Purgatory

Synopsis

In the ghostly ruins of a once-grand estate, the past and present collide as a man confronts the consequences of his family’s sins.

Purgatory is a haunting verse-play that explores themes of guilt, retribution, and the cyclical nature of violence. The drama unfolds with two characters: an Old Man and his sixteen-year-old son. They stand before the burnt remains of a house that once belonged to the Old Man’s aristocratic family. The Old Man recounts the tragic history of the house, revealing how his mother, a wealthy woman, married a stable boy who squandered her wealth and ultimately led to her demise. In a moment of drunken rage, the Old Man killed his father and set the house on fire, believing that this act would end the family’s curse.

As the story progresses, the Old Man reveals his belief that the spirits of his parents are trapped in purgatory, reliving their sins. In a desperate attempt to break the cycle of violence and free his mother’s soul, he kills his own son, hoping to prevent future generations from repeating the same mistakes. However, the Old Man’s actions only reinforce the perpetual cycle of suffering and retribution, leaving him to face the haunting realization that his efforts were in vain.

The play reflects Yeats’s interest in the supernatural and the moral complexities of human actions. The play’s minimalist setting and focus on intense, poetic dialogue create a powerful, eerie atmosphere that underscores the themes of inherited guilt and the inescapability of the past.