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Power Of Water Analysis

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The Power of Water The power of water is undeniable; it’s a symbol that has represented many things throughout all walks of life and literature. In some instances, you could say it is the most powerful force among the elements. It is truly, and unequivocally unpredictable; and yet, not at all. Regarding the stories of Riders to the Sea by J. M. Synge and The Enchanted Waters by Liam O’Flaherty, the allegorical meaning behind bodies of water stands strong as the driving theme. The immense natural power of water is in constant focus within Synge’s and O’Flaherty’s stories. The wonders and dangers of them are unavoidable; on one hand, you have men of the Aran Islands forced to brave the sea for the survival of their families. On the other, you have this magical lake that people believe to be bestowed with dark and divine power. Ironically, both tales contain contrasting themes that parallel at specific moments, emphasizing on the thematic nature of the subject matter. Within Riders to The Sea, the water acts as a source of anguish and comfort, with seemingly more power than God. It is a force that bestows a sense of hopelessness within the play, one the characters must accept. Its …show more content…

Despite Maurya’s prayers and the priest’s promise that Bartley will be protected by God, his death by sea still occurs. The power of water took the man’s life regardless of the divine sentiment, showing the impossibility of its will being defied. Interestingly, Maurya tries to use Catholicism and Paganism as a coping mechanism to channel her grief. In one instance, she tries to subdue the sea’s will; in the other, she is simply trying to comprehend the sea’s harsh violence. Her vision of Michael’s ghost riding behind Bartley is an explicit example of this, in which Maurya construes the sea to be a representation of the force that will ultimately take the life of her last living

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