eating one of the sheep. Dunne's father initially threatens to kill the dog as punishment, but much to young Dunne's relief, the father decides ultimately to spare the dog, which suggests that a similar forgiveness can be extended to Dunne despite his personal and public mistakes.
Quotesedit
"A soldier doesn't always make a good policeman. There's too much–sorrow–in a soldier." (16)[3]
"My father was the steward of Humewood, and I was the steward of Christendom." (33)[4]
"There was never enough gold in that uniform. If I had made commissioner I might have had gold, but that wasn’t a task for a Catholic." (10)[5]
“I loved her as long as she lived, I loved her as much as I loved Cissy my wife, and maybe more, or differently.“ (15)[6]
^"The Steward of Christendom – Stockroom". www.stockroom.co.uk.
^Pomakis, Niko (3 December 2021). Trauma and Dissociation in the Works and Life of Sebastian Barry. LIT Verlag Münster. ISBN9783643914835 – via Google Books.
^Barry, Sebastian (9 July 1998). The Steward of Christendom. Dramatists Play Service Inc. ISBN9780822216094 – via Google Books.
^Mahony, Christina Hunt (9 July 2006). Out of History: Essays on the Writings of Sebastian Barry. Peter Lang. ISBN9781904505181 – via Google Books.
^Barry, Sebastian (9 July 1998). The Steward of Christendom. Dramatists Play Service Inc. ISBN9780822216094 – via Google Books.
^Ross, Ciaran (9 July 2010). Sub-versions: Trans-national Readings of Modern Irish Literature. Rodopi. ISBN978-9042028289 – via Google Books.
Further readingedit
Cullingford, Elizabeth. “Colonial Policing: The Steward of Christendom and The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty.” Éire-Ireland 39.3/4 (2004): 11-37.
Martinovich, Kay. “Ghosts of the Great War in The Steward of Christendom.” New Hibernia Review 13.2 (2009): 110-24.
Meche, Jude R. “Seeking ‘The Mercy of the Fathers’: Sebastian Barry’s The Steward of Christendom and the Tragedy of Irish Patriarchy”. Modern Drama 47.3 (2004), 464-479.
December 15, 2023
steward, christendom, 1995, play, written, irish, playwright, sebastian, barry, focuses, thomas, dunne, loosely, based, barry, great, grandfather, former, chief, superintendent, dublin, metropolitan, police, 1932, confined, psychiatric, facility, play, recount. The Steward of Christendom is a 1995 play written by Irish playwright Sebastian Barry It focuses on Thomas Dunne loosely based on Barry s great grandfather the former chief superintendent of the Dublin Metropolitan Police now 1932 confined to a psychiatric facility The play recounts Dunne s personal and public life throughout the 1910s and into the early 1920s The Steward of ChristendomFirst edition publ Methuen Drama Written bySebastian BarryCharactersThomas DunneAnnieMattRecruitMaudDollyWilleMrs O DeaSmithDate premieredMarch 30 1995 1995 03 30 Place premieredRoyal Court Theatre Upstairs London 1 Original languageEnglishSeriesDunne Family sagaGenrehistorical fiction trauma fiction 2 SettingA county home in Baltinglass 1932 The Royal Court Theatre Sloane Square London site of the play s 1995 premiere Contents 1 Plot summary 2 Quotes 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingPlot summary editThe play opens in a county home an inpatient psychiatric facility in Baltinglass Ireland in 1932 some years after Irish independence In the opening scene Dunne appears to be raving incoherently reliving an episode of his childhood As the play continues Dunne slips from moments of lucidity to reliving parts of his career as a senior officer in the Dublin Metropolitan Police DMP especially the handover of Dublin Castle to Michael Collins in 1922 after the signing of the Anglo Irish Treaty He also relives memories of his family particularly his daughters Annie Maud and Dolly Dunne is also visited by the ghost of his son Willie killed in WWI Willie s ghost appears to him in the form a 13 year old child but dressed in the soldier s uniform of his 18 year old self These imagined visitations and reveries are interspersed by actual interactions between Dunne and two attendants from the county home Mrs O Dea and Smith who attempt to wash him and measure him for a new suit of clothes Smith initially berates Dunne for his role in the DMP particularly his ordering of the charge against the striking workers during the Dublin Lock out in 1913 that left four dead however he warms up to Dunne after reading a letter written to him by his son from the battlefield Mrs O Dea demonstrates more sympathy to him eventually sewing some gold thread into Dunne s suit as he frequently pleads for The play mainly alternates between the dramatized memories of 1922 and Dunne s present mentally deteriorated state at the county home in 1932 It does however contain one actual visit from Annie and Dunne s son in law Matthew It consists largely of monologues from Dunne which serve to explain his past loyalties and decisions before ending with the depiction of the traumatic event that started Dunne s downward spiral into madness he brandished a sword at Annie and destroyed various pieces of furniture in her house after hearing of Michael Collins s death and the increased violence in the country due to the Irish Civil War The play concludes with Dunne recounting a story from his childhood about the family sheepdog killing and eating one of the sheep Dunne s father initially threatens to kill the dog as punishment but much to young Dunne s relief the father decides ultimately to spare the dog which suggests that a similar forgiveness can be extended to Dunne despite his personal and public mistakes Quotes edit A soldier doesn t always make a good policeman There s too much sorrow in a soldier 16 3 My father was the steward of Humewood and I was the steward of Christendom 33 4 There was never enough gold in that uniform If I had made commissioner I might have had gold but that wasn t a task for a Catholic 10 5 I loved her as long as she lived I loved her as much as I loved Cissy my wife and maybe more or differently 15 6 See also editAnnie DunneReferences edit The Steward of Christendom Stockroom www stockroom co uk Pomakis Niko 3 December 2021 Trauma and Dissociation in the Works and Life of Sebastian Barry LIT Verlag Munster ISBN 9783643914835 via Google Books Barry Sebastian 9 July 1998 The Steward of Christendom Dramatists Play Service Inc ISBN 9780822216094 via Google Books Mahony Christina Hunt 9 July 2006 Out of History Essays on the Writings of Sebastian Barry Peter Lang ISBN 9781904505181 via Google Books Barry Sebastian 9 July 1998 The Steward of Christendom Dramatists Play Service Inc ISBN 9780822216094 via Google Books Ross Ciaran 9 July 2010 Sub versions Trans national Readings of Modern Irish Literature Rodopi ISBN 978 9042028289 via Google Books Further reading editCullingford Elizabeth Colonial Policing The Steward of Christendom and The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty Eire Ireland 39 3 4 2004 11 37 Hunt Mahony Christina Contemporary Irish Literature Transforming Tradition Basingstoke London Macmillan 1998 Martinovich Kay Ghosts of the Great War in The Steward of Christendom New Hibernia Review 13 2 2009 110 24 Meche Jude R Seeking The Mercy of the Fathers Sebastian Barry s The Steward of Christendom and the Tragedy of Irish Patriarchy Modern Drama 47 3 2004 464 479 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Steward of Christendom amp oldid 1170199875, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
