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Act Two, Scene Ten
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Our Country’s Good, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Punishment and Rehabilitation
Theater, Liberation, and Unity
Love, Sex, and Power
Governance and Justice
Guilt, Regret, and Forgiveness
Summary
Analysis
The Aboriginal Australian stands backstage that night. “Look,” he says, “oozing pustules on my skin, heat on my forehead. Perhaps we have been wrong all this time and this is not a dream at all.” When he leaves, the convicts pass him and Mary asks, “Are the savages coming to see the play as well?” Ketch explains that the Aboriginal Australians are dying of small pox. “I hope they won’t upset the audience,” Sideway says, and Mary starts talking about how many people have come to see the play. Noticing Duckling—who is mourning the loss of Harry—Liz tells her that Dabby could fill in for her, but Duckling insists upon doing it herself. Apparently, Ross kicked her out of Harry’s tent, saying that “a whore [is] a whore.” As she explains this to the group, she begins to cry, and Mary promises to talk to Ralph about the matter.
Although the convicts themselves have benefited from kindness—since Phillip was empathetic enough to treat them as “rational” humans—they fail to extend this goodwill to the Aboriginal Australians. Instead of stopping to consider the fact that the Aboriginal population only has small pox because they—the British settlers—brought it to Australia, the convicts selfishly hope that the dying indigenous people won’t “upset the audience.” As such, the audience sees that they have failed to perpetuate the kind of compassion from which they themselves have benefited. While Mary’s relationship with Ralph has developed naturally, in this scene it becomes clear that their bond will indeed come along with certain privileges, as Mary hints at the fact that she might be able to convince Ralph to advocate for Duckling.
Active
Themes
Sideway insists that everyone practice their bow. Dabby, however, says she won’t be taking a bow and that she doesn’t want to be “noticed.” She then explains that she plans to run away in the commotion following the play’s final scene. “You can’t,” Mary says. “The Lieutenant will be blamed, I won’t let you.” However, Dabby tells her that if she mentions these plans to Ralph, she won’t act. Mary isn’t the only one upset by this development, though. “When I say my lines, I think of nothing else. Why can’t you do the same?” Arscott says. In response, Dabby says that the play is temporary, pointing out that what she wants is to return to England. Still upset, Mary says the guards won’t let them do another play if Dabby runs away.
Dabby’s plan to run away seemingly challenges the notion that the play has transformed the convicts. At the same time, the reaction of the other actors suggests that the artistic process truly has made a difference to their community. After all, they all come together to try to dissuade Dabby from running away, revealing how important the play is to them (while also demonstrating that the play has united them). The fact that the convicts are distressed by the idea of not being able to put on another play also indicates just how much they have enjoyed this experience. In and of itself, this is a significant development, since before the play they didn’t have anything to devote themselves to.
Active
Themes
Wisehammer doesn’t understand why Dabby wants to go back to England. “It’s too small and they don’t like Jews,” he says. “Here, no one has more of a right than anyone else to call you a foreigner. I want to become the first famous writer.” Sideway declares that he’s going to found a theater company in Australia once he’s free, assuring everyone that they can join. Everyone loves this idea, including Liz, who says she’d happily be part of Sideway’s company. “And so will I,” Ketch chimes in, and Sideway says, “I’ll hold auditions tomorrow.” In response, Dabby says, “Tomorrow,” and everyone echoes her.
Active
Themes
Ralph comes backstage and gives last-minute directorial advice to the actors before realizing that Caesar is missing. As Arscott goes looking for him, Ralph gives Duckling his condolences and tells her she doesn’t need to act in the play, but Duckling insists, saying, “[Harry] liked to hear me say my lines.” Walking over to Mary, Ralph compliments her beauty, and she tells him she had a dream in which she had three children. “If we have a boy we will call him Harry,” Ralph says. “And if we have a girl?” Mary asks. “She will be called Betsey Alicia,” Ralph answers. Just as he says this, Arscott returns with Caesar, whom he found lying drunkenly on the beach.
Active
Themes
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Caesar tells Ralph that he can’t act because his ancestors will be “angry” with him for being “laughed at” by the audience. Nonetheless, Ralph forces him to participate, reminding him that he’s the one who wanted to be in it in the first place. “I’m nervous too, but I have overcome it,” Ketch says. “You have to be brave to be an actor.” Ralph then tells the drunken convict that his own ancestors wouldn’t be happy to see him in this play, either. “But our ancestors are thousands of miles away,” he says. He then threatens Caesar by saying that he’ll hang him if he doesn’t act, and Caesar finally “pulls himself together.” Having heard this reference to hanging, Ketch turns to Liz and tells her that he wouldn’t have been able to hang her.
Active
Themes
Wisehammer reminds Ralph of his prologue. Reading it aloud backstage, he pronounces lines such as: “True patriots all; for be it understood, / We left our country for our country’s good.” When he finishes, Ralph notes that Major Ross will have a “fit” if he hears this, and though he admits it’s quite good, he tells Wisehammer it’s too political for the audience. Because of this, Sideway assures Wisehammer that they can use the prologue in the “Sideway Theatre.” Wisehammer is disappointed, but Ralph tells him that the theater is like a “small republic,” which “requires private sacrifices for the good of the whole.” Having said this, he gives the actors one last encouraging speech, telling them that they’re “on their own” now. Finally, Arscott goes onstage to deliver his opening monologue, which receives cascades of laughter and applause from the audience.
